Deadly, it is apparently only somewhat poisonous. The root is the most poisonous part
of the plant, the foliage next, and the berries the least poisonous and only likely to kill
younger children if eaten in really large quantities. Another strange effect of the poison
is that people lose their voice, which means they may not be able to call out for help.
The situation with regard to the fungi is getting desperate! Last year was the worst for
several decades, and this year it is even worse, as indicated by the various foray reports
elsewhere in this Newsletter. But the autumn colours of the trees were magnificent,
and many fruits were abundant, notably sloes in our area. People gathered them to
make sloe gin, or, in our household, sloe vodka. It takes two or three months to mature,
so it will be just right for Christmas!
During the last week of October we actually had some rain! Not heavy, not continuous,
but enough to moisten the ground and say the drought real ly had finished. Sadly, it was
now quite cold, so the fungi were still conspicuous by their absence! But in early
November we had an excellent outing in Hatfield Forest (see the report elsewhere) and
found some real fungi, albeit still mainly brackets on wood rather than mushrooms on
the ground.
During the next two or three weeks there were some more showers, but also wind and
plenty of sunshine. Most of our 'lawn' is green again, but actually it is mostly mosses
rather than all grass. Some parts are still only hay-colour, with no sign yet of recovery.
We last mowed our lawn in June! We probably will not mow it now until next spring.
And now, in late November, scientists are getting veiy worried that the Atlantic Conveyor
that is responsible for our warming Gulf Stream or North Atlantic Drift is gently
disintegrating. The Atlantic Conveyor works because dense, cold, salty water moves
along in the deep ocean from the Arctic towards the Caribbean, and warmer, less salty
and less dense water flows the opposite way on the surface. The surface flow is what
warms Britain. But as the ice caps melt and rivers flow into the Arctic Ocean (mainly
from Siberia) with more fresh water, the cold water is not so dense and therefore does
not sink so readily. If the flow stops altogether, as it could in a few decades, Britain will
be thrown into a colder, drier climate with severe winters like Alaska! And the effects
will be felt all round the globe with changed weather patterns. Believe it or not, this is
all due to global warming! It has happened a number of times since the last ice age, so
it is not really new. There is always something to worry about! Meanwhile, we look
forward to the new year and another lot of outdoor meetings to join and recording of
various kinds to do. Let us make haste while we can!
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 43, January 2004
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