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Autumn foray, Liverpool, 6th – 13th September, 1972
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AUTUMN FORAY, LIVERPOOL, 6th - 13th SEPTEMBER, 1972 This year's Autumn Foray was held at the University of Liverpool. On the first evening members assembled at Roscoe Hall where the Botany Department of the University entertained members to a pre-dinner sherry party. At the end of the meal Professor A.D. Bradshaw welcomed members, on behalf of the Botany Department, to the University and wished them happy hunting during the foray. After dinner there was a pleasant social gathering in Rathbone Hall, in a spacious room which had been set aside as a work-room. Our first excursion on Thursday was to Delamere Forest in Cheshire. We were met by Mr. Harpin, Deputy Forest Officer, and Mr. Chard, District Officer of the Forestry Commission, who gave us an interesting account of the forest. Unfortunately few Agarics were to be found owing to the prolonged dry weather. We had perfect weather on Friday for our visit to the Ainsdale Sand Dunes, a National Nature Reserve. We were met by the Warden, Mr. Aldridge, who gave us some interesting facts concerning the flora and fauna of the area and showed us two rare animals of the Reserve the Sand Lizard and the Natterjack toad. Apart from the number of interesting fungi other plants attracted attention, the Dune Helleborine (Epipactis dunensis), the Round-leaved Wintergreen (Pyrola rotundifolia), the Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia palustris) and the Fyfield Pea (Lathyrus tuberosus). A number of forayers feasted on the succulent dewberries (Rubus caesius) which were growing abundantly on the sand dunes. It was a fine, cold day on Saturday for our foray on the Gladstone Estate, Harwarden where a variety of woodland proved excellent collecting country. After a picnic lunch eaten in the specious parkland adjoining the woodland, a number of sites were visited in the afternoon followed by a very good tea at the Glynne Arms. In the evening, after dinner, the Foray Meeting was held with the President, Dr. J.M. Hirst, in the Chair. Before the commencement of the meeting it was his sad duty to announce the death of Dr. M.A. Donk, an honorary member of the Society. The President welcomed Professor I.A. Nannfeldt our distinguished guest from Sweden and said how pleased he was Professor Nannfeldt was able to join us. Dr. Hirst thanked all those who had contributed to the success of the foray particularly Dr. G.N. Greenhalgh, the local secretary, for his splendid organization at such short notice. Professor A.D. Bradshaw was thanked for the co-operation of the Botany Department and the loan of microscopes and lamps. Thanks were given to the Warden and staff of Roscoe and Gladstone Hall for the excellent accommodation also the Warden and staff, especially the housekeeper Mrs. Barney, who had been so helpful, for the splendid work-room facilities. The various land owners were thanked for allowing us to collect on their land. At the conclusion of the meeting Professor Nannfeldt gave a most interesting talk on the history of mycology in Sweden. Sunday morning was free apart from the members of the Foray Committee who held a meeting. After lunch we visited Speke Hall in Liverpool a most attractive Elizabethan House, the ancestral home of the Norreys family. Collecting was in the mixed deciduous woods around the Hall. A number of members visited the Hall for a guided tour. Before dinner in the evening members were entertained to drinks by the University. It was a fine blustery day on Monday for our excursion to Loggerheads. Our route followed the most attractive track known as 'The Leete' which roughly follows the east bank of the river Alyn. One find near the river was a log covered with some splendid specimens of Cyathus striatus. Collecting was in the mixed deciduous woodland and after leaving the river we climbed to the top of the limestone cliffs where we lunched on the grassland enjoying a most spectacular view. On the limestone grassland great patches of brilliant blue Devil's-bit
10 Scabious (Succisa pratensis) were growing on the anthers of which was found the smut Ustilago succisae. After lunch we made our way back to the coach and drove to the University Botanic Gardens at Neston. We were met by Mr. K. Hume, the Director of the Gardens, who gave us a most interesting history of the Gardens. Mr. Hume then took us on a tour of the Botanic Gardens telling us a great deal about the magnificient plants. A very fine tea was provided at the end of the afternoon. Our last excursion on Tuesday was to Anglezarke. The morning was spent foraying in Brooke House Plantation on the east side of Anglezarke Reservoir, an area of mixed deciduous woodland. While collecting we found evidence of quite a number of deer in the woodland. After foraying in the plantation we crossed the embankment at the end of High Bullough Reservoir and lunched on the slopes of High Bullough Wood. A number of members climbed to the headland which gave a splendid view looking out towards Chorley in Lancashire. The week came to an end all too soon, everyone agreed it had been an excellent foray and, with regard to the weather, apart from the last day, the local secretary had arranged things very well with torrential rain at night and fine weather during the day, surely a mycologist's idea of perfection! Will members who have lists of species found on the foray please send them to the Foray Secretary not later than 31st March. Audrey Thomas
