Trees and Woodlands Gallery - Fungi

Field mushroom ?

Agaricus campestris?

This is probably a species of agaricus, such as Field Mushroom (Agaricus campestris) or possibly Horse Mushroom (Agaricus arvensis). They have white or off-white caps, which may have a yellowish or brownish tint as they age. They grow in clusters on the ground, probably a field or woodland edge. They typically have gills that are pinkish when young and turn dark brown with age.

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Orange peel fungus

Aleuria Aurantia - from Greek aleuria, flour, likely referring to the white, powdery underside of the fungus; aurantia, from Latin orange or golden.

This fungus is easily recognizable due to its bright orange, cup-shaped fruiting bodies, which often resemble pieces of discarded orange peel on the ground. It lacks a distinct stem and gills. It is a saprobic it gets nutrients from decaying organic matter fungus, commonly found on disturbed ground, such as forest edges, roadsides, and areas with clay-based soil.

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Fly agaric

Amanita muscaria

One of the most recognisable fungi, with a distinctive red cap and white spots. It is often found in woodlands and heathlands, typically growing near birch, pine, or spruce trees. It is poisonous mushroom, and contains psychoactive compounds that can cause effects similar to alcohol intoxication and hallucinations. Some animals, such as red squirrels and slugs, are known to eat it.

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The Blusher

Amanita rubescens

The mushroom has a brownish-orange cap with lighter, patchy areas. The cap can be convex when young and flatten with age. The stem is white and has a ring. The base of the stem is bulbous. It gets its name from the fact that its flesh, particularly the stem, "blushes" or stains pinkish-red when cut or bruised. It is often confused with the highly poisonous Panther Cap (Amanita pantherina), which has a different type of ring and volva A cup-shaped or sac-like remnant of the outer layer (universal veil) that enclosed a young mushroom.

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Bitter bracket

Amoropostia stiptica

The mushroom is very bitter, due to chemical compounds like oligoporin D, which can trigger human taste receptors in very diluted, microgram quantities. Despite its unpalatable flavor, the mushroom is not toxic. It forms perennial, shelf-like or hoof-shaped fruiting bodies that are generally soft and whitish when fresh, and turn light ochre to brownish and woody as they age. The cap is finely felty or velvety, and fresh specimens often exude watery droplets.It typically grows on dead or decaying wood, particularly conifer and hardwood stumps, functioning as a brown-rot fungus, meaning it breaks down cellulose in wood

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Stump puffball?

Apioperdon pyriforme?

A.k.a. Lycoperdon pyriforme., this is a saprobic growing on decaying wood fungus that grows often in large clumps. These puffballs are typically pear-shaped and can be yellowish to greyish-brown. The fungi in the image match this description. Stump puffballs are one of the few puffball species that grow directly on dead wood, which helps distinguish them from other puffballs that grow on soil.

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Honey fungus

Armillaria mellea?

This is a type of honey fungus, which includes a number of species, this one probably being Armillaria mellea. These mushrooms are characterized by their honey-brown color and their tendency to grow in dense clusters on or around decaying tree stumps and wood, with white to yellowish gills and fibrous stems. A similar species is (Desarmillaria tabescens (Ringless Honey Fungus), which does not have a ring on around its stem, unlike the former type. I didn't check the stem! Armillaria ostoyae is another possibility.

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Honey fungus

Armillaria gallica?

This is a type of honey fungus, probably armillaria gallica, possibly a. mellea. It has an ochre-brown to red-brown cap that is 4 to 10 cm wide and often has fine brown scales. Its key feature is a bulbous or swollen stem base, which distinguishes it from other honey fungus. It grows on woodland litter, dead stumps, and rotting wood of broad-leaf trees appearing in clusters, often with a short-lived, cobweb-like ring on the stem. The gills are initially white, becoming yellowish-brown with maturity.

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Giant funnel

Aspropaxillus giganteus

A.k.a. leucopaxillus giganteus, giant leucopax, giant clitocybe. It is a saprobic it grows on decaying organic manner species, the fruit body, or mushroom, can become quite large - the cap reaches diameters of up to 50 cm. It has a white or pale cream cap, and is funnel-shaped when mature, with the gills running down the length of the stem. It is typically found growing in groups or rings in grassy pastures, roadside hedges, or woodland clearings. It is considered by some to be a choice edible when young, and has been shown to contain a bioactive compound with antibiotic properties.

