by Bloomsbury
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Height 10–20cm; diameter 1.5–5cm. Fruit body club shaped, light yellow at the apex grading to deep ochre and reddish-brown towards the base. Flesh yellowish-white, soft and fibrous, bruising purplish. Also called Pestle-shaped Coral.
HABITAT
Grows singly or in small groups on calcareous soil in beech woods or with pines at higher localities. Quite rare and patchily distributed in southern Britain and Europe.
SEASON
Late summer to late autumn.
Wrinkled Coral Fungus
Clavulina rugosa
Height 5–12cm; variable diameter. Fruit body white, sometimes with a greyish tinge. Shaped either like a simple club, or has irregular branches with blunt tips. Surface irregular, wrinkled and twisted. Flesh white, soft and thick. Grows in soil in mixed woodland often adjacent to paths. Common and widespread across Europe. Occurs late summer to late autumn.
Grey Coral Fungus
Clavulina cinerea
Height 3–10cm; variable diameter. Fruit body ash-grey, repeatedly branched into dense antler-like clusters with blunt tips. Flesh greyish-white, soft but tough. Grows on soil in mixed woodland often adjacent to paths, forming solitary tufts or dense clusters. Widespread and common across Europe. Occurs midsummer to late autumn.
White Coral Fungus
Clavulina coralloides
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Height 2–8cm; variable diameter. Fruit body whitish, densely tufted and repeatedly branched with crest-like fringes at the tips. Flesh white, soft and moderately tough. Also called Crested Coral Fungus.
HABITAT
Grows in soil in large numbers, in both deciduous and coniferous woodland. Common and widespread across Europe.
SEASON
Early summer to late autumn.
Upright Coral
Ramaria stricta
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Height 4–11cm; diameter 3–8cm. Tree-like fungus with multiple branches ascending vertically; pale cinnamon-brown to flesh coloured, paling at the tips. Flesh white discolouring to brown, with an earthy odour.
HABITAT
Grows on the fallen branches and stumps of deciduous and coniferous trees, particularly beeches. Common and widespread throughout Europe.
SEASON
Midsummer to late autumn.
Clustered Coral
Ramaria botrytis
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Height 7–15cm; diameter 5–20cm. White at first, becoming tan or ochre, then coral-pink as it branches repeatedly, finally forming wine-red forked and pointed tips, resembling a cauliflower with a thick basal stem. Flesh white, soft and firm with a fruity odour.
HABITAT
Grows in soil in deciduous woodland, particularly around beeches, favouring hilly districts. Unevenly distributed and rare in Europe.
SEASON
Summer to early autumn.
Cauliflower Fungus
Sparassis crispa
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Fruit body 10–60cm. Large fungus consisting of a much-branched and curled pale ochraceous-grey globe, in shape rather like a large curly lettuce, attached to tree by a short stem. Flesh is whitish. It is edible and pleasant when young and fresh, with a taste of anise, but it is difficult to remove all the sand that collects between its lobes. Also called Brain Fungus.
HABITAT
Grows in coniferous woodland, usually at the bases of pine trees. Widespread but rare in Europe.
SEASON
Midsummer to late autumn.
Common Stinkhorn
Phallus impudicus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Egg diameter 3–6cm; receptacle height 10–25cm. Starts as a soft whitish ball (the ‘egg’) full of a jelly-like mass. When mature the case splits, and in a few hours the fruit body rises out of the volva, usually to a height of about 15cm. It consists of a fragile white structure capped by an oval mass of olive-green mucus containing the spores, and has a characteristic sickly smell. This attracts flies, which rapidly remove the mucus and so distribute the spores. Fungus has a powerful foul odour at maturity.
HABITAT
Grows singly or in small scattered groups in woodland, parks and gardens in association with rotten and particularly buried wood. Widespread with an uneven distribution.
SEASON
Midsummer to early winter.
Dog Stinkhorn
Mutinus caninus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Egg diameter 1–2cm; receptacle height 10–12cm. Similar in growth to Common Stinkhorn. Egg whitish with a smooth surface that splits. Stem white, pitted, and once the gluten is removed the tip is quite a bright orange.
HABITAT
Grows in woodland leaf litter and around rotting wood. Infrequent but locally abundant.
SEASON
Summer to late autumn.
Collared Earthstar
Geastrum triplex
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Diameter to 10cm when fully opened. The most common of the earthstar fungi. Initially formed like a brown onion (bottom left). Outer layer then splits into 4–7 segments that fold back, leaving a central globe full of spores with an opening at its apex for their discharge (bottom right). Three-layered outer skin cracks as it folds back, often leaving an uncracked central disc like a cup in which the central globe sits (right).
HABITAT
Grows singly but more often in groups in the leaf litter of deciduous woodland and hedgerows. Widespread and locally common, particularly in southern and eastern England.
SEASON
Late summer to autumn.
