27th September 2013, Farningham Wood near Swanley

A marvellous day! Late September is definitely the best time for fungi. Over 30 species including several edible ones and that’s without trying very hard. Lots as yet unidentified but most should be possible to sort them out later. Took 5 types home to eat: Curry Milkcap, Ochre Brittlegill, Bay Bolete (only 1), Common Puffball, and Horn of Plenty. (Had great fun telling people that I had been eating ‘Trumpet of Death Soup’. Very tasty soup just made of vegetable stock, a little fried onion, fried mushrooms, and cream.) The Horn of Plenty was a delight – first time I’ve found it. And there were some Deathcaps, which is always exciting – found a group of large ones hiding under a small oak.


1. Unidentified.
Tiny on stump. Cap 1cm. Difficult to identify as I only saw young ones. Could be young Sulphur Tuft but I don’t think so. Maybe Pholiota astragalina but this is unlikely.

2. Unidentified.
Growing on bare earth under beech. Cap 1-3cm. Smell mushroomy.

3. Curry Milkcap (Lactarius camphoratus).
Growing on earth under beech. Curry smell slight at first but much stronger later. Milk dry and bitter.

5. Glistening Inkcap (Coprinus micaceus).
Growing on beech stump. Cap 2-5cm. Confused by this at first, but now think it’s just older Glistening Inkcap. ID is fairly likely.

6. Glistening Inkcap (Coprinus micaceus).
Growing on beech stump. Glistening Inkcap, growing on the same stump, smaller. ID is very likely.

7. Snapping Bonnet (Mycena vitilis).
Tiny. Snapping Bonnet probably, but could be another Bonnet. ID is fairly likely.

8. Type of Fibrecap.
Looks like a type of Fibrecap but not sure which.

9. Amethyst Deceiver (Laccaria amethystina).
Lots. Probably an Amethyst Deceiver although I didn’t think so in the field. ID is fairly likely.

10. Unidentified.
Growing on huge sweet-chestnut tree. Medium 3cm and small/tiny jelly-like fruiting bodies.

11. Unidentified.
Growing on earth. Cap 1.5cm. White cap.

12. Pluteus ephebeus.
Growing near oak, but other trees around. Cap 8cm. Slightly perfumed smell. ID is fairly likely.

13. Type of Amanita.

14. Ochre Brittlegill (Russula ochroleuca).

15. Bay Bolete (Boletus badius).
ID is almost sure.

16. Type of Russula.
Lots. Fairly big. No smell. Dark grey Russula? No smell.

17. Purple Russula (Russula atropurpurea).
Old Purple Brittlegill. ID is very likely.

18. Brown Rollrim (Paxillus involutus).
Poisonous.

19. Unidentified.
Growing under yew tree. Cap 5cm+. No smell.

20. The Blusher (Amanita rubescens).
ID is very likely.

21. Unidentified.
Growing under yew. Cap 2-3cm. Buggy smell.

22. Type of Russula.
Very hot taste. Red/pink Russula.

23. Aniseed Funnel (Clitocybe odora).
Growing directly leaf litter. Strong smell even with nose 1 foot away. Edible but I didn’t bother.

24. White False Deathcap (Amanita citrina).
Lots. Cap 5-8cm. Smell faintly of raw potato? ID is very likely.

25. Red Cracking Bolete (Boletus chrysenteron).

26. Curry Milkcap (Lactarius camphoratus).
Under oak. Only a little milk.

27. Wood Bolete (Buchwaldoboletus lignicola).
Growing from dead wood. Colour for this species should be paler, but this is the only boletus that grows on dead wood. ID is best guess.

28. Unidentified.

29. Sulphur Knight (Tricholoma sulphureum).
Growing on rotten wood? Not sure. Cap up to 8cm. Strong smell of paint – very strange! The book says Sulphur Knight smells of gas tar but I’m not familiar with that lovely aroma. ID is fairly likely.

30. Jelly Ear (Auricularia auricula-judae).
Jelly Ear or similar. ID is fairly likely.

31. Common Puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum).

32. Type of Webcap.
Webcaps are generally poisonous.

34. Unidentified.
Big. No smell.

35. Horn of Plenty (Craterellus cornucopioides).

36. Deathcap (Amanita phalloides).
About 6. Small one under hornbeam, then lots under an oak.