Help with these mushrooms, Can anyone help ?

[mismail]

Can any one help ?

Over the last 2 weeks I have noticed mushrooms growing in my garden under a rose tree, I used to get alot of squirrels hiding peanuts and foxes digging up my garden. but that has all stopped now. I have other vegetable plants close to these mushrooms (2 feet away) will these mushrooms be harmful for them ?.

Can anyone help with what these mushrooms are ?
Why are these growing in my garden ?

[Lancashire Lad]

Hi mismail,

It is very likely that your thread will be removed by the Moderators, as linking to photos on other sites is not permitted on WAB. (See the rules. )

In this case, that will be unfortunate, because your fungi look like Melanoleuca verrucipes (Warty Cavalier), which is something of a rarity in Britain.

I would urge you to make the effort to upload copies of your photos directly to WAB's Image Library, and from there copy them into another post (or, if this thread gets deleted, start another thread with those photos included).
See here for how to upload: -
http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/fo...tml#post657362

It would be helpful to include a photo of the underside - clearly showing the gills, and to provide more details of the physical size of the fungi, and the ground in which they are growing.

If they are M.verrucipes, I'm pretty certain that they won't do any harm to your other plants - they would take their nourishment from bits of dead wood (They particularly favour woodchip, and here in Britain, on the rare occasions when they are seen, are mostly found on that substrate).

Regards,
Mike.

[fairplay]

If I were you Mismail, I'd contact my local fungus group, or wildlife group and invite them round to admire what is still quite rare and only discovered in Britain in the year 2,000.

Just to confirm what Mike says - they feed on wood chip or bits of dead wood in the soil, so are GOOD for the garden by returning nutrients to the soil.

Neil.

[mismail]

Hi there thanks for that, I have uploaded the images, and will try to take photos today as they are a lot bigger. how can I edit my original post ?

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

Hi mismail,

It is very likely that your thread will be removed by the Moderators, as linking to photos on other sites is not permitted on WAB. (See the rules. )

In this case, that will be unfortunate, because your fungi look like Melanoleuca verrucipes (Warty Cavalier), which is something of a rarity in Britain.

I would urge you to make the effort to upload copies of your photos directly to WAB's Image Library, and from there copy them into another post (or, if this thread gets deleted, start another thread with those photos included).
See here for how to upload: -
http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/fo...tml#post657362

It would be helpful to include a photo of the underside - clearly showing the gills, and to provide more details of the physical size of the fungi, and the ground in which they are growing.

If they are M.verrucipes, I'm pretty certain that they won't do any harm to your other plants - they would take their nourishment from bits of dead wood (They particularly favour woodchip, and here in Britain, on the rare occasions when they are seen, are mostly found on that substrate).

Regards,
Mike.

[mismail]

[diggleken]

Not one I know, but that looks spot on from Mikes original suggestion. Nice find!
Cheers
Ken

[mismail]

Hi

I have uploaded some new images, thanks for your help .

Han

[Lancashire Lad]

Hi Han,

Thanks for taking the trouble to upload your photos as per WAB's rules. - It would have been a shame if this thread had had to be deleted.

I echo what Neil (fairplay) has said, and suggest that if you have a local fungus group or know of any enthusiasts, they would be very interested in seeing these (and potentially collecting and drying a couple of the fruitbodies for herbarium voucher material - and getting the record of the find authenticated on Britain's Fungal Record Database). - You never know, depending on where you live, these could easily be a first for your county/area.

I had a record confirmed by Kew in 2009, for some of these found in a local wood in Lancashire. Prior to that they had only been found as far north as Northants.

I hope that this find might encourage you to a further interest in fungi.

Regards,
Mike.

EDIT - Just noticed that you are in London - so Kew is "just around the corner". - You could always dry a couple and send them with as much detail as you have, to The Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Surrey TW9 3AB. - I'm sure they would appreciated the record.

[mismail]

Hi Mike,

Yes these have definately got me interested, I have got in touch with Royal Botanic Gardens, some one will call me back. I am curious as to where and how i get the fruit bodies? and dry them out ?

Will these die soon ? or will more grow ?

is there any way I can encourage more to grow ?

Thanks for all your help again.

Han

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by mismail

....I am curious as to where and how i get the fruit bodies? and dry them out ?

Will these die soon ? or will more grow ?

is there any way I can encourage more to grow ?.....

Apologies Han, "Fruitbodies" is just fungi talk for the actual mushrooms.

Carefully pick a couple of nice ones, and a very small young one too if there are any, (make sure that you get the very bottom of the stems as well - probably best to "dig" them up rather than just pluck them). Brush any excess soil from the bases, and just let them dry out naturally. - Ideally in a paper bag on a radiator or similar. (Definitely don't put them in anything too hot such as an oven - or anything airtight - they will go mouldy). - They will shrink quite a bit, and will look dry and wrinkly and not what you might think would be any good for a record. But that is how most fungi go when dried. Then, if you are going to send them to Kew, put them in a very small cardboard box or strong envelope with some packing so that they won't get entirely squashed in the post.

Each individual will only last for a couple of days at most, so pick a couple of good ones to dry while they last.

They may return again next year if you are lucky - unfortunately the ones that I found haven't reappeared. (yet!).

To encourage them just leave most of them in situ to ensure that they can spread their spores around.

Are they growing on anything that you might have imported to your garden such as woodchip mulch?

Regards,
Mike.