The Lyons Share

Over the last couple of weeks, I've really got back into fungi, adding 32 species since the start of October. I had a great day yesterday with the West Weald Fungus Recording Group at the Mens. I added 15 new fungi and nine new leaf-miners (thanks to Tony Davis). So, I'll start with the showiest of the lot, the Veiled Oyster. We only saw one of these.

Not a rare one at all but many common fungi are still new to me, this is the Clustered Bonnet.

And along with Saffrondrop Bonnets, which are everywhere in the Mens and Ebernoe, we have the Burgundydrop Bonnet shown below.

'Self founds' are always the best though and yet again I managed to find something new minutes after talking about it. I was asking one of the recorders about Beechmast Candlesnuff and he said he had only seen it twice in 30 years of recording, mostly down to the fact that you have to specifically look for it as it's so small. I turned over a log to look for inverts and there was Beeechmast Candlesnuff! This is a tiny fungus, only a fraction of a millimetre in diameter.

I also found these tiny Slender Clubs, another new one for me.

But the species that Barry Hughes got most excited about was this probable Lactarius romagnesi. This one will need to be confirmed though. Not the best photo as the light was really poor under the Holly at times. I also had a taste of the milk of Fiery Milkcap, quite unpleasant.

These odd Stump Puffballs were also new for me but I am sure I have seen these before.

Here we have a single Dead Man's Finger.

Other highlights included Jellybabies, Crystal Brain, Magpie Inkcaps, White Saddles, Sulphur Knights, and Spectacular Rustgills. A huge thank you to Barry Hughes and the recording group and the rest of the Sussex gang for a great day out, you really are mushrooms to be with! I never did get that joke.

I've had a few other nice self found fungi ticks recently too, including these TINY Holly Parachutes at Ebernoe. They actually grow out of decomposing Holly leaves.

And nearby on Ebernoe Cricket Pitch there has been a number of Orange Grisettes, I like the stipe.

So I end the day on 4608 species and my fungi list has reached 241. I'm thinking I might have to start taking fungi more seriously and get into spores...