Fungi from Hylands Park
Another genus of mycorrhizal fungi contains the deceivers:-
Laccaria amethystina Amethyst Deceiver has a very characteristic colour.
*Laccaria laccata Deceiver has a very variable appearance.
The mycorrhizal genus Hebeloma produces rusty spores and often smells of radishes:-
Hebeloma sinapizans Bitter Pie is one of the poisonous species.
Other poisonous mycorrhizal species arc in the genus Inocybe:-
Inocybe margaritispora is a rare fungus associated with hazel.
Inocybe flocculosa Fleecy Fibrecap is aeccap is identified by its colour.
One remaining genus of mycorrhizal fungi has been recorded in the park:-
*Paxillus involutus Brown Roll-rim has the rim of its cap inrolled.
The mown lawns in the formal gardens are of interest as they have probably been mown for over a
century; fallen leaves have been removed,and no nitrogenous fertilizers, herbicides or fungicides
have been applied. Such unimproved grasslands are rare in Essex mostly confined to churchyards
and cemeteries, and continuing management in the same manner is important for the conservation
of the fungus flora, the most important of which is the waxcaps. The following eight species of
waxcaps have so far been identified in the lawns making it a site of local importance for them, and
one that should be conserved and monitored for further species:-
Hygrocybe chlorophana Golden Waxcap is a yellow species.
Hygrocybe coccinea Scarlet Waxcap is a scarlet one.
Hygrocybe conica Blackening Waxcap has a conical cap and turns black on handling or with age.
Hygrocybe fornicata Earthy Waxcap is a greyish-brownish white colour.
Hygrocybe insipida Spangle Waxcap is a smallcrycllow species often with top of the stalk orange.
Hygrocybe persistens Persistent Waxcap has a yellow, conical cap, which does not turn black.
Hygrocybe psittacina Parrot Waxcap is very viscid and is unusually green in colour.
Hygrocybe virginea Snowy Waxcap is a milky-white colour.
Other species found in these lawns include:-
Clavulinopsis corniculata Meadow Coral has yellow, dichotomously branched spindles.
Clavulinopsis fusiformis Golden Spindles is larger and unbranched.
Cystoderma amianthinum Earthy Parasol has a ring on its mealy, granular stem.
Entoloma conferendum Star Pinkgill has uniquely shaped spores and is very common.
Galerina clavata is a small, brown fungus associated with mosses.
Lepista sordida forms large rings in the lawns.
Melanoleuca stridula belongs to a genus with rough spores which stain black in Meltzers iodine
solution.
Laccaria bicolor Bicoloured Deceiver is a mycorrhizal species with one of the trees near the lawns.
Mycena species or Bonnet Caps also occur here, which I still have to identify.
The rough grassland is large in extent and various fungi grow in this habitat including: -
Essex Parks: Section 2 - Hylands Park
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