Grey Puffball
Bovista plumbea
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Fruit body to 2.5cm. The size of a golfball or smaller. Smooth and initially creamy-white, but soon darkens to the colour of lead. Outer skin thin but tough, and once the spores have formed and dried the fungus is extremely light. It then becomes detached from the ground and blows along the surface in the wind, the spores being blown out of an apical opening. Flesh firm and white when young, later olive-green to brown and powdery.
HABITAT
Occurs in scattered groups on short grass in pastures and on lawns. Common and widely distributed in northern Europe.
SEASON
Late summer to autumn.
Brown Puffball
Bovista nigrescens
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Fruit body to 6cm. Ball shaped and attached to substrate by a single mycelial cord. White at first with the outer layer flaking away to expose a shiny blackish layer; apex then breaks open to release the powdery spores. Ripe fruit body often breaks away from the ground and rolls around in the wind. Flesh white and firm when young, then purplish-black and powdery.
HABITAT
Occurs in small groups on open grassland. Common and widely distributed; most common in north.
SEASON
Midsummer to late autumn.
Giant Puffball
Calvatia gigantea
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Fruit body to 70cm. Ball shaped and attached to the ground by several mycelial cords. White and leathery, becoming brownish-yellow when old and finally splitting to release the spore mass. Mycelial cords eventually break and the fruit body rolls around in the wind, aiding spore dispersal. Flesh firm and white when young, later rusty-brown and powdery.
HABITAT
Occurs singly or in small troops in fields and woodland, under hedges and on waste ground on rich soil. Widespread although uncommon in Europe.
SEASON
Midsummer to autumn.
Stalked Puffball
Calvatia excipuliformis
Fruit body to 10cm; height to 20cm. Fruit body initially pale buff, later dull brown. Covered in small spines or warts that fall away to reveal the fragile inner wall, which eventually splits at the apex to release the spores. Empty bases then remain in place for many months. Flesh firm and white when young, la
ter olive-brown and powdery. Grows in small groups on soil in pastures and deciduous woodland, and on heaths and waste ground. Common and widespread. Occurs late summer to autumn.
Mosaic Puffball
Lycoperdon utriforme
Fruit body to 15cm. Pear shaped when mature, tapering to form a stout wrinkled base. Whitish turning dark brown, with the outer surface cracking into hexagonal patches that fall away, leaving the fragile inner wall; eventually this splits to release the spores. Grows in groups on sandy soil in open grassland and woodland edges. Uncommon. Occurs early summer to autumn.
Common Puffball
Lycoperdon perlatum
Fruit body to 6cm. Club shaped with a tall cylindrical base. Initially pure white, later yellowish-brown. Surface with short pyramidal spines, each surrounded by a ring of smaller spines or warts. Spines soon loosen and rub off, leaving a characteristic pattern. Central spore mass at first white, then grey-black. Grows in groups, often in large numbers, among the leaf litter in mixed woodland. Widespread with an uneven distribution. Occurs early summer to winter.
Stump Puffball
Lycoperdon pyriforme
Fruit body to 4cm. Club shaped and attached to wood substrate by white mycelial cords. Yellowish-white and covered with small spines that soon fall off, leaving it smooth. Dark spores are discharged through a small central opening. Flesh initially firm and white, then olive-brown and powdery. Grows in large numbers on the stumps, logs and rotten wood of deciduous trees. Common and widespread. Occurs summer to early winter.
Meadow Puffball
Lycoperdon pratense
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Fruit body to 4cm. Pear shaped and white, with small granules and scales that fall off, leaving it smooth. Upper fertile section is separated from the sterile stalk by a conspicuous membrane. Eventually the upper layer breaks off, leaving a brown bowl and stem. Flesh firm and white when young, becoming olive-brown and powdery once mature.
HABITAT
Occurs in groups in short grass, sometimes in large numbers. Widespread in Europe, with an uneven distribution.
SEASON
Summer to early winter.
Common Earthball
Scleroderma citrinum
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Fruit body to 10cm. Resembles an old cracked tennis ball. Roughly globose and with a thick skin, dark ochre-brown on the outside, which splits as it expands, showing more and more of the yellow inner layer. Centre comprises a black spore mass. The fungus has no opening for spore discharge, but splits irregularly.
HABITAT
Grows in woodland, favouring acid soils with deciduous trees such as oaks and birches. Widespread and common.
SEASON
Late summer to early winter.
Yellow Stagshorn
Calocera viscosa
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Height to 10cm. Branched antler-like fungus greatly varying in size, from a small growth only 2cm high, to a tree-like structure 10cm or sometimes more in height and branched several times. Colour bright egg-yolk yellow to orange. Flesh tough and gelatinous. Also called Stag’s Horn Fungus.
HABITAT
Grows in tufts on the stumps and roots of coniferous trees, most frequently those of pines. May be attached to roots by long stems that penetrate deeply into the ground, thus appearing to be growing on soil. Widespread and very common.
SEASON
Autumn.
