There are several similar species on the continent, at least one of which is a pest on pine
trees, so it may be worth examining any unusually shaped or marked specimens.
We need the usual facts (where, when, how many) but as much other detail as possible:
which plants, what habitat, activity &c. Records may be logged through the Essex
Field Club web site at www.essexfieldclub.org.uk/cercopsis_survey.htm or sent (along
with ladybird records, perhaps) to Paul Mabbott (details overleaf).
Fungus foray to Crowsheath Wood on 6th October 2002
Barbara Chapman 20 Linden Road, Runwell, Essex SSH 7LR
Crowsheath Wood, an ancient woodland owned by Essex Wildlife Trust, is just down the road
from Hanningfield Reservoir Visitor Centre. Arrangements had heen made for us to lay out the
collected specimens in the comfortable surroundings of the Centre. This coincided nicely with
our lunchbreak, and enabled other visitors to Hanningfield to view our collection.
Our party consisted of 16 people, most of whom were members of Wickford Wildlife
Society (who assist in the management of Crowsheath). Thankfully Tony Boniface and
Martin Gregory were on hand to identify whatever we might find. With the recent dry
weather severely affecting fungus numbers, Tony advised us that we would be most
likely to find specimens growing on wood, and this proved to be the case. The only
exception was the Common Earth-ball Scleroderma citrinum. Other common fungi found
included King Alfred's Cakes Daldinia concentrica, Smokey Polypore Bjerkandera
adusta, Many-zoned Polypore Coriolus versicolor and Blushing Bracket Daedaleopsis
confragosa.
At the base of a large Ash growing near the reserve boundary we found a large tiered
growth of Root Fomes Heterobasidion annosum, which is more normally found as a
seriously damaging pararsite on coniferous trees. On the same Ash was an attractive
clump of a Pholiota species which was unfortunately too young to identify. Another
Pholiota found in the wood turned out to be P. scamba, which Tony lists as uncommon.
Other uncommon species found included the rather lovely Cockle-shell fungus Lentinellus
cochleatus, Hypoxylon multiforme on stacked wood, and the rather exciting Grifola
frondosa, found by the warden of Crowsheath on a long dead oak stump. Although it
was at first thought possibly to be the very rare G. umbellata, but we were all very
pleased with it nonetheless.
Despite the lack of rain and consequent paucity of terrestrial species, we had found
approximately 18 species, 9 of which were new to the species list I am compiling for the
reserve, plus various rusts of interest to Martin. Many thanks to Tony and Martin, it was
an enjoyable and rewarding foray. As every year brings different fungi to find, I look
forward to our return visit in October 2003.
14
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 41, May 2003