A to Z of British Fungi

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Common Name	Scientific Name	Description
Calloria neglecta	Calloria neglecta	Tiny red-orange discs found clustered on the dead stalks of Stinging Nettle plants.
Candelariella reflexa	Candelariella reflexa
Candlesnuff Fungus	Xylaria hypoxylon	Xylaria hypoxylon, commonly called either the Candle-snuff Fungus or the Stag's Horn Fungus, appears throughout the year, but it is particularly common during late autumn and winter. This is...
Catinella olivacea	Catinella olivacea
Cauliflower Fungus	Sparassis crispa	The entire fruit body of the Cauliflower fungus is reminiscent of a coarse bath sponge and mature specimens can be huge and weight several pounds.
Cellar Cup	Peziza cerea	A pale-brown cup shaped, medium-sized inedible fungus found growing solitary or in small troops in woodland on buried rotting wood and other debris, also on old mortar.
Cep or Penny bun	Boletus edulis	Boletus edulis is found in deciduous and coniferous woodland in Summer and Autumn and can grow to a large size. It has a yellow-brown to dark-brown cap, a stout stem, which has a fine mesh-...
Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa	Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa	A small fungus found growing in rosettes on the bark of fallen trees and branches in general.
Ceratiomyxo fruticulosa var. arbuscula	Ceratiomyxo fruticulosa var. arbuscula (2)
Chaetosphaerella phaeostroma	Chaetosphaerella phaeostroma	Spore shown in Cotton Blue
Chanterelle	Cantharellus cibarius	The cap is yellow, depressed in the middle with a wavy margin and the underside is an apricot - yellow colour and strongly wrinkled with the gill-like veins running down the short stem. Found...
Charcoal Burner	Russula cyanoxantha	Only two or three Russulas have gills that are flexible and the Charcoal Burner is one of them. To confirm identity, test with Iron Sulphate, which turns the flesh greenish, umlike most...
Charcoal Cup	Peziza echinospora	Habitat: burnt beech stump Cap: cup shaped, brown colour inside, slimy...
Cheilymenia fimicola	Cheilymenia fimicola	A common, small cup or disc shaped orange fungus that is frequently found in meadows and pastures growing om animal manure.
Cheilymenia stercorea	Cheilymenia stercorea	Small orange-red conical, sessile cup fungi, densley clustered and hairy. Inedible
Cheilymenia theleboloides	Cheilymenia theleboloides
Chestnut Dapperling	Lepiota castanea	A smallish fungus that is also one of the deadliest. It contains toxins similar to that of the Death Cap and causes kidney and liver damage.
Chicken of the Woods	Laetiporus sulphureus	This fungus is bright yellow when fresh and forms large, tiered clusters of fan-shaped fruitbodies. This is one of the most spectacular and identifiable species of bracket fungi.
Chlorophyllum olivieri	Chlorophyllum olivieri	This fungus is possibly a common species normally misidentified as Macrolepiota rhacodes. Reported to be edible but may cause stomach upsets in some people.
Choiromyces meandriformis	Choiromyces meandriformia
Ciboria amentacea	Ciboria amentacea	A cup shaped fungus found on the male catkins of Alder, Hazel and Willow.
Ciboria batschiana	Ciboria batschiana	A small cup shaped or flat fungus found growing on old acorns in broadleaf woodland under Oak during Autumn..
Ciboria caucus	Ciboria caucus	An ascomycte. Occurs on fallen male alder or willow catkins Microscopy inset: note the bluing at the tips of the asci in Melzer's solution
Ciboria coryli	Ciboria coryli
Cinnamon Bracket	Hapalopilus nidulans	Sherwood Forest (Birklands) 7 June 2008 ID confirmed by Kew, and specimens retained in herbarium collection.
Cinnamon Porecrust	Phellinus ferreus	Deciduous wood, especial hazel.
Cinnamon-brown Cushion	Phellinus punctatus
Clavulinopsis luteoalba	Clavulinopsis luteoalba	A small club-shaped yellow fungus that grows either solitary or in groups on soil in short grassland.
Clitocybe amarescens	Clitocybe amarescens
Clitocybe costata	Clitocybe costata
Clitocybe metachroa	Clitocybe metachroa	Smallish buff or tan agaric with darker center and greyish white, decurrent gills.
