Unidentified Club Fungus

[cybershot]

Despite its resemblance to Mitrula paludosa - Bog Beacon, Leif Goodwin discovered that this minute (8mm tall, 3mm across head, 1mm stem base) club fungus had clavate basidia, with 4 (sausage shaped) spores. His further investigations, including discussions with Nick Legon, lead tenatatively to Multiclavula vernalis.

Herbarium specimens have been collected for verification.

David

[cybershot]

The herbarium specimens, collected independently by Leif and myself from the site near Hawley Lake first located by Keith Blackmore of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and notified to the group by Mike Waterman, are so minute that it is a wonder that they ever arrive safely at their destination. Keeping mine in reserve in case Leif's go astray. If verified as Multiclavula vernalis it will be the first record for England and only the 11th for the UK.

David

[Chris Yeates]

nice-one!

I wonder how many "Mitrula" records over the years have perhaps been this

cheers

Chris

[FungiJohn]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

nice-one!

I wonder how many "Mitrula" records over the years have perhaps been this

cheers

Chris

A trip back to longshaw will rule in or out one recording at least

[SheffieldLass]

Say 'Congratulations' to Leif, and also 'Thanks a bunch' . It's looking as if the nice and easy in-the-field id of Mitrula paludosa might not be quite quite so cut and dried after all. And they would grow in the same habitat, wouldn't they . I hope they are confirmed as Multiclavula vernalis, that would be a great find.

Melanie

[cybershot]

In hindsight, and subject to Kew’s findings, having personally made the understandable mistake of assuming them to be small/underdeveloped M. paludosa, I think from the in-the-field perspective that the differences in the jizz are now all too apparent: The size and nature of the fruit bodies (being less than 8mm tall, 3mm across the head and 1mm at stem base), and not having a distinct division, save that of a colour change, between head and stalk are indicative of a different species. Also the habitat is significant in that Bog Beacon grows on rotting wood and plant remains in very wet places or even in water, whereas this collection, although adjacent to a wet boggy track crossing a drainage culvert, was growing gregariously in large trooping groups (100s in total) on bare peat soil amongst algae and sundews.

[cybershot]

Stuart Skeates, leader of the Hampshire Fungus Group, has collected specimens to take with him to Scotland this weekend in order show Roy Watling who did the original work on other collections north of the border; the only other place in the UK they have been recorded. So we may well have an answer soon.

David

[cybershot]

The probabilty, establish by separate discussions between Leif and Nick Legon, and Stuart and Roy Watlng has now been verified by Kew giving the first record of Multiclavula vernalis for England. Well done Keith Blackmore and all those who diligently followed this up to such a successful conclusion.

David

[cybershot]

As a result of this find fungi get some good PR through an HWT press release picked up by the BBC for a biodiversity story:

BBC - Earth News - Earth News

Also from the BBC some fascinating time lapse footage of various fungi:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/kingdom/Fungus#p003c1t1

Enjoy

David

[JennyS]

Nice find!
Does it class as a fungus or a lichen as Multiclavula vernalis is included in the recently published 'The Lichens of Great Britain and Ireland'?