B.M.S. DAY FORAYS, 1972 The first foray, led by Mr. R.D. Jennings, was held early in the season on Sunday, 4th June and took place in idyllic surroundings at Wotton House, near Aylesbury. Mrs. Brunner, owner of Wotton, met members and gave permission to wander around the lakes and into the adjoining woodlands, all in the past landscaped by 'Capability Brown'. The cold spring limited collections to a total of about 40 species of mostly common fungi. Another early foray was held on Sunday, 20th August at Hertford Heath and was led by Miss M. Holden. Seven members attended the foray with three of their friends. Although there had been rain two weeks before the foray conditions were dry and only 41 species were collected compared with 140 on a foray in 1967. Amongst the species collected were 24 Agarics and Boleti, 7 Myxomycetes and 7 Polypores, but there were no noteworthy finds. Colonel Clarke-Brown again gave the Society permission to visit his woods lying above Kingston Blount and Crowell and which stretch from the chalk escarpment on to the clay capping of the Chiltern Hills. The foray, led by Mr. R.D. Jennings took place on Sunday, 17th September, dry weather limited the quantity of species found to nearly fifty, the majority being Agarics. Russula ion och lora, R. grisea, R. cyanoxantha and R. x erampelina, which appeared in various colour varieties, were the cause of some hasty identifications being reconsidered. All the Agarics were common but Strobilomyces floccopus and Neobulgaria pura were new to some members, and a possible specimen of Choiromyces meandriformis created a lot of interest (no spores could be found to confirm this species). Two of the wood's specialities, Clavaria pistillaris and Mycena crocata failed to appear for the fourteen members who attended the foray. At the end of the afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Jennings kindly provided tea at their home. On Sunday, 24th September, the Society, led by Mrs. Audrey Thomas, joined the Woking and Chertsey branch of the Surrey Naturalists' Trust, led by Mr. A. Gray, for a foray on Horsell Common. The weather had been dry and cool, so
AUTUMN FORAY, LIVERPOOL, 6th - 13th SEPTEMBER, 1972 This year's Autumn Foray was held at the University of Liverpool. On the first evening members assembled at Roscoe Hall where the Botany Department of the University entertained members to a pre-dinner sherry party. At the end of the meal Professor A.D. Bradshaw welcomed members, on behalf of the Botany Department, to the University and wished them happy hunting during the foray. After dinner there was a pleasant social gathering in Rathbone Hall, in a spacious room which had been set aside as a work-room. Our first excursion on Thursday was to Delamere Forest in Cheshire. We were met by Mr. Harpin, Deputy Forest Officer, and Mr. Chard, District Officer of the Forestry Commission, who gave us an interesting account of the forest. Unfortunately few Agarics were to be found owing to the prolonged dry weather. We had perfect weather on Friday for our visit to the Ainsdale Sand Dunes, a National Nature Reserve. We were met by the Warden, Mr. Aldridge, who gave us some interesting facts concerning the flora and fauna of the area and showed us two rare animals of the Reserve the Sand Lizard and the Natterjack toad. Apart from the number of interesting fungi other plants attracted attention, the Dune Helleborine (Epipactis dunensis), the Round-leaved Wintergreen (Pyrola rotundifolia), the Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia palustris) and the Fyfield Pea (Lathyrus tuberosus). A number of forayers feasted on the succulent dewberries (Rubus caesius) which were growing abundantly on the sand dunes. It was a fine, cold day on Saturday for our foray on the Gladstone Estate, Harwarden where a variety of woodland proved excellent collecting country. After a picnic lunch eaten in the specious parkland adjoining the woodland, a number of sites were visited in the afternoon followed by a very good tea at the Glynne Arms. In the evening, after dinner, the Foray Meeting was held with the President, Dr. J.M. Hirst, in the Chair. Before the commencement of the meeting it was his sad duty to announce the death of Dr. M.A. Donk, an honorary member of the Society. The President welcomed Professor I.A. Nannfeldt our distinguished guest from Sweden and said how pleased he was Professor Nannfeldt was able to join us. Dr. Hirst thanked all those who had contributed to the success of the foray particularly Dr. G.N. Greenhalgh, the local secretary, for his splendid organization at such short