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BMS autumn foray: Blencathra, Cumbria — 28 August to 4 September 1999
Volume 14, Part 3, August 2000
BMS Autumn Foray: Blencathra, Cumbria 28 August to 4 September 1999 The penultimate BMS Autumn Foray of the twentieth century, was held in Cumbria in the North West of England. The base was at the Field Studies Council field station at Blencathra near Keswick, where the view from the dining room must be one of the most delightful to be enjoyed in any British field centre. The elevated position of the buildings gives a commanding view down and along Borrowdale, and the constantly changing light and cloud made every meal time a memorable experience, quite apart from the wholesome food supplied. This foray was special in that we extended an invitation to our French mycological colleagues by means of an announcement in the Bulletin de la Societe Mycologique de France. The invited tutor was the eminent French mycologist and long time member of the BMS, Regis Courtecuisse. The whole event reflected the invitation made to French mycologists by Professor John Webster at the Centenary Overseas Foray in Belfort in 1996. Other notable French mycologists attended
including Guy Redeuilh, the president of the SMF, Gilbert Lannoy, monographer of Leccinum, and Jean Pierre Vidonne. M. Lannoy was accompanied by his wife, who nobly joined in organising the exhibition table. Dr Courtecuisse gave an informative lecture on Conservation of Fungi, which provoked a lively discussion, and he also provided valuable demonstrations of interesting microscopical aspects of various species, by means of the BMS microscopes linked to the CCTV equipment. The weather was ideal. Rain shortly before the foray had promoted fruit-body production, yet it was largely dry during the week. Over 60 members participated and over 1800 records were added to the BMS Fungal Records Database. Foray organiser Bruce Ing had chosen a full range of the habitat types available in the area. Sites visited included: Aira Force and the ancient woodland of Gowbarrow Park by Ullswater; the upland oak wood of Low Wood, near Brotherswater; the floristically rich and extensive sand dune system at Sandscale Haws, near
The group at Thornthwaite Forest on the one day when it did rain and the sun was hidden. The spirit of the foray is captured here, with evident enjoyment among the international mycological friends.
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Volume 14, Part 3, August 2000
Fig 1 Psathyrella ammophila (Dur. & Lev) Orton, a widespread coastal dune species which is on the Red Data list for France and Norway. © A. W. Brand.
Barrrow-in-Furness; Atlantic Oak woodland at Derwentwater and Borrowdale; conifer plantations at Whinlatter Pass and damp woodland by Buttermere. A small party also visited the limestone area at Witherslack, by Whitbarrow Scar in South Cumbria. Notable fmds included Lactarius roseozonatus (= L.{lexuosus var.roseozonatus) from Gowbarrow Park; Cortinarius atrocoeruleus from lng's Wood; Psathyrella phegophila from Mell Fell; Xerocomus communis from Cockshutt Wood and Xerocomus quercinus from Gowbarrow Park. Sandscale Haws Dunes yielded a wide range of interesting species including Psathyrella ammophila (Fig 1), Coprinus ammophilae (Fig 2), Russula norvegica, Cortinarius chrysomallus (possibly the first UK record), Hygrocybe aurantiolutescens f. pseudoconica and Strop haria rugosoannulata (Fig 3). Mycena rubromarginata (Fig 4), Pulverboletus lignicola and Botryobasidium medium were recorded from Thornthwaite Forest; Septonema leptaleum from Skiddaw House Youth Hostel, (another new British record); and Cortinarius orellanus from Scales Wood. Three records of Xerocomus ripariella were especially valuable, since it is a species
Fig 2 Coprinus ammophilae Courtecuisse, typically associated with marram grass culms in white dunes, probably rare in Britain. © A. W. Brand.
Volume 14, Part 3, August 2000
Fig 3 Stropharia rugosoannulata Farlow, rare in Britain but edible and widely cultivated in Eastern Europe. © A. W. Brand.
