Mycena...

[waynehicks1]

Found a few days ago at the edge of a woodland path, growing on soil and not wood debris/twigs. They look like Mycena to me, but can anyone help with the species. I was so hell bent on getting a sharp image of these beauties that I completely forgot to take a shot of the gills. I apologise now



Many thanks

Wayne

[Ditiola]

I hope you made a spore print to check that they were white! if not why not

I think it will be a Mycena, however with over 120 in the UK they can be difficult, especially brown ones on wood. I would not atempt to give one a name without keying out with a microscope, but perhaps others might be more confident

Peter

[waynehicks1]

No spore print I'm afraid Peter. I was already carrying way too much gear and, being that I was far from home, collecting specimens seemed too much like hard work.

Laziness ruled the day

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by Ditiola

I hope you made a spore print to check that they were white! if not why not

I think it will be a Mycena, however with over 120 in the UK they can be difficult, especially brown ones on wood. I would not atempt to give one a name without keying out with a microscope, but perhaps others might be more confident

Peter

you took the words Peter! Wayne needs to start doing a bit of work at home methinks - that Tylopilus wouldn't have needed the use of a key (flawed or otherwise) with a spore print . . . . .

I have come across virtually sterile Psathyrella collections which rather resembled this - it was only when I got (very few) spores off them I realised that I hadn't got a Mycena; also some Entoloma species can appear very 'mycenoid' at a casual glance

It's not just about taking photographs and asking others to do the hard bit!

This is not meant in any way nastily Wayne - I hope you've been around WAB long enough to know that .

There has been a lot of discussion about what books to use for fungal identification (as there always is at this time of year) with ease of portability in the field being seen as a criterion; with digital cameras it's easy to take your in the field/habitat shots - if you're not sure what you've got take it home and have a proper look at it; smells are often easier to detect when a collection has been confined in a small plastic box for a while

you can use your books at home - I soon stopped taking books out into the field with me, finding that it didn't make me really study the fungi properly - if I were to make five rules for the beginner that would be in the top three . . . . (providing you have the kit and ability to take decent 'field' photographs - which, sadly seems to be quite a lot of people - Wayne is definitely not one of them I hasten to add)

cheers

Chris

[waynehicks1]

With only two months remaining before I leave the country for six months, I feel torn between purchasing a microscope now or waiting until I return in May 2012.
Realistically, I think any such purchase will have to wait until I come home.

I heed your words Chris and make you right. I'm becoming ever more frustrated and as my interest in mycology deepens I'm finding that photography alone isn't quite hitting the spot, although I'm still having immense fun capturing my subjects

I'm definitely getting the feeling that there is a whole new level of satisfaction to be had by delving into the microscopic world.

Regards

Wayne

[fairplay]

Originally Posted by waynehicks1

With only two months remaining before I leave the country for six months, I feel torn between purchasing a microscope now or waiting until I return in May 2012.
Realistically, I think any such purchase will have to wait until I come home.

I heed your words Chris and make you right. I'm becoming ever more frustrated and as my interest in mycology deepens I'm finding that photography alone isn't quite hitting the spot, although I'm still having immense fun capturing my subjects

I'm definitely getting the feeling that there is a whole new level of satisfaction to be had by delving into the microscopic world.

Regards

Wayne

Never rush into purchasing a microscope Wayne - you chose right by leaving it till you get back.

Neil.

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

. . . .(providing you have the kit and ability to take decent 'field' photographs - which, sadly seems to be quite a lot of people - Wayne is definitely not one of them I hasten to add)

cheers

Chris

this reads all wrong! I intended to say that - despite modern technology - we still see some pretty unhelpful images on the forum - but Wayne's are not among them

have fun abroad, and yes, Neil is quite correct - wait until you get back to think about microscopy . . .

Chris