It had been a while since I’d visited Waggoners Wells and I remember it was good for fungi so on Sunday 30 October Naima and I set out to explore. We didn’t do the usual route around the ponds but instead headed off up the bridlepath towards Bramshot Common, finishing off with a quick walk around the ponds. We found lots of interesting fungi including hedgehog and chantarelle fungi. I have attempted to identify as many as I could and below is a list of the ones where I have a photo and a possible id.
Trooping Funnel, Clitocybe geotropa
Clouded Funnel, Clitocybe nebularis
Wood hedgehog, Hydnum repandum
Cantharellus cinereus, Ashen Chanterelle
Lepista nuda, Wood Blewitt possibly
Bulgaria inquinans, Black bulgar
Lachnum virgineum, Snowy Disco or Lachnum brevipilosum – possibly #
Hymenochaete rubiginosa, Oak curtain crust
Clavulina rugosa, Wrinkled club
Mycena adscendens, Frosty bonnet possibly ##
Lycoperdon perlatum, Common Puffball — Puffballs puffing
Phallus impudicus, Common stinkhorn
Clavulina coralloides, Crested coral – possibly
Asterophora lycoperdoides, Powdery Piggyback ( on Russula nigricans probably)
#Sara’s comment — This is one of the Ascomycetes (spore shooters) and could be one of many. It looks as though the tops may be fringed which would narrow it down a bit – possibly Lachnum brevipilosum – what was it growing on? The app, Picture Mushroom suggested Snowy Disco which, when compared to iNaturalist looks possible too.
##Sara’s comment — Could be Mycena corynephora but there are several tiny white Mycenas growing on or with moss on tree trunks – olida is another. Searching with Google this also looked possible – Mycena adscendens, Frosty bonnet From Wikipedia: “cap: 7.5 mm (0.3 in) in diameter that appears to be dusted with sugar-like granules. Caps are supported by thin, hollow stems up to 20 mm (0.8 in) long, which are set on a disc-like base. The fruit bodies grow on fallen twigs and other woody debris on the forest floor, including fallen hazelnuts”
U3A Fascinating Fungi, 11 November 2022
We were again lucky with the weather and we didn’t have to leave the car park for our first few fungi. We didn’t go very far, just around the pond as there was such a lot to look at. With so many eyes looking we found quite a lot of different species, including the aptly named, wonderful Fenugreek Stalkball and the Spectacular Rustgill.
I was happy that Sara had decided to do the walk here as it gave me the opportunity to get her to confirm the id of some of the fungi Naima and after the U3A walk we set off up the path Naima and I had taken. We managed to find and confirm the Ashen Chantarell and the Powdery Piggyback, a fungus growing on the Blackening Brittlegill.
List of fungi found on 11 November
Crepidotus variabilis, Variable Oysterling*
Stereum hirsutum, Hairy Curtain Crust
Clitocybe geotropa, Trooping Funnel**
Leotia lubrica, Jelly Babies*
Xylaria hypoxylon, Candlesnuff*
Hydnum repandum, Wood Hedgehog
Helvella lacunosa, Elfin Saddle (aka Black Saddle)
Psathyrella piluliformis, Common Stump Brittlestem
Cantharellus cibarius, Chanterelle*
Hygrocybe conica, Blackening Waxcap*
Lycoperdon perlatum, Common Puffball*
Postia tephroleuca, Greyling Bracket*
Daedaleopsis confragosa, Blushing Bracket**
Bisporella citrinum, Lemon Disco*
Stereum subtomentosum, Yellowing Curtain Crust
Mycena pelianthina, Blackedge Bonnet*
Russula aurora probably (aurora, which used to be called rosea, is the nearest fit I can find.)
Laccaria amethystina, Amethyst Deceiver
Laccaria laccata, Deceiver
Cortinarius sanguineus, Blood Red Webcap*
Mycena speirea, Bark Bonnet
Coprinellus micaceus, Glistening Inkcap*
Nectria cinnabarina, Coral Spot*
Hyphodontia sambuci, Elder Whitewash*
Byssomerulius corium, Netted Crust*
Helvella elastica, Elastic Saddle*
Hypholoma fasciculare, Sulphur Tuft
Mycena corynephora (This was one of the tiny, white bonnets that grow in moss on tree trunks and is a best guess. It had a very powdery-looking cap and stipe.)*
Mycena inclinata, Clustered Bonnet
Stereum rugosum, Bleeding Broadleaf Crust*
Dacrymyces stillatus, Common Jellyspot*
Pluteus cervinus, Deer Shield*
Hypoxylon fragiforme, Beech Woodwart
Mycena pseudocorticola (Another of the teeny bonnets that grow in moss on tree trunks. The caps of this one are grey or sometimes, blue.)
Phleogena faginea, Fenugreek Stalkball*
Ganoderma australe, Southern Bracket*
Oudiemansiella mucida, Porcelain Fungus*
Pleurotus ostreatus, Oyster Mushroom*
Kretzschmaria deusta, Brittle Cinder (A greyish green crust on the Beech trunk which looked as though it might be the beginning of a Stereum or Trametes species)*
Gymnopus peronatus, Wood Woollyfoot*
Tricholoma sulphureum, Sulphur Knight*
Gymnopilus junonius, Spectacular Rustgill*
Rhodocollybia butyracea, Buttercap
Tricholoma ustale, Burnt Knight (grows particularly with Beech)*
Russula fellea, Geranium Brittlegill
Polyporus leptocephalus, Blackfoot Polypore
Tricholoma sciodes, Beech Knight (this was the grey knight with black flecks on the edges of the gills and a very unpleasant taste)*
Mycena polygramma, Grooved Bonnet
Bisporella pallescens possibly (Looks like Lemon Disco only white)
Lactarius bertillonii (Very similar to the Fleecy Milkcap but that often grows with Birch and Pine whereas bertillonii is found with Beech and Oak. The two are virtually indistinguishable in the field. L controversus is more often found with Willow.)*
Helvella crispa, White Saddle*
Panellus stipticus, Bitter Oysterling*
Mycena olida*
Fistulina hepatica, Beefsteak
Hypoxylon fuscum, Hazel Woodwart*
Lactarius turpis, Ugly Milkcap
Paxillus involutus, Brown Rollrim
Exidia glandulosa, Witches’ Butter*
Schizophyllum commune, Splitgill*
Phlebia radiata, Wrinkled Crust*
Here is a list of the additional ones Sara and I found, and that I took photos of, on our walk after the U3A group left.
Hymenochaete rubiginosa, Oak Curtain Crust *
Clavulina cinerea, Grey Coral*
Asterophora lycoperdoides, Powdery Piggyback**
Fuligo septica var. candida, Dog vomit
Clavulina rugosa, Wrinkled club*
Cudoniella acicularis, Oak pin*
Trichia varia, a slime mould*
Cantharellus cinereus, Ashen chanterelle*
Russula cyanoxantha, Charcoal burner*
Cortinarius semisanguineus, Surprise Webcap*
Cortinarius salor*
Here are my photos
These are all my photos from both dates where I have a probable ID. Most of the ones from Sara’s list are most likely correctly labelled, starred in the list above. The ones from my walk with Naima are identified as most likely, probably or possibly. If also seen on Sara’s walk but photo from Naima’s wak used, these have marked with two stars . They are loosely organised by taxonomy. I have several others that it’s so far been impossible to ID.