'Out of season' fungi

[arvensis]

Hi all,
With seeing some of the reports of quite late fungi, I wonder what species we will see out of season? I was on a spring foray 2-3 years back when we found a perfect specimen of Leccinum Versipelle. I wonder what fungi considered as autumnal species we will find next spring.

Mark

[cybershot]

An interesting observation Mark and one that JP, Nick and I have pondered during the past year's continual foraying, the more notable events of which I have documented including the period of Spring 2008:

“A year in the life of a Mushketeer” (Diary of a Novice Fungi Enthusiast) – Part 1

In my book the sighting of the first Fly Agaric heralds the approach of autumn and its glorious colours and the inherent promise of an abundance of fungi species in all shapes, sizes and hues. In 2007 that sighting occurred in Minley Wood, Hants on 24th August.

However a more significant date that year was 21st October. On that day at Greenham Common, near Newbury in Berkshire, when, on joining the ‘Shrooms group for my first ever organized foray since falling under the spell of mushroom magic almost a year earlier, I met John Parsons (JP). Hopefully this digest, documenting the highlights of the ensuing twelve months, will elaborate on why that was a life changing encounter, and testify to the benefits of foraying throughout the whole year. Alerted to the possibility of finding the parasitic Volvariella surrecta on caps of Clitocybe nebularis at the ‘Bomb Dump’ I had high expectations of being introduced to some exciting new species at Greenham. Unfortunately the Piggyback Rosegill failed to make an appearance, but there was no shortage, amongst the 70+ species recorded that day, of other parasitics in the shape of Pseudoboletus parasticus and Asterophora lycoperdoides. Also my initial inkling of JP’s penchant for the more uncommon and unusual species was revealed by his finds of Schizophyllum commune - Split Gill on a fallen Sycamore trunk, and Cheilymenia stercorea on dung. Indeed it was a promise of greater things to come.

November brought about another newcomer to the ‘Shrooms scene in the person of Nick Cantle, a young photographic student from Norfolk who was studying at UCA, Farnham and who was also a budding fungi aficionado. I met Nick through having simultaneously registered on the Wild About Britain (WAB) website and he had already, together with my Ridgeback dog Chaka, accompanied me on many mid-week outings locally on the Hampshire /Surrey border. On one such occasion a notable find was Gomphidius roseus amongst the Bovine Boletes at Frensham Ponds in Surrey. Further encounters with JP, on ‘Shrooms forays at Alice Holt and Minley Wood, sowed the seeds for the future, out of season, activities of the Three Mushketeers. These forays also introduced me to Wax Caps for the first time in the form of Hygrocybe virginea at Alice Holt, and H. miniata at Minley, where the size of the Geastrum triplex specimens found, appropriately at the foot of a Giant Redwood, is still a talking point.

The months of December and January were very quiet with the Bramshill foray abandoned in the car park because of heavy rain, but individuals were out and about reporting various finds in their localities: Norfolk for Nick during this period with JP most active over at Greenham and starting to demonstrate a propensity for close encounters of a dung kind, whilst my photo archives show little evidence of industry or fungi fruiting until discovering Polyporus Brumalis on Yateley Common at the end of January. (The Six Nations Rugby taking precedence some weekends). I even recall a distinct lack of the profusion of winter ‘s Velvet Shanks which had been evident in previous years on the heath land scrub of Blackbushe Airfield.

But then something amazing meant I could no longer ignore the imploring of JP to visit Greenham and a diary entry for 3rd February 2008 would have read: “Today I was tempted along to Greenham Common by JP's promise of 'hundreds' of Scarlet Elfcups (Sarcoscypha austriaca)”. It was an awesome sight to behold as along a 150 yard stretch of stream bank in Baynes Nature Reserve, patches of 'red cups' on bright green, moss covered branches made our footfall precarious. That day I also learned about polypores such as Phellinus, Phlebia and, most outstandingly, Mycoacia aurea, which encrusted the branches of trees.

Well the seeds that were sown back in November were about to germinate and JP and I decided to plan further ad hoc, ‘out of season’ forays starting with one in Minley Wood the following week; throwing out invites to anyone else who wished to join us. So it was that, on 10th February, JP and I were joined by ‘Shrooms leader Julie Campbell and Nick Cantle for what turned out to be one of the most successful forays of the year. Amongst the twenty or so finds we recorded Clitocybe barbularum, Neottiella rutilans, Dichomitus campestris and, last but certainly not least, Arrhenia chlorocyanea - Verdigris Navel, the verification of which is a story in itself; documented in the journals of the BMS and ABFG. So on this occasion it wasn’t the little black number in Julie’s wardrobe that brought everyone to fever pitch but a little black job spotted by eagle eyed Nick Cantle amongst the Polytrichum moss covering a sandy mound.

