21th September 2018, Hayes Common

Back to Hayes Common for a few hours… One of the reasons for going there was to see if the oyster mushrooms that I found last year are still growing on the same large log. They were and they made a fine breakfast! No photos, as I got them last year.

Not a bad foray. Spectacular Rustgill was a good start, it’s a fine looking thing. Pluteus ephebeus is a rather shakey id – without the spores image I would have thought it a type of Pink Gill, but the spores are too small for that. Most Pluteus grow on dead wood but this one does grow on earth. I’ve found Jelly Rot before, but last time it was white whereas this time it was salmon. Curious. Tawny Grisette is very common on Hayes Common and it was everywhere this day. Blackening Brittlegill is something I quite often see. It’s in the nature of this mushroom to look quite old and decepit but these ones were quite young and had only just recently forced their way through the surface. Suede Bolete was quite nice but Boletus luridiformis was spectacular with its orange pores and pink stem. It was growing on a small patch of ground that I’ve mentioned before, that’s divided by a busy crossroads, but where I find many different species of mushroom. Spotted Toughshank is supposed to taste very bitter, and I’m going to try to remember to taste it next time. The Prince mushroom was large and spectacular. It’s edible and good, but there are some fairly similar poisonous mushrooms.


1. Spectacular Rustgill (Gymnopilus junonius).
Growing from buried parts of rotting stump. Several clusters and individuals. Cap 2-8cm. Slight mushroomy smell. ID is almost sure. Sporeprint Reddish brown. Spores 5.5-7.5µ x 4-5µ.

2. Pluteus ephebeus.
Growing on damp earth in wood clearing. Two. Cap 5.5-7cm. Slight smell, perhaps radishy. Very hard to identify this mushroom. Could be a type of Entoloma (Pink Gill), but these spores are too small. Could be another type of Pluteus but this one is my best guess. Also, Pluteus ephebeus is very variable. ID is possible. Sporeprint Brownish pink. Spores 5.5-7.5µ x 5-6.5µ.

3. Jelly Rot (Phlebia tremellosa).
Growing on rotting log in tiers. Several tiers. Lobes up to 10cm long, 2cm outwards. Pleasant mushroomy smell. Flesh soft and thin. Spores 4.5-5.5µ x 2.5-3µ.

4. Tawny Grisette (Amanita fulva).
Growing through leaf litter in mixed woods. Many scattered singly throughout the wood. Cap 7cm, Stem 9cm. No smell. One of these had the veil remnants left prominently on its cap. Sporeprint White. Spores 9-11.5µ x 8-11µ.

5. Blackening Brittlegill (Russula nigricans).
Growing in mixed woods. Two. Cap 5-9cm. Stem up to 5cm. Slight indistinct smell. Mild. Stem quite tough, gills very brittle. Sporeprint White. Spores 6.5-7.5µ x 5.5-7µ.

6. Suede Bolete (Boletus subtomentosus).
Growing in earth near rowan and birch. One. Cap 7cm, stem 7cm. Slight pleasant mushroomy smell. Could be Bay Bolete or something else, but spore size points towards Suede Bolete. ID is fairly likely. Sporeprint Mid-brown. Spores 8.5-13µ x 4-5.5µ.

7. Boletus luridiformis.
Growing in grass a little way from oak trees. One. Cap 10cm, stem 5cm long. Slight indistinct smell. Wonderful orange pores and pink stem. ID is very likely. Sporeprint Mid-brown. Spores 11.5-14.5µ x 5-6.5µ.

8. Spotted Toughshank (Collybia maculata).
Growing though needles under pine trees. One big cluster and several scattered around. Cap up to 6cm, stem up to 12cm. Slight indistinct smell. Sporeprint Whitish. Spores 5-7µ x 4.5-6µ.

9. The Prince (Agaricus augustus).
Growing in soil in mixed woods beside road. Group of three or four. Cap 15cm, stem 10cm. Immature one smelling strongly of almonds, older one of aniseed and a bit unpleasant. ID is almost sure. Sporeprint Dark brown. Spores 7-8µ x 4.5-5.5µ.