notice. Professor A.D. Bradshaw was thanked for the co-operation of the Botany Department and the loan of microscopes and lamps. Thanks were given to the Warden and staff of Roscoe and Gladstone Hall for the excellent accommodation also the Warden and staff, especially the housekeeper Mrs. Barney, who had been so helpful, for the splendid work-room facilities. The various land owners were thanked for allowing us to collect on their land. At the conclusion of the meeting Professor Nannfeldt gave a most interesting talk on the history of mycology in Sweden. Sunday morning was free apart from the members of the Foray Committee who held a meeting. After lunch we visited Speke Hall in Liverpool a most attractive Elizabethan House, the ancestral home of the Norreys family. Collecting was in the mixed deciduous woods around the Hall. A number of members visited the Hall for a guided tour. Before dinner in the evening members were entertained to drinks by the University. It was a fine blustery day on Monday for our excursion to Loggerheads. Our route followed the most attractive track known as 'The Leete' which roughly follows the east bank of the river Alyn. One find near the river was a log covered with some splendid specimens of Cyathus striatus. Collecting was in the mixed deciduous woodland and after leaving the river we climbed to the top of the limestone cliffs where we lunched on the grassland enjoying a most spectacular view. On the limestone grassland great patches of brilliant blue Devil's-bit
10 Scabious (Succisa pratensis) were growing on the anthers of which was found the smut Ustilago succisae. After lunch we made our way back to the coach and drove to the University Botanic Gardens at Neston. We were met by Mr. K. Hume, the Director of the Gardens, who gave us a most interesting history of the Gardens. Mr. Hume then took us on a tour of the Botanic Gardens telling us a great deal about the magnificient plants. A very fine tea was provided at the end of the afternoon. Our last excursion on Tuesday was to Anglezarke. The morning was spent foraying in Brooke House Plantation on the east side of Anglezarke Reservoir, an area of mixed deciduous woodland. While collecting we found evidence of quite a number of deer in the woodland. After foraying in the plantation we crossed the embankment at the end of High Bullough Reservoir and lunched on the slopes of High Bullough Wood. A number of members climbed to the headland which gave a splendid view looking out towards Chorley in Lancashire. The week came to an end all too soon, everyone agreed it had been an excellent foray and, with regard to the weather, apart from the last day, the local secretary had arranged things very well with torrential rain at night and fine weather during the day, surely a mycologist's idea of perfection! Will members who have lists of species found on the foray please send them to the Foray Secretary not later than 31st March. Audrey Thomas
B.M.S. DAY FORAYS, 1972 The first foray, led by Mr. R.D. Jennings, was held early in the season on Sunday, 4th June and took place in idyllic surroundings at Wotton House, near Aylesbury. Mrs. Brunner, owner of Wotton, met members and gave permission to wander around the lakes and into the adjoining woodlands, all in the past landscaped by 'Capability Brown'. The cold spring limited collections to a total of about 40 species of mostly common fungi. Another early foray was held on Sunday, 20th August at Hertford Heath and was led by Miss M. Holden. Seven members attended the foray with three of their friends. Although there had been rain two weeks before the foray conditions were dry and only 41 species were collected compared with 140 on a foray in 1967. Amongst the species collected were 24 Agarics and Boleti, 7 Myxomycetes and 7 Polypores, but there were no noteworthy finds. Colonel Clarke-Brown again gave the Society permission to visit his woods lying above Kingston Blount and Crowell and which stretch from the chalk escarpment on to the clay capping of the Chiltern Hills. The foray, led by Mr. R.D. Jennings took place on Sunday, 17th September, dry weather limited the quantity of species found to nearly fifty, the majority being Agarics. Russula ion och lora, R. grisea, R. cyanoxantha and R. x erampelina, which appeared in various colour varieties, were the cause of some hasty identifications being reconsidered. All the Agarics were common but Strobilomyces floccopus and Neobulgaria pura were new to some members, and a possible specimen of Choiromyces meandriformis created a lot of interest (no spores could be found to confirm this species). Two of the wood's specialities, Clavaria pistillaris and Mycena crocata failed to appear for the fourteen members who attended the foray. At the end of the afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Jennings kindly provided tea at their home. On Sunday, 24th September, the Society, led by Mrs. Audrey Thomas, joined the Woking and Chertsey branch of the Surrey Naturalists' Trust, led by Mr. A. Gray, for a foray on Horsell Common. The weather had been dry and cool, so