Fig 4 Mycena rubromarginata, rarely reliably recorded in England but more common in Scotland. Photo © E. E. Emmett.
described by Guy Redeuilh and these records are firsts for Britain. Our thanks go to our French colleagues for their advice and expertise and to the National
Trust, Forest Enterprise, English Nature, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the Field Studies Councilfor permissions and co-operation. Ernest Emmett
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BMS Autumn Foray: Blencathra, Cumbria 28 August to 4 September 1999 The penultimate BMS Autumn Foray of the twentieth century, was held in Cumbria in the North West of England. The base was at the Field Studies Council field station at Blencathra near Keswick, where the view from the dining room must be one of the most delightful to be enjoyed in any British field centre. The elevated position of the buildings gives a commanding view down and along Borrowdale, and the constantly changing light and cloud made every meal time a memorable experience, quite apart from the wholesome food supplied. This foray was special in that we extended an invitation to our French mycological colleagues by means of an announcement in the Bulletin de la Societe Mycologique de France. The invited tutor was the eminent French mycologist and long time member of the BMS, Regis Courtecuisse. The whole event reflected the invitation made to French mycologists by Professor John Webster at the Centenary Overseas Foray in Belfort in 1996. Other notable French mycologists attended
including Guy Redeuilh, the president of the SMF, Gilbert Lannoy, monographer of Leccinum, and Jean Pierre Vidonne. M. Lannoy was accompanied by his wife, who nobly joined in organising the exhibition table. Dr Courtecuisse gave an informative lecture on Conservation of Fungi, which provoked a lively discussion, and he also provided valuable demonstrations of interesting microscopical aspects of various species, by means of the BMS microscopes linked to the CCTV equipment. The weather was ideal. Rain shortly before the foray had promoted fruit-body production, yet it was largely dry during the week. Over 60 members participated and over 1800 records were added to the BMS Fungal Records Database. Foray organiser Bruce Ing had chosen a full range of the habitat types available in the area. Sites visited included: Aira Force and the ancient woodland of Gowbarrow Park by Ullswater; the upland oak wood of Low Wood, near Brotherswater; the floristically rich and extensive sand dune system at Sandscale Haws, near
The group at Thornthwaite Forest on the one day when it did rain and the sun was hidden. The spirit of the foray is captured here, with evident enjoyment among the international mycological friends.
•
•
Volume 14, Part 3, August 2000
Fig 1 Psathyrella ammophila (Dur. & Lev) Orton, a widespread coastal dune species which is on the Red Data list for France and Norway. © A. W. Brand.
Barrrow-in-Furness; Atlantic Oak woodland at Derwentwater and Borrowdale; conifer plantations at Whinlatter Pass and damp woodland by Buttermere. A small party also visited the limestone area at Witherslack, by Whitbarrow Scar in South Cumbria. Notable fmds included Lactarius roseozonatus (= L.{lexuosus var.roseozonatus) from Gowbarrow Park; Cortinarius atrocoeruleus from lng's Wood; Psathyrella phegophila from Mell Fell; Xerocomus communis from Cockshutt Wood and Xerocomus quercinus from Gowbarrow Park. Sandscale Haws Dunes yielded a wide range of interesting species including Psathyrella ammophila (Fig 1), Coprinus ammophilae (Fig 2), Russula norvegica, Cortinarius chrysomallus (possibly the first UK record), Hygrocybe aurantiolutescens f. pseudoconica and Strop haria rugosoannulata (Fig 3). Mycena rubromarginata (Fig 4), Pulverboletus lignicola and Botryobasidium medium were recorded from Thornthwaite Forest; Septonema leptaleum from Skiddaw House Youth Hostel, (another new British record); and Cortinarius orellanus from Scales Wood. Three records of Xerocomus ripariella were especially valuable, since it is a species
Fig 2 Coprinus ammophilae Courtecuisse, typically associated with marram grass culms in white dunes, probably rare in Britain. © A. W. Brand.
Volume 14, Part 3, August 2000
Fig 3 Stropharia rugosoannulata Farlow, rare in Britain but edible and widely cultivated in Eastern Europe. © A. W. Brand.
Fig 4 Mycena rubromarginata, rarely reliably recorded in England but more common in Scotland. Photo © E. E. Emmett.
described by Guy Redeuilh and these records are firsts for Britain. Our thanks go to our French colleagues for their advice and expertise and to the National
Trust, Forest Enterprise, English Nature, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the Field Studies Councilfor permissions and co-operation. Ernest Emmett
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