In March the Three Mushketeers ventured to pastures new at Pamber Forest, near Tadley in Hampshire; joined on this occasion by D’Artagnan in the person of Garry Rickard, who had made contact with us through WAB. Background research about Ganoderma applanatum and its relationship with the Agathomyia wankowiczi fly; extraordinarily large Elf Cups and awakened Adders were the order of the day. The location’s potential, yet to be realized apart from a later visit to its Bridle’s Copse area, was noted. I attended the AGM of the ABFG where introductions to members of the Hampshire Fungus Recording Group opened up new avenues for the Mushketeers. Most amazingly came the announcement from Garry of the arrival of St George’s Mushroom (Calocybe gambosa) at Pyestock………….on St Patrick’s Day? Closely following this event ,JP also discovered them amongst the gorse on Greenham Common.

April was notable for its ‘Foray in the Snow ‘, when, unperturbed by an overnight fall of three inches, Garry and I meet up with JP at Greenham rallying to the strains of “ For England, Harry and St George’s Mushrooms!”. Needless to say, apart from Lachnum virgineum on a pinecone unearthed from under the snow by Chaka, our handful of finds resulted from JP managing to relocate species from previous expeditions. Included in these was a first time sighting for me of Gyomitra esculenta. Later in the month a very successful ‘Microscopy Workshop’ with Michael Jordan at Alice Holt Research Station had the knock on effect of re-uniting us with Tina Facey, the Tylers and Les Bridgeland.

On May Day the Mushketeers once again defied the weather to be justly rewarded by a collection of 30+ species in the area around Newbury including, in Bowdown Wood, a very spectacular and delicious Chicken of the Woods (a first for Nick and I) and, not just one, but, three equally impressive specimens of Formitopsis pinicola; all on different host trees and all eventually verified by Dr Roberts at Kew. Much is owed to JP for his groundwork in the area prior to this marathon rain soaked outing. Two days later the three of us joined forces with Stuart Skeates and co. of the HFRG for a highly enlightening foray at Ashford Hill where the vastly experienced membership astonished us with undreamt of field mycology skills and produced recordings of 60+ species many of which, as follows, were first sightings in my case: Helvella acetabulum, Lachnellula occidentalis*, Clitocybe fragrans, Inocybe assimilata*, Entoloma conferendum var. conferendum to name but a few (*New to HFRG)

[flaxton]

Almost makes me want to move south.

Mal

[cybershot]

Originally Posted by flaxton

Almost makes me want to move south.

Mal

We are contemplating visiting Nick on his fungi fertile territory in Norfolk at some stage Mal. So stay posted and we'll meet you half-way

David

[CapAndBracket]

And our trip up north next Autumn, that patch sounds nothing short of
remarkable.

Cheers J.P.

[flaxton]

Sounds good to me.

Mal

[cybershot]

Fear not , Part 2 is not relevant to this particular thread but suffice it to say that after the summer lull there was a flush in August which initially promised a fantastic season akin to 2006. But although this was not fulfilled in our region, and reports up and down the land indicated low numbers of species nationwide (except that is from Clumber and a certain municipal park in St Albans), we are still uncovering many interesting new finds such as Coprinus stirquilinus, Spathularia flavida, Volvariella bombycina, Mutinus caninus and Cordyceps militaris, and continue to remain expectantly hopeful for each future outing.

Cheers

David

[cybershot]

On Sunday, 16 Novenber 2008 another species usually found in Feb/Mar (during the spring thaw), Sarcoscypha austriaca - Scarlet Elf Cup, was discovered on a known site emerging on moss covered branches alongside a stream in Pamber Forest, near Tadley, Hants.

David

[sarah64]

Originally Posted by cybershot

On Sunday, 16 Novenber 2008 another species usually found in Feb/Mar (during the spring thaw), Sarcoscypha austriaca - Scarlet Elf Cup, was discovered on a known site emerging on moss covered branches alongside a stream in Pamber Forest, near Tadley, Hants.

David

I must admit David that I find all these out of season emergences quite frustrating. I keep completely missing everything I want to look for because when I go looking its already been and gone.

[NickCantle]

Originally Posted by cybershot

On Sunday, 16 Novenber 2008 another species usually found in Feb/Mar (during the spring thaw), Sarcoscypha austriaca - Scarlet Elf Cup, was discovered on a known site emerging on moss covered branches alongside a stream in Pamber Forest, near Tadley, Hants.

David

Very interesting. Do you think the cold flush has accelerated its growth pattern? What stage of development are they in?