Fungi do not appreciate very dry conditions so it was not until we had rain that they started to show interest. They do not like being drowned either so it was not until the very end of July that a few early ones started to show through. But they were not in good condition due to wet conditions. I made a few visits to local parks, dodging the showers. Springwood Crematorium has a couple of fungal hot spots. One, under the pine trees by the exit road, produced Russula sanguinaria (Bloody Brittlegill), Agaricus augustus (The Prince), and Lactarius deliciosus (Saffron Milk Cap).
The stands of beech supported Russula nobilis (Beech Sickener) and a large group of Russula nigricans (Blackening Brittlegill). I also found a patch of a Lactarius (Milk cap) that I have not yet identified. At another part of the gardens, again under Beech, I identified Lactarius fluens, not seen before on this site and not the expected colour. The unidentified Lactarius is part of the same family, the milk being the same yellow colour and very acrid.
There are a few small stands of Cupressus dotted around the grounds and a long line of them made up the boundary until many were blown down in the various gales and are still grounded. The debris under the trees is always worth a look. So far I have recorded Echinoderma asperum (Freckled Dapperling) and an uncommon but regular, Lepiota ochraceofulva. Two Earthstars also made their annual appearance. Geastrum striatum (Striate Earthstar) and the rare Geastrum floriforme (Daisy Earthstar) so called because the ‘legs’ curl up just like a daisy. This makes them hard to spot because they are small and can look much like a Cupressus cone.
I paid a quick visit to Icehouse Plantation at Hale but it was very overgrown. I was very fortunate to spot a couple of Pluteus chrysophaeus (Yellow Shield) hiding under a rotting tree trunk. I visited Speke Hall to see if the Amanita phalloides (Death Cap) had returned. Last year there was a very unusual fruiting of over fifty in the wood surrounding the car park. This year I counted only twelve. But National Trust carried out a lot of maintenance on that particular area at the end of the year and I expect they have suffered from the disturbance. They are deadly poisonous but every time I see them, I fail to understand why people think they are edible. If you want to eat mushrooms, buy them at a shop, like I do.
Also in this area was Lactarius pyrogalus (Fiery Milk Cap) under Hazel. It exudes a milk from the gills which is fiery hot on the tongue. I counted quite a lot of Leotia lubrica (Jellybaby) hiding under the brambles. I went into the Hall grounds but it started to rain again. Before I left I recorded a nice group of Clitocybe odora (Aniseed Funnel), unusual because they were in pine litter. Lovely smelling fungus.
Article by Anthony Carter, September 2023
