Odd Looking Deer Shield?

Lancashire Lad · #1 (**permalink**) 17-06-2010, 05:06 PM

I've been pondering on this since finding it earlier today.

Cap approx. 25mm across, stipe approx. 75mm tall.
Growing on mossy covered rotting wood of a fallen Fagus trunk.

I've been struggling to ID it, but the more I look at it the more I'm thinking it might just be a young(ish) but quite dry Deer Shield - Pluteus cervinus.

Any confirmation / other suggestions much appreciated.

Regards,
Mike.

SheffieldLass · #2 (**permalink**) 17-06-2010, 05:28 PM

I've found quite a few P cervinus in the last week or so, and they start off that very dark glossy brown colour, becoming lighter as they have expanded. I think you are probably right that it is P cervinus.

Is Deer Shield an established name or one of the new ones? It doesn't do anything for me, that name.

Melanie

Lancashire Lad · #3 (**permalink**) 17-06-2010, 05:36 PM

Thanks Melanie.

Deer Shield is the English name given on the BMS list of recommended English names for fungi of the UK.

I'm not sure how long the name has been in use though.

Regards,
Mike.

Chris Yeates · #4 (**permalink**) 17-06-2010, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

I've been pondering on this since finding it earlier today.

Cap approx. 25mm across, stipe approx. 75mm tall.
Growing on mossy covered rotting wood of a fallen Fagus trunk.

I've been struggling to ID it, but the more I look at it the more I'm thinking it might just be a young(ish) but quite dry Deer Shield - Pluteus cervinus.

Any confirmation / other suggestions much appreciated.

Regards,
Mike.

hi

I lay no great claims to be an agaricologist, but:

(a) Pluteus doesn't have a veil
(b) those gill-echoes on the top of the stipe scarcely suggest a genus characterised by free gills

can't think what, but we need to look elsewhere . . . .

Deer Cap is a name of quite long standing (Latin cervus, a deer) - which is why it had to be changed of course

(how have fly agaric and sulphur tuft survived if the logic is to be pursued? I don't know, mycologists with too much time on their hands how does that work? oh, of course, they only do "real fungi" and therefore have little to do for seven months of the year

)

Lancashire Lad · #5 (**permalink**) 17-06-2010, 06:27 PM

Hi Chris,

It was primarily the veil that was the problem to me, as I wasn't sure if a young P.cervinus would be likely to have such a pronounced (if any) veil. - I've only seen more mature specimens.

That said, I was well and truly fooled by a Honey fungus that I posted for ID some while back on WAB - I thought it was some sort of Webcap, as it had very pronounced partial veil. - I was advised that it was Honey fungus, and that partial veils were quite normal for young specimens. I thought that might also be the case for Pluteus.

Regards,
Mike.

Chris Yeates · #6 (**permalink**) 17-06-2010, 06:38 PM

in the Pluteaceae, Pluteus doesn't have a veil (or strictly speaking doesn't have a ring - so I'm possibly generalising if we are talking about the genus on a world scale, I can't think of any British species with a veil - where's Herr Gminder when you want him?) or volva, Volvariella does have a volva (surprise, surprise); but in any case those gills on your fungus are adnate, not free

I note that there is now strong evidence for Amanita to be placed in the Pluteaceae; now correct me if I'm wrong but that genus has veils and volvas all over the shop

C

SheffieldLass · #7 (**permalink**) 17-06-2010, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

hi

I
(a) Pluteus doesn't have a veil
(b) those gill-echoes on the top of the stipe scarcely suggest a genus characterised by free gills

Oops.

(Mine were P cervinus, honest ..... well I'd better check .... phew, free gills, no veil, and interesting pleurocystidia with horns)

Melanie

flaxton · #8 (**permalink**) 17-06-2010, 10:59 PM

Are those gills slightly pink? Entoloma anyone?
Mal

SheffieldLass · #9 (**permalink**) 18-06-2010, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flaxton

Are those gills slightly pink? Entoloma anyone?
Mal

It's that wretched veil again that messes things up. Can't we airbrush it out?

Melanie

Andy Overall · #10 (**permalink**) 18-06-2010, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

I've been pondering on this since finding it earlier today.

Cap approx. 25mm across, stipe approx. 75mm tall.
Growing on mossy covered rotting wood of a fallen Fagus trunk.

I've been struggling to ID it, but the more I look at it the more I'm thinking it might just be a young(ish) but quite dry Deer Shield - Pluteus cervinus.

Any confirmation / other suggestions much appreciated.

Regards,
Mike.

This looks like Agrocybe erebia.

Andy