The Aims of the Notts Fungi Group

The Nottinghamshire Fungi Group (NFG) was established in July 1996 by a small group of enthusiasts who had begun an interest in fungi while attending courses arranged by the WEA. The intention of the founder members was to form a group that would foster and promote the study of fungi in all their forms and provide an educational opportunity for its members and the wider community.

To this end the NFG aims to:

• Offer opportunities for anyone with an interest in fungi to meet with others and learn from each other.
• Promote an interest in fungi through talks and forays arranged with natural history and other voluntary and community groups.
• Provide a source of expertise that can be consulted by anyone with queries concerning fungi.
• To record the fungi in Nottinghamshire.
• To promote the conservation of fungi and of threatened habitats of rare fungi.
• To liaise with other relevant groups and active individuals in Nottinghamshire and other regions.

Secretary: Tony Kavanagh 0115 959 0135

Recorder: Howard Williams

To contact by email click on one of the names below

Smoky spindles - Bestwood Park

Velvet shank - Attenborough Nature Reserve

In 2007 after the addition of some late records we entered 1499 records representing 463 species of fungi. In 2008 1661 records were accepted representing 466 species. The higher recording rate produced just three more species than the previous year, but this is not unusual. We have been recording now for 12 years and the number of species noted annually is bound to flatten out regardless of recording rate for these reasons: species found in previous years are not always obliging enough to recur for us in the next year merely to swell our numbers; new species recorded for the NFG or county in any one year may therefore not make much difference to an annual total, though they will to a year on year accumulation; a higher recording rate is likely to result in more coverage of commoner species, but this is important too as it can provide evidence of decline or increase in the distribution or populations of species. Last year I wondered when we would get to 1000 species recorded since our start year of 1996. Well we did so in 2008 with 1023 species in all, excluding Myxomycetes.

I have read comments that 2008 was a poor year generally for fungi, but it seems to me that we have had a fruitful year with more records than before, with new records for our database and 31 new county records. The tables below will show some of these species. We had 10 official forays as well as the mini-forays carried out by individual members or groups of members on their own initiative. Then there are always records from non-members who submit them to us from time to time, or bring them to us for identification. Some forays also took the shape of formal site surveys for the bodies concerned as at Oak Tree Heath, Sherwood Heath and Retford Cemetery. So a busy season.

I have said before that children (accompanied by their parents) are always welcome on our forays. Their alert minds and sharp eyes are quick to find small species easily overlooked by their elders. This was the case this year too on those forays where they came along. I would say the forays are suitable for youngsters aged 7 upwards.

As in previous years I shall try to summarise each of our forays and pick out a few of the fungi that stand out or appeal in other ways.

Rufford CP (April) This was our spring foray. At this time of year many of the fungi found are on or with dead wood or standing trees. Thus we found the rather uncommon hyphomycete Corynespora olivacea on fallen lime twigs upon which it specialises; and Diatrypella quercina unusually on fallen birch twigs (it is usually on oak). Some rather fine specimens of the common grassland toadstool Panaeolus ater, Turf Mottlegill, were found on the lawns. In all 34 species.

Clumber Park Worksop (Sept) This foray was combined with a picnic and cooked fungi. A good total of 60 species was recorded (not all for the picnic!), among them the deadly Amanita phalloides, Death Cap, and the striking little reddish Cortinarius bolaris, Dappled Redcap. Other fungi of note were Cordyceps militaris, Scarlet Caterpillarclub, which as its name suggests grows from the buried larvae of moths; Fistulina hepatica, Beefsteak Fungus; and Pleurotus ostreatus, Oyster Fungus. Another good find was Oudemansiella mucida, Porcelain Fungus, which grows usually quite high up on beech trees. It is a beautiful white, translucent, glistening fungus and is nationally widespread and common. Yet we have recorded it only twice on our forays in Notts, both from Worksop sites.

Sherwood Pines/Clipstone Forest (Sept) This was a combined members’ and public foray and much interest was generated in the 46 species recorded in the morning. Chalciporus piperatus, Peppery Bolete; Boletus edulis, Penny Bun; the pine stump bracket Ischnoderma benzoinum; and the slime moulds Enteridium lycoperdon (white) on a trunk and Fuligo septica (bright yellow) in grass. A classroom session was held afterwards where collected specimens were displayed and discussed.

Attenborough NR (Sept) A total of 63 species of fungi were recorded at this combined members’ and public foray with a classroom session afterwards. Trametes suaveolens, a white aniseed-scented bracket was the rarest native species here and running it close the bright red Paurocotylis pila, a relatively recent New Zealand immigrant. (One of our members also found it a few years ago on his allotment). The dark brown Otidea bufonia, Toad’s Ear, was found under birch and oak and is not common either; while for the sharp-eyed there were the tiny orange discs of Hymenoscyphus calyculus on old blackberry stems.

Cuckney Hay Wood nr Warsop (Oct) There was a really good turn-out for this site previously unvisited by the NFG despite an appalling start in torrential cold rain, flooded road and car parking ankle-deep in mud. However, fortune favours the brave, and after half an hour or so the rain stopped and the foray ended in bright sunshine. The total of 86 species was the highest of all our forays this season. No rarities though, but an excellent range of fungal types were recorded: coralloid fungi like Clavulina cinerea, Grey Coral and C. coralloides, Crested Coral; the small white Lepiota seminuda, Bearded Dapperling, along the main path; a large Psathyrella sarcocephala, with polished white stem and smooth chocolate-brown cap; the uncommon bracket Bjerkandera fumosa, Big Smoky Bracket, on an old beech log; Lactarius blennius, Beech Milkcap, among the fallen beech leaves; in soil the attractive dark brown Macrocystidia cucumis, Cucumber Cap, smelling of codliver oil; Stereum sanguinolentem, Bleeding Conifer Crust, on pine stumps, bleeding red as the name says when cut; and Stereum subtomentosum, Yellowing Curtain Crust, whose cap bruises yellowish on being scratched. Fomes fomentarius, Hoof Fungus, almost always on birch was seen here on dead fallen and standing beech.

