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fungi 2011 |
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chubsta
Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2013 Location: Folkestone,Kent Status: Offline Points: 430 |
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Whoa! Didn't know they grew anything like that sort of size! Also didn't know they were edible. We found quite a few different fungi last week, I'm sure none are rare os exciting but if i post the pictures would you mind having a stab at id? |
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Liz Heard
Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 Location: South West Status: Offline Points: 1429 |
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They are edible and delicious (never heard of anyone reacting to them either), but you need to find young ones that are firm with a texture like kid leather. Press with your thumb and it should only give a little. Slice into 'steaks' and fry, but be prepared for the fact that what starts out as a seeming 'Man Versus Food' gut buster will shrink surprisingly small in no time once in the pan!
IDing fungi from photos is very challenging (and often impossible, especially to species) and i'm certainly no expert, but i'll happily give it a go! cheers |
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chubsta
Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2013 Location: Folkestone,Kent Status: Offline Points: 430 |
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OK, its been a bit long coming as I have been very busy, but any help with identifying these (probably very common but we enjoy looking for them anyway!) fungi would be appreciated...
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Liz Heard
Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 Location: South West Status: Offline Points: 1429 |
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Hi Chubsta,
A nice selection there, although yes, you're right, nothing unusual. But hey, just cos something's common doesn't make it any less beautiful eh? If grass snakes were rare, no doubt their beauty would be more frequently remarked upon. It's always helpful for IDs if you can provide photos taken from different angles (showing stem, underside etc), plus dimensions, what it was growing on (substrate) and nearby tree species, but here goes.. The first one with depressed, viscid caps makes me think Milk Cap Lactarius. These should, as the name suggests, exude a white latex when crushed or cut - especially through the gills. There are many species and taking it that far would require microscopy. Failing that, my second guess would be one of the Funnel Caps Clitocybe. The second is definitely the - very common - Birch Polypore )Piptoporus betulinus. Also known as Razorstrop Fungus. Third is likely to be Common Puffball Lycoperdon perlatum. Next up is either a young Yellow Stagshorn Calocera viscosa, or possibly Small Stagshorn Calocera cornea. Both are common - and gorgeous! The others are all Ink Caps. At one time it was very easy and convenient - they were universally placed in the genus Coprinus. However, the meddlesome geneticists/taxonomists soon muscled in (bloody splitters!), and we soon had Coprinus, Coprinopsis and Coprinellus (probably more by now - fungi literature usually goes out of date before it is published!). Many are very similar so i can't venture further (and doubt if anyone would), sorry. All that said, i think the last one is probably Glistening Ink Cap Coprinellus micaceus (note 'glistening' flecks on caps), which is very common, but there's also the similar, but less frequently recorded (though this might be attributable to confusion with C. micaceus) C. deliquescens and quite possibly others! Cheers Ben |
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chubsta
Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2013 Location: Folkestone,Kent Status: Offline Points: 430 |
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Thanks very much! As you say, they are common but we still really enjoy finding them when we go out, it certainly seems though that here in the South East we have far less than other places, our most interesting ones are usually found on holiday in the West Country, I guess the fact we have a very dry climate must have some bearing on this. The Yellow Stagshorn for instance is a new one for us in years of looking, certainly not common around here.
I will try to remember your advice about better angles etc for the future, I do have an iPhone app to help me identify them but i usually end up choosing various options and then the results look nothing like what i have in front of me so a human opinion from yourself is much appreciated! |
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Liz Heard
Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 Location: South West Status: Offline Points: 1429 |
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chubsta
Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2013 Location: Folkestone,Kent Status: Offline Points: 430 |
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Great photo's! Although you describe them as 'common', once again we would be over the moon to find most of them around here, did find a few mouse-eaten Fly Agaric the other day but that is about it.
Keep the photos coming! |
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Liz Heard
Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 Location: South West Status: Offline Points: 1429 |
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Well the cool thing about fungi is they can turn up anywhere, so i wouldn't give up looking Chubsta. I saw some pics of Oyster Mushrooms that sprang up on the hull of a boat recently and one of the best sites near me is not some SSSI but a municipal park.
Admittedly, there are ancient habitat species that don't like disturbance, but equally, some, such as the Stubble Rosegill, thrive in arable situations, others on animal dung, compost/rotting vegetation or wood chips put down to suppress plants in a garden. Places where old tree stumps and other dead wood are left in situ are usually a good bet. Have seen these on wood chips in gardens: Clitocybe nebularis or Clouded Funnel. Trooping Funnel Clitocybe geotropa. Similar, related species can be ruled out by smaller size. Similar to moths, many fungi have wonderful common names such as Destroying Angel, The Sickener etc. Believe these to be The Goblet Pseudoclitocybe cyathiformis: Green Elfcup Clorociboria (probably C. aeruginascens as that's the most common of the 2 closely-related species). The yellow one has a funky name - Lemon Disco Bisporella citrina. Not sure how you dance to it though.. The attractive Silverleaf Fungus Chondrostereum purpureum on an old Beech log: ..and lastly, one of the uncommonAmanita species. Found on ancient calcareous grassland with scattered trees including Birch. Might be Solitary Amanita A. echinocephalia or perhaps, Warted Amanita A. strobiliformis: Cheers |
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chubsta
Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2013 Location: Folkestone,Kent Status: Offline Points: 430 |
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Great photos as usual, particularly like the Green Elfcup that although isn't very exciting in itself, the fact its stem seems to twist as it grows makes it pretty special in my book.
I am making a few changes to my garden to make it more attractive to hedgehogs and part of that will be a rough area containing piles of old logs and branches so hopefully may see a few more fungi over the next few years - it will only be a small area about 20 feet by 6 but it will hopefully all help!
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GemmaJF
Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359 |
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It all helps, we have logs and branches in the wildlife garden and the hogs make good use of it all Orchestrated untidiness, the key to successful wildlife gardening!!! (and fungi encouragement)
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