How widely distributed are these fungi?
Tony Boniface 40 Pentland Avenue, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 4AZ
Distribution maps of fungi in Essex just do not exist as yet. Readers could help by-
sending me locations of any of the following three fungi which are easily identified.
Please include a grid reference (6 figures) and a name for the site. Check with the
photographs, which accompany this article.
Sulphur Polypore or Chicken of the Woods Laetiporus sulphureus Plate 2
A large lemon yellow/orange bracket fungus found on a variety of trees. As it ages it
becomes white like crumbly cheese. Please record the host tree.
Dotted Stem Boletus Boletus erythropus Plate 3
A bolete has tubes instead of gills under the cap. This one has a brown cap, bright red
pores and a red-dotted stem. The flesh turns instantly blue when cut.
Stump Puffball Lycoperdon pyriforme Plate 4
The only puffball which grows on wood. When mature it has a smooth papery-
surface.
Botanical project in Belhus Woods Country Park___________________
Mrs Mary Smith 33 Gaynes Park Road, Upminster, Essex RM14 2HJ
Tel: 01708 228921
Belhus Woods Country Park is a substantial area of land (about 250 acres, or 100
hectares) owned jointly by Essex and Thurrock Councils and managed by Essex and
forms part of the Thames Chase Community Forest. It lies just North of Aveley on
the Thames flood plain, so the soil is based on various young alluvial deposits
including sand and gravel. Most of the Park was in the old Belhus estate, with large
gardens laid out by Capability Brown as a young man, but not much of that remains.
The M25 cuts across it now, and only the part West of the motorway is in the present
Park. Some of the woodland is over 200 years old, and is rich in plant, fungal and
invertebrate species. Much of Warwick Wood (a detached part of the Park, West of
Aveley Road) is ancient woodland and its insect life has been the subject of an
interesting article in a recent issue of this magazine. Recently, lakes have been made
from sand and gravel pits, and large areas of grassland have been added from arable
farmland; the Park is still growing as further areas of gravel extraction are being
landscaped ready for recreational use. Some woodland is left alone with minimal
management (removal of invading Sycamores), while another section is coppiced
15
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 33, September 2000