Waxcap hunt 27th October 2007
Tony Boniface 40 Pentland Avenue, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 4AZ
We started our hunt at Fryerning Churchyard on a fine morning, but we only found four
species of waxcaps Hygrocybe virginea, H. chlorophana, H. ceracea and H. insipida.
However we did find six species of boletes. These were Leccinum scabrum, as defined
by Geoffrey Kibby (2006), as many of the previous species have been amalgamated;
Xerocomus pruinatus, X. communis, and X. cisalpinus as defined by Alan Hills in an
article soon to be published in The Field Mycologist. The classification of this group of
boletes has changed dramatically and ALL the books disagree over the criteria to be
used and even the number of species to be found. X. chrysenteron, the red cracking
bolete, does NOT crack red and does not grow in partnership with oak. It is in fact a rare
species! Boletus badius is still much as previously defined, even if Alan Hills, the authority
on the boletes, calls it Xerocomus badius but it is not confined to conifers; Suillus
granulatus is the one group, which appears not to have radically changed.
Two milkcaps were collected, which were Lactarius quietus and the more interesting L.
pubescens. Amanita muscaria at last put in an appearance in this very poor season so
far. Even now there are few Russulas. The one, which was in good enough condition for
me to identify, was Russula aeruginea a green species. Stropharia pseudocyanea with
its bright colours and smell of pepper was of interest. The true mushrooms, as I like to
call them, were conspicuous. This genus has recently been reviewed by Nauta (2001),
and our specimens included Agaricus sylvaticus, (now including A haemorrhoidarius,)
and A. impudicus as defined by her. I included 32 species of definite sightings in my list,
which was much better than I expected to find.
We had lunch in Chelmsford crematorium, where we found Hygocybe ceracea, and
Agaricus xanthodermus, and a rather small A arvensis. Little Leighs churchyard provided
the best haul of waxcaps, although fewer in number of species than we have come to
expect at this site. Hygrocybe chlorophana, H. ceracea, H. virginea, H. conica, H.
insipida, H. psittacina and H. mucronella were all identified. We also found Cystoderma
amianthinum and Xerocomus communis. We finished our foray at Great Leighs
churchyard, where we found Hygrocybe virginea, H. chlorophana. H. ceracea and a
new one for the day, Hygrocybe fornicata. A small group of forayers managed to find
more species than we had dared to expect in this disappointing season.
References
Kibby, G.(2006) Leccinum revisited. A new synoptic key to species. Field Mycology 7
(4): 113-122.
Nauta, M.M. (2001) Agaricus L. 23-61 in NOORDELOOS, M.E., KUYPER, Th. W,
& VELLINGA, E.C. Flora Agaricina Neerlandica. Volume 5. A.A. Balkema
Publishers.
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 55, January 2008 19