Fungi for WAB dear meeting

[WhiskyBottle]

A few fungi from the WAB deer meeting in the new forest a while back

Sulphur Tuft?


Is this Sulphur Tuft? The lighting wasn't good under the trees.


No idea what this one is.


Giant Puffball?

Martin

[leifus]

your first is Sulphur Tuft, as you said
and the last is definately an old puffball but I'm not sure as to which one

[KeenTeen17]

1) most likely sulphur tuft
2) older sulphur tuft
3) maybe inocybe sp. because the cap is fibrous
4) not sure about giant puffball because no indication of scale. I am thinking handkea utriformis . for this one because of the lack of spikes on it. but these may wash off with age so I may not be right

this is one I saw last summer

[WhiskyBottle]

Size of the Puffball was 6 - 8 inches diameter

[monkey]

Not sure that this will help but I took this photo in exactly the same place the weekend before Whiskybottle and it is also an old one but may show you another view Im afraid im not a fungi expert



Linda

[KeenTeen17]

yep. sticking with Handkea utriformis

and thinking about the second one - I believe it cut be a mature paxillus involutus. I shall upload one I saw a few weeks ago - tomorrow for comparison.

[NickCantle]

You know KT, I was out yesterday, strolling about my Birch patch and I saw P. involutus and thought that it reminded me of this specimen (largely due to the habitat Martin's can be seen growing in).

Then I got back and somehow dissuaded myself from suggesting it. I don't think it is

[WhiskyBottle]

Thank you all for your interest.
All the pictures I can find of Giant Puffballs show larger white puffballs, but they don't show the spent ones.
Linda - any chance of getting a picture earlier next year, or perhapes you could arrange a 'puffball meeting'
My 'Great encyclopedia of Mushrooms' shows nothing as big as these except 'Giant', but it doen't have Lycoperdon Nigrescens or Handkea utriformis.
I'll get my Collins book out of the loft when it's a bit warmer, but that's a bit complicated for me
Still not sure about No.3

Martin

[NickCantle]

When they do reach the end of their life cycle, they deteriorate at a rapid rate, becoming a globe of dusty spore mass. The globe then rolls across the ground in the wind spreading the spores far and wide for the next season.

So yes, I say Calvatia gigantea

[monkey]

Hi Whisky
I will do my best to get another photo when I can as it is an area we frequent and I am fascinated by how large they are as well! It also is interesting to me that they were in an open field no where near a tree and only near an area that has a lot of mounds covered in grass not fresh soil although do look like large mole hills. I have never seen such large fungi. I will post as soon as I get another pic.
I am sure you will also come down again to the New Forest now that you have experienced how much it has to offer.

Linda