Readers’ Finds

Readers’ Finds

L!$ M$NQP Readers’ Finds Sarcodontia crocea o Weightman sent us this photo of the rare Sarcodontia crocea, which has the common name of Orchard Toot...

358KB Sizes 1 Downloads 104 Views

L!$ M$NQP

Readers’ Finds Sarcodontia crocea o Weightman sent us this photo of the rare Sarcodontia crocea, which has the common name of Orchard Tooth in reference to its toothed hymenium. It is a rare fungus, restricted in Britain to traditionally managed apple orchards, where it grows on ancient trees – a habitat that has declined severely and has been proposed as a Priority Habitat in JNCC reviews. It is easily recognised by its pale to bright yellow, toothed or spiny hymenium and often intense, unpleasantly sweet odour, said to be of over-ripe fruit. Found mainly in southern England, sightings of this species should be reported as it is currently included in the target list of 100 species in the Lost and Found Fungi project: http://fungi.myspecies.info/content/lostfound-fungi-project.

J

    !$$# $#$ "##$KO#/ "$$"#$F#"#!""#$ Q$! !$ $8! A# 

Xeromphalina cauticinalis lso found by Jo Weightman is this rarely reported species found mainly in Scotland where it grows on fallen needle litter, damp humus and in mosses and lichens, especially in the Caledonian pinewoods. The beautiful, golden yellow caps are 1–2 cm across, convex with a central depression and in common with other species in the genus has strikingly arcuatedecurrent gills. The species is distinguished by its bitter or astringent taste. The more familiar Xeromphalina campanella looks very similar but is found growing in large troops on stumps and rotten wood of various conifers and is also commonest in Scotland.

A

   !  $G! $!$" #$$G#! $  " #$ ! $ Q$ ! !$ $ 8! A#  doi:10.1016/j.fldmyc.2015.09.011

1/#

L!$ M$NQP

Entoloma catalaunicum

    !! $CC#$E!I$2""$A#$# ##"$ $! !$ $#!"#$

uring a week-long fungus course which I run at the Field Studies Council centre in Preston Montford, Shropshire, a visit was made with my students to the Llanymynech Rocks quarry, which straddles the border of England and Wales. This is a unique site, well known for its wildlife, including ravens, sparrow hawks, rare orchids and other botanical specialties. In the Welsh half of the quarry are several small hills with a covering of grasses, herbs and small shrubs including Helianthemum. The site is already well known for producing several rare or uncommon species of fungi associated with the Helianthemum. On this day in early September several of these species were refound, including Lepiota erminea, Entoloma incanum and Cortinarius spilomeus (see the Profile in this issue for a photograph of this species found at the site). Also found however was a beautiful Entoloma growing in some numbers on the grassy hillside. The cap and stem were both delicately tinted with pale blue-violet, while the gills were pale pinkish cream without darker edges.

Photographs were taken and a few specimens collected for study. Running these specimens through some standard keys on the genus we arrived at a determination: Entoloma catalaunicum. This was exciting because just the previous year, during the BMS autumn foray based at Gregynog Hall, Powys, our resident guest Machiel Noordeloos had found the same species at this site, a first record for Wales, but just a single specimen, and here it was a year later growing in abundance. The species is characterised by its umbilicate, pinkish brown cap, tinted violet around its margin and a pale grey-blue to grey-violet stem. Its spores are 6–9-angled, 9–10.5 (11) x 6.5–8.0 µm. It is widespread in Europe, usually on calcareous soils but appears to be genuinely rare in Britain with very few records, and these mostly Scottish.

D

Geoffrey Kibby

1/$