Clitocybe odora	Clitocybe odora	Young specimens are a pale blue colour fading to light grey as they age.
Clitocybe phaeophthalma	Clitocybe phaeophthalma
Clitocybe sinopica	Clitocybe sinopica	A small rare species of fungus witha bright, reddish-brown cap that may be found in small troops around the edges and clearings in coniferous woodland and on heathes.
Clouded Funnel	Clitocybe nebularis	This is a variable blue-grey, mid-grey to even yellowish fungus, appearing in troops and rings, often in large numbers fairly late in the year.
Clustered Bonnet	Mycena inclinata	This species grows in dense clumps on dead stumps and logs of broadleaf trees and occasionally on standing trees..
Clustered Toughshank	Collybia confluena	This species of fungus is found in dense clumps in deciduous and coniferous woodland and it's aromatic smell helps in identification.
Coconut Milkcap	Lactarius glyciosmus	Really does taste of coconut. Mild initailly becoming a little hotter with age
Collared Earthstar	Geastrum triplex	This is one of the largest and most common of the Earthstars and can be found in deciduous woods, hedgerows and sand dunes. The young fruitbody is onion-shaped and has a distinct point at the top...
Collared Mosscap	Rickenella swartzii	A small and delicate fungus with a flattened or funnel-shaped cap that is found growing in troops in grasslands, usually with moss.
Collared Parachute	Marasmius rotula	A very small and delicate agaric with a cap reminiscent of a parachute, found in mixed woodland, often along the sides of paths.
Collybia ocior	Collybia ocior	A small fungus with a tan or dark brown cap found growing on rotting stums, bark and litter in woodland.
Colpoma quercinum	Colpoma quercinum	A tar-spot fungus (Order: Rhytismatales) very common on dead attached oak twigs, though often found in an old 'effete' state.
Common Bonnet	Mycena galericulata	Look for the inter-veining between the gills
Common Cavalier	Melanoleuca polioleuca	A smallish brown fungus commonly found growing in woodland and pastures from late Summer till late Autumn.
Common Earthball	Scleroderma citrinum	A yellowish, rounded and hard scaly fungus that is attached to the substrate by thin threads in small troops on bare, usually sandy soil or among moss, often favouring bankings.
Common Eyelash	Scutellinia scutella	A small, scarlet orange disc shaped fungus that is found often densely clustered on rotten wood or woody debris with moss.
Common Funnel	Clitocybe gibba	The Common Funnel Cap is common and widespread but is easily confused with other funnel shaped fungi that are poisonous.
Common Inkcap	Coprinopsis atramentaria	This fungus has an egg-shaped, grey to grey-brown cap with a red-brown centre. The cap surface is smooth and ridged and the stem is silvery white and has a hollow centre. The cap gradually...
Common Jellyspot	Dacrymyces stillatus	A small yellowish-orange, gelatinous, cushion-shaped fungus commonly found growing in dense groups on the rotting wood of deciduous and coniferous trees.
Common Porecrust	Schizophyllum commune
Common Porecrust	Schizophyllum commune	An interesting fungus, taxonomically somewhat isolated from most of the 'gilled fungi' in its own family with a few others. Here shown growing from plastic-wrapped silage bales.
Common Puffball	Lycoperdon perlatum	Smallish, white or dull brown, rounded structure on a pedastal.
Common Rustgill	Gymnopilus penetrana	This fungus grows singly or in numbers on fallen wood debris of coniferous trees but sometimes broadleaf trees. The cap is an orange-brown colour and can be sticky when wet, while the stem is a...
Common Stump Brittlestem	Psathyrella piluliformis
Conical Brittlestem	Psathyrella conopilus
Conifer Blueing Bracket	Postia caesia
Conifer Disco	Lachnellula subtilissima	A very small disc shaped, yellowish-orange disc or cup found clustered on the dead twigs of Fir, or infrequently on Pine and Spruce.
Conifer Mazegill	Gloeophyllum sepiarium	A dark-brown, thinnish, fan-shaped bracket found often clustered on dead wood of conifers and occasionally on broadleaf trees.
Conifer Tuft	Hypholoma capnoides	Clumber Park 5th May 2008 on Conifer stump
Conifercone Cap	Baeospora myosura	Smallish tan or brown agaric found inconiferous woodland rooting on buried pine cones and other coniferous debris.
