1st post - ID, I'm afraid...

[SAPD]

Hi, I've been lurking on the forum for about 6 months; reading, learning and being appreciative of the knowledge that is passed on in each post.

I must admit that my first few forays were solely based on finding mushrooms that could go on to grace the dinner table but I'm increasingly finding that the opportunity to take a few pictures and then go home to trawl through books and websites to attempt identification is almost as satisfying as tucking into a bowl full of puffball risotto... almost.

Anyway, I'd appreciate the forum's help with ID of the following, found on a recent trip to a coniferous forest in Northumberland:


Russula erythropus, perhaps? A guess based mainly on the colour of the stem.


And I have no idea at all about this:


The bulbous stem and brown cap had me fooled several times, believing it to be a very young cep, only to discover gills under the cap. I was also surprised to see the flesh stain yellow after being cut. I regret the fact that I neglected to take any pictures of older specimens.

It was an unbelievable morning out as the forest floor was thick with fungi. I'm not sure if you can make out the quantity of fungi in the background of this A. Muscaria picture, but it gives a tiny indication of the volume that we saw.

I would have thought it too early for Fly Agaric but there seemed to be literally thousands of them around, in varying states of maturity.

There were also plenty of ceps, including this monster:

A shame it was a long way beyond being good for the frying pan.

Please excuse the initial marathon post and any ID help with the above would be most appreciated

[stickman]

Hi SAPD

Not sure about the Russula, but the second one down looks suspiciously like a young Gomphidius glutinosus to me.

Cheers, Nick

[SAPD]

Thanks, Nick. A quick search of the Roger Phillips app suggests that Gomphidius glutinosus may be a very good call. Perhaps I was mistaken and the flesh didn't stain yellow upon being cut but actually started off that colour, as shown in Phillips' pictures and described as, "strongly lemon-chrome towards the stem base" The rest of the description certainly sounds like a good fit.

[fairplay]

Hello SAPD,

Russula erythropus is an old name for Russula xerampelina, but I don't think it is this.
More likely in my opinion, is R.sardonia, but we will never know for sure (unless we get a surprise visit from 'Geoffrey')

I agree with the other being G.glutinosus.

Neil.

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by SAPD

I must admit that my first few forays were solely based on finding mushrooms that could go on to grace the dinner table but I'm increasingly finding that the opportunity to take a few pictures and then go home to trawl through books and websites to attempt identification is almost as satisfying as tucking into a bowl full of puffball risotto... almost.
. . . .
A shame it was a long way beyond being good for the frying pan.

hi welcome to WAB

to - as the great Count Arthur Strong would say - nip you in the buds please be careful here . . .

you have stressed that your interest has widened from its initial gastronomic one and many of us started down that road . . . but I'd be a bit cautious of over-stressing that theme (see: ID of this pleurotus would be welcomed ) I know you haven't done that, but . . . .

cheers

Chris

[FungiJohn]

Hi SAPD and a very warm welcome to WAB

Russula species are never easy and even after testing with KOH, FeSO4 and Ammonia, spore colour, peeling, tasting, colour change and microscopy you may still be uncertain!

I have just spent a week determining Russula sanguinea, especially associated with 2-needled pines but still feel safer in calling it cf Russula sanguinea!

Yours could also be this!

The joys of Mycology

John

[fairplay]

I would just like to add that it might be better to forget about collecting for the pot almost entirely as old habits die hard - in putting a knife to that G.glutinosa you almost removed or left behind some of the most important identification features - the yellowing at the BASE OF THE STEM.

For identification reasons, NEVER cut the stem, but carefully try to remove it all in one piece, even if it continues below ground level. (when it is even more important to show us)

Neil.

[SAPD]

Thanks for all the replies.

A lesson learnt here and thanks to Neil for spelling it out so clearly; the knife is not necessarily a welcome tool when attempting identification.

Whilst I reserve the right to collect mushrooms for food (at times that I don't think doing so will adversely affect the local fungal population), I certainly won't be cutting things down indiscriminately and posting pictures on here asking, "Is this OK to eat?"

I feel now that I need to justify myself and should point out that I only cut the mushrooms pictured in the thread to allow a gill shot for identification purposes. Both species were growing abundantly and I wouldn't have damaged them so had they been the only examples I could find. I'm often found 'base over apex' trying to take pictures of fungi that I couldn't identify without causing them undue disturbance. The massive bolete in the final picture had already been picked, and left at the side of a path, by a more destructive soul. In fact, there was possible evidence of picking on a commercial scale as we found several clearings where there were tons of discarded ceps whose stems were maggot infested. Very sad.

Thanks John and Neil for giving me pointers on the russula. I see I've got a loooong way to go if I thought I might make a positive identification from a couple of photos... I'm off to read up on

KOH, FeSO4 and Ammonia, spore colour, peeling, tasting, colour change and microscopy

Cheers,
Daniel

[FungiJohn]

That's the way to go Daniel

A search of old threads should help you, but don't be afraid to ask questions

John