1st September 2014, Ladywell Fields

I’m on a roll – several more species found in Ladywell Fields only a few days after my last visit. Oyster Mushrooms – fried in butter and very tasty, ‘though to be honest an old sock fried in butter would also be tasty. Hen of the Woods – common, but a first for me. Fairy Inkcap – except I found two specimens that were slightly different in appearance and had different spore sizes. (With neither size being quite right.) These three species were all growing on the same stump within a few inches of each other.


1. Unidentified.
Growing in grass beside path near site of ash tree (I think) that was cut down several months ago. Group of 3 or 4. Cap 3-4cm. Faint mushroom smell. Sporeprint very dark brown. Spores 7-9µ x 5-6.5µ.

2. Unidentified.
Growing on earth/grass near lime tree. Group of 4. Cap 2-5cm. Very faint fungus smell. Cap splitting very much. Sporeprint dark brown. Spores 6.5-8µ x 5-6.5µ.

3. Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus).
Growing on base of deciduous stump. Lobes up to 10cm across. Mild pleasant mushroom smell. Mild mushroomy. Eaten. Sporeprint dirty white. Spores 7-10.5µ x 4.5-5.5µ.

4. Hen of the Woods (Grifola frondosa).
Growing on base of deciduous stump. Multiple lobes with full body 15cm across. Smell faint. Young specimen. Very fibrous but soft flesh. ID is almost sure. Spores 4-5.5µ x 3-4.5µ.

5. Fairy Inkcap (Coprinus disseminatus).
Growing next to deciduous stump, perhaps on buried root. Two clumps with many tiny mushrooms. Cap 0.25-1cm. Stem 2-3cm high. No smell. ID is best guess. Sporeprint dark; not enough to say more. Spores 6.5-8.5µ x 4.5-6µ.

6. Unidentified.
Growing on ash stump. Two. Cap 2.5cm wide and 2.5cm deep. Spores 5.5-8µ x 3.5-5.5µ.

7. Fairy Inkcap (Coprinus disseminatus).
Growing on roots/base of ash stump. Two clumps of many small mushrooms. Cap 0.5-1.5cm wide and 0.5-1.5cm high. No smell. ID is best guess. Sporeprint black. Spores 9-10.5µ x 4.5-6µ.