Conocybe aporos	Conocybe aporos	Favours calcareous soil. Typically a spring species.
Conocybe lactea	Conocybe lactea	A small fungus with a conical cap and long stem found growing in grassland, sand dunes and roadside verges.
Conocybe pubescens	Conocybe pubescens	A small, frail agaric found either solitary or in small trooping groups on well manured soil or dung in or close t0 coniferous woodland.
Conocybe tenera	Conocybe tenera	A small and fragile fungus with a brownish-yellow cap commonly found on soil in grass ar the edges of woodland.
Coprinopsis radiata	Coprinopsis radiata	A small and delicate egg-shaped fungus found either solitary or in groups on horse manure.
Coprinus auricomus	Coprinus auricomus
Coprinus cinereus	Coprinus cinereus	A small fungus found growing on rotting or manured straw.
Coprinus cordisporus	Coprinus cordisporus	A tiny dung-inhabiting fungus; the spore shape is characteristic.
Coprinus lagopides	Coprinus lagopides	A tallish off white fungus found scattered in groups or solitary on soil or charred wood.
Coprinus radians	Coprinus radians
Coprinus species	Coprinus species
Coprinus sterquilinus	Coprinus sterquilinus	Found growing solitary or clustered in meadows and pastures with manure, preferable horse dung.
Coprobia granulata	Coprobia granulata	A small orangish coloured, disc-shaped fungus that is commonly found throughout the year growing on cow manure.
Coral Fungus	Ramaria botrytis	A medium-sized clay-brown or coral-pink fungus with a densely branched fruiting body similar in appearance to a small cauliflower found growing either solitary or in small groups in broadleaf...
Coral Spot	Nectria cinnabarina
Cordyceps gracilis	Cordyceps gracilis
Cortinarius acutus	Cortinarius acutus
Cortinarius psammocephalus	Cortinarius psammocephalus
Cortinarius semisanguineus	Cortinarius semisanguineus	An olive to ochre Cortinarius with blood red gills. Usually growing with Pinus and Betula.
Crab Brittlegill	Russula xerampelina	This fungus is one of several closely related Russula species that all smell of crabmeat and can only be identified microscopically or by habitat.
Cramp Balls or King Alfred's Cakes	Daldinia concentrica	These are hard, black or greyish-brown balls that are encrusted on dead wood, preferring Ash and Beech but can appear on a varieyt of wood.
Crazed Cap	Dermoloma cuneifolium	This poisonous species is found on unimproved grassland, either singly or in small troops. The cap is light to dark grey when young, later becoming cracked and wrinkled. It has a distinctie odour...
Crepidotus cesatii	Crepidotus cesatii	A kidney-shaped or shell-shaped fungus with a smooth to finely downy surface, lobed, margin often notched, whitish to pale brown in colour..
Crepidotus epibryus	Crepidotus epibryus	A very small, kidney shaped, whitish fungus found growing on leaves, twigs and other debris in woodland.
Crested Coral	Clavulina coralloides	This fungus forms small clumps similar to marine coral and is pure white to pale cream in colour with the branches having pointed, divided tips.
Crimson Waxcap	Hygrocybe punicea	This rare large waxcap is found in unimproed pasture, lawns and churchyards from late Summer to early Winter.
Crocicreas cyathoideum var.cyathoideum	Crocicreas cyathoideum var.cyathoideum	On stem of an old umbillifer
Crystal Brain	Exidia nucleata	Tends to have small calcium crystals in the context but this is not diagnostic - spore size need to distinguish from Exidia thuretiana
Cumminsiella mirabilissima	Cumminsiella mirabilissima	A parasitic rust fungus which attacks Mahonia species; it is common on Oregon Grape - Mahonia aquifolium and has also been reported to occur on M. bealei and M. japonica
Curry Milk Cap	Lactarius camphoratus	A small fungus with a smell reminiscent of curry and gills that exude milk, found solitary or in large scattered groups in coniferous woodland, rarely with deciduous trees.
Cylindrobasidium laeve	Cylindrobasidium laeve	A whitish, encrusting fruitbody thar is very tightly attached to dead wood in broadleaf and coniferous woodland but preferring cut surfaces.