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Jelly ear

Auricularia auricula-judae

Named for its ear-like shape and gelatinous texture. It is typically found on the decaying branches of broadleaf trees, especially elder and beech (this one was on an elder), and is most prolific during the winter months.

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Bracket fungus

Bjerkandera adusta ?

A type of bracket fungus, likely either Smoky Bracket (Bjerkandera adusta) or Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor). These two species are often confused with each other. Both grow in clusters on dead wood, on stumps and downed logs.

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Yellow stagshorn

Calocera viscosa

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A saprotrophic an organism that feeds on dead or decaying organic matter jelly fungus known for its distinctive bright yellow to orange, branched, gelatinous, waxy form resembling antlers or coral. It feeds on dead organic matter, typically found growing on decaying conifer wood, such as stumps and buried roots. It can be found throughout the year, but it is most commonly seen in autumn.

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Giant puffball

Calvatia gigantea

Large, white to off-white, typically spherical or irregularly shaped. They lack a traditional stem and cap. When young, their surface can feel like velvet, becoming smoother as they mature. They can grow to be the size of a football or even larger, with some specimens exceeding a metre in diameter. They are often found in nutrient-rich habitats like grassy verges, fields, and woodland edges. They typically appear in the autumn months.

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Dryad's saddle

Cerioporus squamosus

A.k.a. Pheasant's Back or Scaly Polypore. A large bracket fungus with a fan-shaped cap that can grow up to 60 cm across. The cap is typically brown to yellow and covered with dark scales. It is found on dead or dying hardwood trees and logs. It is often described as having a smell similar to watermelon or cucumber.

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Wood blewit ?

Collybia nuda

Probably wood blewits, a.k.a. Lepista nuda, known for their distinctive blue-violet or lilac color on the cap, gills, and stalk, especially when young. The caps are typically stocky and can be 6 - 15 cm in diameter. They are saprotrophic they live on dead organic matter . They are commonly found in both coniferous and deciduous woodlands.

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Inkcaps

Coprinellus sp.

Species from the genus Coprinellus, probably Fairy Inkcap (coprinellus disseminatus), possibly Glistening Inkcap (Coprinellus micaceus). They grow in dense clusters or tufts on decaying wood, stumps, or buried roots. The caps are typically small, bell-shaped or conical, and can be a pale tan or beige colour. Coprinellus micaceus is also known as the mica cap or glistening inky cap due to tiny, glistening particles on its cap when young. Coprinellus disseminatus is a.k.a. fairy bonnet. Both species are saprobic they grow on and decompose dead wood , and are commonly found in woodlands.

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Common inkcap

Coprinopsis atramentaria

A.k.a. Coprinopsis atramentaria, commonly known as the common ink cap or alcohol inky cap, is a widely distributed mushroom known for its unique ability to liquefy into a black ink-like substance. The cap is initially bell-shaped and gray-brown, expanding to a flattened shape as it matures. The flesh is thin and has a mild taste. The gills are white at first but turn black as the mushroom matures, eventually liquefying. It commonly grows in clusters from late spring to autumn on decaying wood, particularly in urban and disturbed areas such as lawns and vacant lots. 2

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Shaggy inkcap

Coprinus comatus

A.k.a. lawyer's wig, or shaggy mane. The young fruit bodies first appear as white cylinders emerging from the ground, then the bell-shaped caps open out. The white caps are covered with scales, the origin of its common names. The gills beneath the cap are white, then pink, then turn black. This mushroom is unusual because it will turn black and dissolve itself in a matter of hours after being picked or depositing spores. The mushroom is often seen growing about lawns, gravel roads, and waste areas.

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King Alfred's Cakes

Daldinia concentrica Daldinia: in honour of the Swiss monk Augusto Daldini (1817 - 1895); concentrica: This specific name refers to the visible, dark, concentric rings inside the fungus, which resemble tree rings and are formed by seasonal growth.

A dried mushroom collected on a fungus foray, this is a hard, black rounded ball, that grows on dead hardwood like ash and beech trees. When cut, it reveals concentric rings of silver and black, similar to a tree's growth rings. A.k.a. cramp balls, and coal fungus, as they are excellent for bushcraft, being long-burning and can be used to transport embers, smouldering like charcoal briquettes.

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