Fungi

Fungus Meetings 2004

Fungus Meetings 2005

Fungus Meetings in 2006

Some of our recent meetings -

After a very anxious wait the rains arrived just in time to make this autumn's fungus forays very successful. We met every other Saturday from the end of September until the end of November and managed to visit Combley Great Wood, Firestone Copse, Parkhurst Forest, and The Landslip. For our annual foray weekend we hunted around Alverstone and Borthwood Copse, as well as Briddlesford Copse, and our guest Alan Outen managed to identify a very impressive 245 species.

One of our number had photographed many fungi over the last few months whilst walking in Parkhurst and he produced them at the beginning of our meeting at Parkhurst. Amongst them Colin Pope spotted a Red Data List species and asked to be taken to the site to see if it was still there. With many distractions on the way, with just having to identify the many fungi seen, we eventually arrived at the spot to see a very impressive white spined fungus Tiered Tooth, (Hericium cirrhatum) growing on the side of a Beech trunk. This is only the second time our section has seen one of these, and probably the first time for many present on the day.

To round off the season we visited The Landslip and were rewarded with great views of a large Collared Earthstar, (Geastrum triplex). The several species of Earthstars are always a favourite of ours as they are so unusual and not very common.

This group usually meets during the autumn season; from September through to November, as this is the time when many varieties can easily be seen on trees, on the woodland floor and in grassland.

There is such a diverse range to be seen, some very colourful, some with unusual shapes, and you can never be sure what will turn up. Although we are not expert in identification we use field guides and can identify quite a number.

Illustrated (right) is the very rare agaric, Amanita ovoidea, which grows in quantity on St Boniface Down and was identified and described by Derek Reid, who until his recent death was our major source of mycological expertise.