Fungi come in so many different forms and colours that there is always something to
admire and wonder at the beauty. Hatfield Forest too is a very special place with ever
changing vistas whatever the season. Ancient forest and wood pasture with more than
850 veteran trees tagged, is of historical importance, especially in a European context.
Old trees left standing or fallen and rotting create a haven for plants and creatures in an
area surrounded by an airport and manicured agriculture. The old grassland too is a
precious and diminishing asset. With the present grazing regime working for a number
of years it has surely benefited some of the smaller plants and the wax-cap fungal flora
in particular. Last year was the best wax-cap year here that I have ever known with
thirteen species identified in one day. This year they are not so abundant but Tony Boniface
identified eleven with one more determined by Kew as the national rarity Hygrocybe
aurantiosplendens. The other wax-caps are Hygrocybe aurantiosplendens, H. ceracea,
H. coccinea, H. chlorophana, H. conica, H. insipida, H. pratensis (Meadow Wax-cap),
H psittacina (Parrot Wax-cap), H. punicea, H. reidii (smells of honey), H. russocoriaceus
(strong smell of cedar oil) and H. virgineus var. ochraceopallida
The morning was spent looking at the grassland, which is mostly calcareous and with the
old gravel pit producing as usual a richer variety of species. Amanita muscaria (Fly Agaric),
Boletus edulis (Penny Bun Ccp) and Lactarius quietus (Oak Milk Cap) were all found
under one oak tree. Several people remarked that they have seen and eaten Wood Blewits
but never seen the Field Blewit Lepista saeva that has a beige coloured cap with paler
margin. Some species were also new to me. Mary Smith pointed out Lactarius camphoratus,
which had a faint smell of curry and which she said will give off a stronger aroma when
left to dry. It was a good thing she knew it because the field guides were of no help with the
illustrations so different from the small dark brown caps in the field.
Others like Dermoloma cuneifolium and Lycoperdon lividum are new to the forest list
and many more. Hygrocybe punicea produced some huge, wonderful specimens in one
group this year and they were eagerly photographed. Shaggy Parasol Macrolepiota
rhacodes gave a good display too. Small colourful fungi such as Inocybe geophylla var,
lilacina, Laccaria laccata (The Deceiver) and Laccaria amethystea (Amethyst Deceiver)
were appealing.
Late in the day a bright reddish Russula was found under hornbeam, as Catherine, one
of the foresters, explained the latest techniques in the pruning of the ancient pollards. I
decided to send the specimen to Tony for identification as he had just left. It arrived in
good condition through the post and Tony was prompt to phone back, having determined
it as Russula luteotacta. So that was a good finish to the day which had stayed dry. A
few people took fungi away, to look at which cannot be confirmed in the field so I await
the additions to the list. I will send a full list to Tony and all will be added to the Haffield
Forest data. "Therefore it seems fitting that some recording is published however
incomplete, so that those who follow have some base to work from." - Not my words,
but Oliver Rackham's.
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Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 49, January 2006