FUNGI REPORT
The only fungi reported in Spring this year were the common species which grow on wood such as Jew’s Ear, Hirneola auricula-judae and the Many-zoned Polypore, Coriolus/Trametes versicolor. In June, the Sulphur Polypore, Laetiporus sulphureus, was seen on an Alder tree in Cuerden Valley Park. It is unusual for this species to be found on any other than its normal host, Oak.
The wet weather during the summer months, interspersed with warm, drier spells boded well for the autumn fungus species and by mid September good numbers of fruiting bodies were appearing. The lack of wildfowl locally on the mid-September ‘duck count’ was more than compensated for (at least for one member of the team doing the counting) by the fungi seen! The wood chips in one part of Lever Park, Rivington had a lovely display of the orange Stropharia aurantiaca and the small Inkcap with a long stipe and woolly cap, Coprinus lagopus. There were also three specimens of the uncommon cup fungus, Peziza varia. However, the woodchips at Birkacre are no longer as productive for fungi as they were in recent years, with only the Stinking Lepiota, Lepiota cristata and Poison Pie, Hebeloma crustuliniforme, being seen that day.
Dog Stinkhorn, Mutinus caninus, was seen in Brinscall Woods in September. Although it is similar in structure to the common Stinkhorn, this species is smaller and much rarer and has an orange-red tip below the olive coloured spore mass. I personally was very envious of the recorder as I have never seen this species in over 20 years of being interested in fungi! Death Caps, Amanita phalloides, were again seen in Duxbury Woods and the Cauliflower Fungus, Sparassis crispa, growing at the base of the conifer where it has been for at least 20 years, was noted as appearing to be bigger than ever before. Another ‘cauliflower type’ fungus, Grifola frondosa also re-appeared under Sweet Chestnut in Duxbury Park and the Orange Peel Fungus, Aleuria (=Peziza) aurantica, was found by a path in Astley Park where it was last seen in 1989.
The very wet spell of weather in the first half of October resulted in fungi becoming a ‘wash-out’ and the number of species recorded on the NWFG’s foray at Cuerden Valley Park on 15th October was very disappointing. However, one species which did seem to do well was the Shaggy Ink Cap, Coprinus comatus, which appeared in good numbers at several sites, including over 100 on a lawn in a garden at Shaw Hill. Coprinus lagopus, mentioned above was also recorded in Astley Park and at Adlington.
| In Astley Park on 22nd October, the sawn down trunk of a Beech tree lying at the edge of the wood behind the children’s play ground and pets corner, had several fungi growing on it including the uncommon Porcelain Fungus, Oudemansiella mucida, the second record of this species locally. It is an unmistakable, whitish coloured fungus, with a partly see-through, very slimy cap and ring on the stem, which grows in tufts on Beech. Although most books give this fungus the common name of ‘Porcelain Fungus’, I prefer the much more descriptive name of ‘Slimy Beech Tuft’ given in the Collins ‘Gem’ guide. | |
The wet weather continued, making it one of the wettest autumns on record and reports of fungi on the ground in October were few. However, species that grow on dead wood did well, particularly Mycena species, including the uncommon Mycena inclinata, which forms dense tufts on dead stumps. In mid November, White Coppice cricket field again had a wonderful display of grassland fungi including nine species of wax-caps. This year, the rare, pale pink wax-cap, Hygrocybe calyptraeformis, was found for the first time at this site, making the site fulfil the criteria to become a Lancashire County Council Biological Heritage Site for fungi!
The mild weather continued up to Christmas, and species growing on wood continued to flourish until the hard frosts and snow at the year’s end brought the fungus year to an abrupt conclusion.
Thanks to the following members and friends who submitted records and/or specimens for identification this year:
David Beattie, Diana Downing, Larry Hughes, Joyce Riley, Colin Smith, Neil Southworth and Nora West, plus the North West Fungus Group members who attended the foray in Cuerden Valley Park. Also Richard Thompson, ecologist at LCC, for consultations on White Coppice cricket field.
Joyce Riley