Interesting bracket on birch

A recent photo from a Beds wood.  Always worth looking at the underside of brackets.  This is the Birch mazegill, similar to the rarer Oak mazegill, but occurs on birch, has a thinner fruitbody and thinner-walled slitlike pores.

by Pat Cavanagh

Cheery autumn fungus

A welcome sight at Bricket Wood a couple of weeks ago, Amanita muscaria (Fly agaric) with a beautiful frilly ring, only lacking an elf sitting on top.  Photo by Darren.

by Pat Cavanagh

Autumn programme

The autumn programme has just been added to the calendar on the home page

by Pat Cavanagh

Spring programme

Our spring programme is now in the calendar.  Members should have received a copy.

by Pat Cavanagh

Sandy siltball

The strange fungus Battarrea phalloides was found near Ware in early December.  Previously very rare, it is now turning up from time to time, but still a lovely find.

by Pat Cavanagh

Sandy RSPB reserve meeting - changed arrangements

This year, at the request of the RSPB, this meeting is for HBFG members only, and pre-booking with Alan Outen is required.

by Pat Cavanagh

A new Beds record

The group found Mycena rhenana on an old alder cone at Flitwick Moor last weekend, which is a new species record for Beds.  Photo from Claudi

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by Pat Cavanagh

Autumn programme

Our autumn programme was sent to members recently, and can be seen in the calendar.

by Pat Cavanagh

A late spring species to look out for

You may like to keep an eye out for a spring fungus that seems to be doing well this year - Inocybe erubescens, formerly I patouillardii - English name Deadly Fibrecap!.  Being a spring / early summer species and a nice chunky chap, it could be mistaken for St Georges mushroom when young and undamaged, because the characteristic reddening is not usually apparent straight away; see the photo of specimens at different ages.  As regards habitat, it seems to favour beech woods on chalk or limestone, sometimes with white helleborine, and even more  excitingly, occasionally yellow birds nest.

by Pat Cavanagh

Beautiful Lepiota

This beautiful fungus, Lepiota ochraceofulva (no English name), was found by Margaret and Steve under a cedar in south Herts just before Christmas.   Its definition is attributed to the famous mycologist Peter Orton, who gave our Recorder Alan a lot of encouragement in his study of fungi when Alan was a young man.  

There are only 41 records of Lepiota ochraceofulva in the new BMS database (FRDBI) but I know that not all historical records have yet been transferred across to it.  Marcel Bon says it is “uncommon” and Alan has confirmed that it is a new county record for Herts.  

Pat

 

by Pat Cavanagh