Fungus report for Autumn 2002
Tony Boniface 40 Pentland Avenue, Chelmsford, Essex. CM1 4AZ
The weather at the start of the season was too dry for many fungi to fruit. Few Russula,
Lactarius or Boletus species appeared, but a visit to Belhus Country Park on 28th
September produced Russula grisea and Lactarius subdulcis .
A week later in October at Laindon Common R. grisea appeared again, but here it was
mainly lignicolous species that were present, including Pleurotus dryinus, as they were
in Sandylay and Moat Woods on 5"' October where Pluteus salicinus was also found.
On October 6th Crowsheath Wood produced a magnificent specimen of Grifola frondosa
as well as Lentinellus cochleatus and the unusual Pholiota scamba. On October 9"' a
visit to the grounds of Writtle College resulted in a record for Lactarius glaucescens as
well as two conspicuous slime moulds, Mucilago crustacea and Stemonitis fusca.
Reservoir and Bush Woods, which were visited on October 12th following the tragic
death of our leader Richard Baker, were devoid of interest. A visit to Hanningfield
Nature Reserve on October 13"' resulted in only the third Essex record of Stropharia
aurantiaca on wood chips and the small black Ascomycete Melanomma pulvis-pyrius
Lignicolous species were again present at Norsey Wood on October 20th,the list including
the small yellow cup fungus Bisporella citrina and one found on acorn cups
Hymenoscyphus fructigenus. Two of the few records this year of Amanita muscaria and
Amanita citrina occurred here with two more Russula species, Russula ochroleuca and
Russula lepida. My annual wax cap churchyard survey on October 26th produced few
species: Fryerning - none; Margaretting - none; Galleywood - none but Geastrum striatum
was found here; Sandon - Hygrocybe psittacina; Danbury - none.
In November the churchyard crawl with the Essex Churchyard Conservation group on
the 2nd resulted in a few more finds: Broomfield - none; Little Leighs - Hygrocybe
fornicata, H. virginea Yar virginea, H. pratensis var pratensis, H. conica, one solitary
H. .calyptriformis and H. colemanniana as well as Clavulinopsis corniculata; Great
Leighs-none; Terling -none; Danbury - none; Sandon- Hygrocybe psittacina and H.
pratensis var pratensis. On November 12th the Phyllis Currie Reserve provided the usual
lignicolous species including Crepidotus subsphaerosporus.
On December 3rd a walk near Danbury Palace Road TL764051 produced Hygrocybe
ceracea, whilst on December 2nd in Little Leighs churchyard Hygrocybe virginea var
virginea, H. pratensis var pratensis and H ceracea, were all found. On December 26th
Hygrocybe coccinea finally appeared in Little Leighs churchyard. The season continued
until January 2003 when Hygrocybe chlorophana appeared on my lawn next to the
compost bin into which unwanted specimens have been deposited in recent years. For
me this was a pleasing end to a very disappointing season for fungi in Essex.
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 41, May 2003
15