Fungi 2015

[Peter Maguire]

We don't seem to have a topic for fungi yet this year, so as we are entering the fungi season (at least here in the northern hemisphere) I thought I'd take the liberty of starting one.

To start with an i-d puzzle...... This little fungus was part of a small group of 4-5 fruiting bodies, all around 2-3 cms high, seen last week on wet, acid moorland (Simonside Hills) in Northumberland. My first thought was that it belonged to the Chantrelle family (Cantharellus sp) from the funnel shape, but they seem to be mainly woodland species, and seem to have many more gills, at least on the ones I've seen.

[David Lyttle]

I would consider Omphalina though it may be difficult to make an ID from the specimen you have photographed. Since I have a very rudimentary knowledge of Northern hemisphere fungi I may be entirely wrong.

[Peter Maguire]

David, many thanks for that clue about the genus. Based on descriptions of the various species and also the habitat where I photographed it, I've tentatively identified it as Omphalina ericetorum.

Interestingly, it's the fungal fruiting body of a lichen Lichenomphalia umbellifera:
www.lichens.lastdragon.org/Lichenomphalia_umbellifera.html

[Chris Johnson]

Bit late on this one Peter, I've been away for a few days.

Certainly the Ophalina group and could be Lichenomphalia umbellifera but it's a bit too old for definite determination. This species is very common in wet moorland habitat so it's worth looking out for more fruit-bodies.

Lichenised fungi are complex and involve a lichen-like basal thallus and an alga. However the lichen and fungus don't carry separate names. Omphalina ericetorum is an earlier synonym of Lichenomphalia umbellifera.

[David Lyttle]

It was a bit of a stab in the dark, Peter.
Interesting Chris considers it could be Lichenomphalia umbellifera. We have several Lichenomphalia species here in New Zealand. I am posting two photos of Lichenomphalia alpina which is a lichenised basidiomycete (most lichen fungi are ascomycetes) You can see the little green scales of the  lichen thallus in the first photo.

[ian mcdonald]

Hello Peter, here is a similar one among grass on peat.

[ian mcdonald]

Another on peat. Any ideas?

[Peter Maguire]

Omphalina ericetorum is an earlier synonym of Lichenomphalia umbellifera.

I noticed that there were many synonyms mentioned in the article wasn't quite sure which was the most recent - or whether it will be the same next week. 

....it's worth looking out for more fruit-bodies

Having returned from that walk somewhat footsore and more than a trifle fatigued, I won't be again in the area in the near future!

Thanks for your comments Chris, it's been a fascinating search for the identity and also delving into the lichen symbiosis. I'm not used to lichens fruiting bodies being so large, the little cups of Cladonia being more more familiar.

[johnralphcarpenter]

Another on peat. Any ideas?

Orange peel fungus? Don't know the latin!

[Chris Johnson]

Orange peel fungus? Don't know the latin!

Aleuria aurantia. That was my first (and only) thought. Not really typical of peaty habitats but if it was at the side of a track it would make more sense.

[Chris Johnson]

Interesting Chris considers it could be Lichenomphalia umbellifera. We have several Lichenomphalia species here in New Zealand. I am posting two photos of Lichenomphalia alpina which is a lichenised basidiomycete (most lichen fungi are ascomycetes) You can see the little green scales of the  lichen thallus in the first photo.

It was a 'best guess' given the habitat, David, but the specimen is really past its best. The perceived wisdom is, if it's a single specimen or old, keep walking.

Ian's image also shows mainly mature specimens but has a typical Omphalina look. The nearest I can get is Omphalina pyxidata, however, this species colonizes burnt ground and Ian doesn't mention this.

[ian mcdonald]

Hello Chris, there was no burnt ground. The fungi were on short grass among birch on peat.

[Peter Maguire]

On the face of it, this is an unremarkable fungus. The photograph was taken on Sunday on Newcastle's Town Moor (a large area - 1000acre/400 hectare - of open grassland in the centre of town where the Freemen of the city of Newcastle can graze cattle). The grassland at this time of the year is liberally spattered with the droppings of cows, and at first sight I thought that this was one of those. At about 20+cms across it was most impressive, especially as it was unblemished. If my identification is correct it is Agaricus arvensis which is edible (I didn't try it!) but it was large enough to be the plate to eat a meal off, rather than the meal itself. 

[David Lyttle]

Peter, if your ID was correct they are edible and quite good . The flavour is stronger than the normal field mushroom ( Agaricus campestris). We get field mushrooms here late summer and we gorge ourselves with them. We get Agaricus arvensis which we call horse mushroom as well but not in the same quantities.
When I was growing up my parents did not consider it edible; most people in those days considered anything other than Agaricus campestris poisonous and to be avoided at all costs.

[Peter Maguire]

We call them horse mushrooms here too. I found out when I got home that I could have confirmed the i-d by sniffing it (smells of aniseed apparently) and cutting it off at ground level - correct i-d as long as the cut surface doesn't turn yellow. I'll know for next time. 

To be honest, from the monstrous size of the thing I don't' think that there's much else it could be!