Sixteen members of North West Fungus Group attended on a beautiful autumn day. Our first foray since the area was taken over by The National Trust. First stop was at Ravenmeols where we checked on the decreasing patch of Tulostoma brumale. We also recorded some rarities in Hebeloma dunense and Inocybe dunensis, in the dunes (where else?).
28th October 2018
Ravenmeols and Lifeboat Road, Formby
Sixteen members of North West Fungus Group attended on a beautiful autumn day. Our first foray since the area was taken over by The National Trust. First stop was at Ravenmeols where we checked on the decreasing patch of Tulostoma brumale. We also recorded some rarities in Hebeloma dunense and Inocybe dunensis, in the dunes (where else?).
We moved to the pinewoods beside the caravan site. Not many fruitbodies but a good variety of species. Hygrocybe conicoides (Dune Waxcap), Inocybe phaeoleuca, Schizophyllum amplumm (Poplar Bells), Tricholoma cingulatum (Girdled Knight) and T. sulphureum (Sulphur Knight). This one smells like gas.
Also found was a conifer species, Russula caerulea (Humpback Brittlegill)
And Clitocybe gibba (Common Funnel)
We also collected an Ascomycete, growing on a fallen tree. It was a puzzle and we had to seek advice advice from Peter Thompson, an Ascomycete expert. He determined it as Arachnocrea stipata, another rarity.
After lunch we moved to an area of scrub woodland on the Lifeboat Road section. Highlights from this area were Omphalina subhepatica, Melanoleuca excissa, Macrolepiota mastoidea (Slender Parasol) and a lovely patch of Geastrum schmidelii (Tiny Earthstar).
We returned to the starting point via the dune meadow. A bit disappointing but we did record Agaricus litoralis and Arrhenia lilacinicolor.
81 species recorded. Quite a few dune specialists not found in other habitats and a couple of rarities. Not a bad foray.