Jew’s Ear
Auricularia auricula-judae
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Fruit body to 8cm. Cup-or ear-shaped fungus. Hollow faces downwards and back, and often shows branched wrinkles resembling veins. Felty-tan colour on the upper surface and a smooth grey-brown below. With the light from behind it appears translucent.
HABITAT
Lives in small or large groups mostly on the dead wood of deciduous trees, particularly favouring elders. Common and widespread in Europe, although absent from some areas.
SEASON
All year round.
Earthfan
Thelephora terrestris
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Fruit body to 6cm. Consists of many small fan-shaped fruit bodies. Base colour reddish-brown, but darkens considerably with age. Surface covered in radiating fibres that overhang the edge as a white margin. Flesh brown, tough and fibrous. Because it has no means of supporting itself, it climbs up grasses, heather and in fact anything available.
HABITAT
Grows in clusters in association with the roots of conifers, favouring sandy soils. Widespread and common.
SEASON
Summer to late autumn.
Scaly Hedgehog
Sarcodon imbricatus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 25cm. Yellowish-brown cap flattish at first, then concave bearing coarse dark brown scales. Spore-bearing layer underneath spiny and white when young, turning grey to purplish-brown with maturity. Flesh white and firm with a spicy odour. Stem thick and white.
HABITAT
Grows singly or in scattered groups on sandy soils in montane coniferous woodland, favouring pines and spruces. Occurs in northern Europe, including Scotland, but is rare.
SEASON
July to November.
Wood Hedgehog
Hydnum repandum
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 15cm. Cap pale buff or cream. No gills, but below the cap there are many spines 4–8mm long, slightly more pinkish than the cap; these are longest halfway in from the edge and run down the stem, becoming shorter. Spines are brittle and rub off. Flesh white, soft, thick and quite crumbly. Also called Urchin of the Woods and Pied de Mouton.
HABITAT
Grows singly and in groups in deciduous and coniferous woodland. Widespread but infrequent.
SEASON
Late summer to late autumn.
Purple Jellydisc
Ascocoryne sarcoides
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Disc to 1.5cm. Jelly-like fungus with a short stem. Consists of reddish-purple ‘jelly-blobs’ clustered together and recognizable by their colour. Not all become mature, but when they do they become top shaped with a flat upper surface. Flesh is pinkish-purple and gelatinous. Also called Jelly Drops.
HABITAT
Grows in clusters, mainly on the dead trunks and branches of deciduous fallen trees. Common and widespread.
SEASON
Late summer to early winter.
Green Wood Cup
Chlorociboria aeruginascens
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Disc to 0.5cm. Tiny bright fungus. Fruit body bright verdigris green, and flattened or cup shaped; upper surface smooth, lower surface finely downy, tapering to a very short and slim stem. Flesh concolorous and thin. Mycelium stains wood green and is more often seen than the fruit bodies. The coloured wood was formerly used in the decorated boxes known as Tunbridgeware. Also called Green Elf Cup.
HABITAT
Grows in small clusters, often densely massed, on the rotting wood of deciduous trees, particularly oaks. Common and widespread.
SEASON
Late summer to winter.
White Saddle
Helvella crispa
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 6cm; stem to 12cm. Distinctive shape of fungus makes it easy to recognize. Cap very pale grey to whitish, curly and may vary greatly in shape, but always sits on a deeply furrowed white stem. Flesh white and brittle. Also called White Helvella.
HABITAT
Occurs singly or in small groups in the grass or leaf litter of deciduous woods. Common and widespread in Europe.
SEASON
Midsummer to late autumn.
Elfin Saddle
Helvella lacunosa
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 5cm; stem to 10cm. Cap blackish-grey, contorted and lobed, on a furrowed and hollow grey stem. Flesh grey, brittle and thick. Also called Black Helvella.
HABITAT
Grows in so
il in deciduous, mixed and coniferous woodland, often on burned ground. Fairly widespread in Europe.
SEASON
Late summer to autumn.
Orange Peel Fungus
Aleuria aurantia
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cup to 10cm. Brightest of the most common cup fungi. Forms cups or irregular discs of various sizes, to 4cm tall. Inner surface bright orange, outer surface orange-grey; resembles orange peel turned inside-out. Initially cup shaped, becoming more saucer-like and irregular with maturity. Flesh pallid, thin and brittle.
HABITAT
Grows in woodland, on embankments and in short grass or herbage on bare soil. Common and widespread in Europe.
SEASON
Late summer to late autumn.
Pig’s Ears
Peziza badia
Cup to 8cm. Small, irregular and brown with a wavy margin and no stem. Upper surface dark olive-brown, particularly near the centre. Lower surface more pallid reddish-brown. Flesh reddish-brown, brittle and thin. Grows in small troops, some fused, on soil in woodland, particularly favouring clay banks and bare paths. Common in temperate lowlands across Europe. One of many similar species that are difficult to identify in the field. Occurs late summer to late autumn.
Palamino Cup
Peziza repanda