Fungi from Hylands Park
The large trees in the park both in the woodland and grassland areas often grow in association with
fungi forming mycorrhiza or fungus roots, which are a mutualistic relationship in which the fungal
hyphae act as supplementary root hairs for the tree absorbing minerals and water from the soil.
There are several genera which form mycorrhiza that occur in the park including the boletes that
have tubes instead of gills under the cap of a mushroom-like fruiting body:-
Boletus luridiformis (=erythropus) Scarlctina Bolete which is a reddish-brown bolete which bruises
blue-black.
Leccinum roseofractum Blushing Bolete is a member of a genus with scaly stipes and interesting
colour changes when cut and scraped.
Suillus granulatus Granulate Bolete has a sticky cap whose pores exude milky droplets. It is
associated with conifers.
Leccinum carpini is usually associated with hornbeam.
Boletus radicans (=albidus) Rooting Bolete has yellow pores and a stalk which turns blue on
bruising.
Boletus edulis is the Penny Bun.
*Boletus badius Bay Bolete has a brown cap and yellowish cream pores which bruise blue-grccn.
The genus Amanita is an easily recognized group of mycorrhizal fungi with a ring and usually a
volva:-
Amanita spissa Grey Spot Agaric has a ring, a brownish cap with a plain margin and greyish scales.
Amanita muscaria Fly Agaric is usually associated with birch.
Amanita rubescens the Blusher turns red on braising or damage.
Amanita ceciliae Snakeskin Agaric lacks a ring and lias a striate margin and flat scales. It is an
uncommon species.
The Russulas are a very large genus of mycorrhizal fungi. They have caps of a wide range of pastel
colours, white to orange spores, gills with or without a hot taste and some have characteristic
smells. Accurate identification is now much easier with the help of a new key by Geoffrey Kibby.
The park contains many of this genus still awaiting correct identification. So far I have identified
the following species:-
Russula sanguinaria Bloody Brittlegill with a red cap and a pink flushed stipe. It has a hot taste
and is associated with conifers.
Russula atropurpurea Purple Brittlegill is a very common blackish-purple species.
Russula ochroleuca Common Brittlegill is an equally common yellow species.
Russula xerampelina Crab Brittlegill has a smell of crabs.
Russula maculata var bresadolana often has a smell of cederwood pencils.
Similar to the Russulas are the milkcaps in the genus Lactarius. These produce a latex which may
be mild or hot to the taste. The following milkcaps have been identified in the park:-
Lactarius turpis Ugly Milkcap has an olivaceous cap and a very hot burning taste.
Lactarius quieticolor has orange milk which turns red fairly quickly.
*Lactarius quietus Oak Milkcap has a characteristic oily smell said to resemble bed bugs.
* Lactarius blennius Beech Milkcap has a slimy cap and tastes extremely hot.
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Essex Parks: Section 2 - Hylands Park