Blidworth Bottoms (Oct) A site we have visited previously was well attended and turned up a nice range of the commoner fungi. Boletus badius, Bay Bolete, in pine litter; the pretty Laccaria amethystina, Amethyst Deceiver, dark violet as the name suggests; the bracket Heterobasidion annosum, Root Fomes, unwelcome to foresters but with beautiful chestnut red crust and white margin; and the curiously formed White Saddle, Helvella crispa were among the more striking of the morning’s 31 finds.

Sherwood Forest NNR (Oct) This is always a popular venue and did not disappoint in its varied range of fungi nor in producing some uncommon specimens. 75 fungi were recorded in all. Among the most uncommon were Pseudolepiota asperula, recorded by us only once before in Notts; Melanophylla haematospermum, Red-spored Dapperling; Psilocybe cyanescens, Blueleg Brownie, which turns blue-green on handling; and the small brown discs of Ciboria batschiana on old acorns. Helvella elastica, the small grey-brown Elastic Saddle was also an interesting find in the oak litter. The photographers among us were kept busy. A bright clump of pure white fungi caused some discussion – were they Clitocybe phyllophila, Frosty Funnel, or Lyophyllum connatum, White Domecap? They can look very alike. Back at home the application of iron salts to cap and gills turned them lilac, showing this fungus to be the Lyophyllum. A classroom session took place at the end of this foray with books, specimens and microscopes.

Oak Tree Heath Mansfield (Oct) This foray-survey provided another previously unvisited site. Heathland is always likely to turn up surprises, sometimes disappointing ones. For instance there were only 3 species of waxcap seen, all very common. Even so, there were good finds among the 54 species recorded: Collybia cookei, the Split-pea Shanklet arising from its small yellow sclerotium deep in the soil; Crinipellis scabella, Hairy Parachute, on old wood or dead grass stems takes some spotting as it is very small; the black Elfin Saddle, Helvella lacunosa under oak, visually arresting though not uncommon on poor heath soils; Tricholoma cingulatum, Girdled Knight, a Tricholoma that grows with willows and, as its name suggests, bears a ring on the stem; Tricholoma scalpturatum, Yellowing Knight, a greyish Tricholoma turning yellowish in places; and Tricholoma imbricatum, Matt Knight, a reddish-brown fungus with pines.

Sherwood Heath NR Ollerton (Oct) A well-attended foray where we were joined by a number of rangers and site managers etc. In all 66 species of fungi were recorded here this year, including 5 waxcaps and a black earth tongue, Geoglossum fallax. The latter is not uncommon nationally but is a first record for Notts as was one of the waxcaps, Hygrophorus agathosmus, Almond Woodwax which is uncommon. The presence of these fungi in the short grass near paths suggest the Heath might provide more yet if the dense long grass of the open heath could be grazed or cut. Also present was Bjerkandera fumosa, Big Smoky Bracket, on a sycamore stump; Pseudoclitocybe cyathiformis, Goblet, on a stump; and the ascomycete jelly Ascocoryne cylichnium on rotten wood. Another interesting jelly fungus was a very large growth of Leafy Brain, Tremella foliacea, on birch. Looking rather like a hardwood form of the Cauliflower Fungus it had to be taken back for microscopic confirmation.

Bunny Old Wood NR (Nov) This NWT Reserve has been forayed by us about 4 times but not since 2001. A deciduous wood on clays, it is good for many kinds of fungi that grow on or have associations with wood, both living and dead. Few species like Lactarius, Russula or Boletus have been recorded here but brackets and other wood-loving fungi are abundant. This year too saw some unusual finds: Calocera glossoides, an uncommon Stagshorn on old oak wood; Hohenbuehelia atrocaerulea, an uncommon jelly type bracket on dead hardwood and a first Notts record; Typhula spathulata, a small infrequent club on dead stacked wood and another Notts first; and a small orange disc fungus Hymenoscyphus scutula on dead bramble stems. 48 species were identified here.

Colwick CP Nottingham (Nov) A pleasant site visited by us before, giving a mix of woodland, grassland and water edges. We identified 47 species here. Among them were: a clump of Agaricus silvaticus, Blushing Wood Mushroom, a good edible mushroom and so called because it turns red quite rapidly on cutting; Entoloma lividoalbum in willow litter and another county first; Pleurotus dryinus, Veiled Oyster, in a tree cavity – a typical niche for it; Mutinus caninus, Dog’s Stinkhorn, smaller, more attractive, less smelly than the usual stinkhorn. There was a good range of Mycena recorded too including the tiny white Mycena adscendens, Frosty Bonnet, and Mycena stylobates, Bulbous Bonnet, both on wood.

Anyone who attended these forays can obtain full lists of species from the Secretary, Tony Kavanagh.

The Tables and Map that follow are self-explanatory and follow much the same pattern as in previous years.

Howard Williams, Recorder

The NFG is affiliated to the British Mycological Society (BMS) and the Association of British Fungus Groups (ABFG).