17th August 2014, Ladywell Fields

Is August good for mushrooms? Yes, of course! Actually I’m not sure – I wandered around a wood on Gower last week and found absolutely nothing. But I have a prevailing resolution to properly survey the fungi of Ladywell Fields, so I decided to have a look around and I wasn’t disappointed. Several stump fungi that I’d been meaning to record for a while, some unfamiliar puffballs (Grey Puffballs), Fairyring Mushrooms earlier than I expected, and The Prince (probably). The Prince was very immature, so I’m not certain of the id. It was somewhat chewed by slugs, and I went back a few days later to see if the immature ones had developed but they were even more badly mauled.

 


1. Lumpy Bracket (Trametes gibbosa).
Growing on poplar stump. Up to 12cm across. No smell. Large white lumps on top of stump and brackets on side. Tough and rubbery.

2. Unidentified.
Growing on sides of ash stump. Up to 60cm across. Mushroomy smell. Large lumpy patches. Tough flesh.

3. Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus).
Growing from base of stump. Each fan up to 12cm across, full width 24cm. Pleasant mushroomy smell. Rather old specimen. ID is very likely.

4. Beefsteak Fungus (Fistulina hepatica).
Growing on ash stump. 15cm across. Fungusy smell. Flesh fibrous and rubbery but easy to cut. Strong red on outside but yellowish on inside. ID is very likely. Spores 5.5-6µ x 4.5-5.5µ.

5. Fairy Ring Mushroom (Marasmius oreades).
Growing in rings and also scattered around. Cap 2-4cm. Faint fungusy smell. One clear ring from last year seems to be breaking up this year. Sporeprint White. Spores 7-9µ x 5-6.5µ.

6. Grey Puffball (Bovista plumbea).
Scattered around in short grass. 2-4cm. Strong pleasant mushroom smell. Very mild flavour. Casing breaks away easily. Old fruiting bodies more grey than brown. Eaten. ID is fairly likely. Spores 5-6µ x 4.5-5.5µ.

7. The Prince (Agaricus augustus).
Growing under sycamore. Immature cap 9cm across. Whole body 12cm high. Almond smell. Only immature specimens so hard to identify but definitely an Agaricus and The Prince is closest. ID is fairly likely. Sporeprint Dark brown. Spores 6-8µ x 4-5.5µ.

8. Field Mushroom (Agaricus campestris).
Growing in short grass. Only one. Cap 4.5cm. Mushroom with aniseed hint. Not sure of this id but lack of ring and lack of yellow in cut flesh makes Field Mushroom the most likely. ID is fairly likely. Sporeprint Dark brown. Spores 7-8µ x 4.5-5.5µ.