An Enchanted Place

On day 140 of 365 Days Wild I went on a toadstool hunt around the meadow and woodland.

I’m not entirely certain whether there are actually a lot more toadstools about this year than there have been in previous,  or whether I’m just noticing them more because I’m spending so much time out and about. Whichever it may be, there are definitely a lot of them.

I’ve tried to identify everything that I’ve spotted, but just how accurate these identifications are is another matter entirely.  I don’t identify in order to eat the mushrooms that I find, so if I’m mistaken, there’s no harm done. If you do decide to forage for wild mushrooms, be absolutely, 100% certain before you eat anything. Many edible toadstools have poisonous look-a-likes.

This collection of pictures are of a toadstool that I’ve struggled to identify. They’re popping up in a number of places, both around the meadow and in the little woodland. The closest match that I’ve so far managed to find are Poisonpie toadstools (Hebeloma crustuliniforme).

I think this next little toadstool might be either a Scurfy Twiglet (Tubaria furfuracea) or a Scurfy Deceiver (Laccaria proxima), though I’m not entirely convinced by either identification. Scurfy refers to the slightly scaly texture of the cap, which is a defining feature of both. My references aren’t extensive, so there might be other similar species that I’m unaware of.

I spotted this lovely little clump of pink toadstools in the little woodland area, down near the stream. I think they might be Rosy Bonnet fungus (Mycena rosea).

I’m quite certain that this next toadstool is a member of the Parasola family. I’m most drawn to the Pleated Inkcap (Parasola plicatis) but the Bald Inkcap (Parasola leiocephala) is very similar. I didn’t photograph the gills, unfortunately, which would have given me more defining features to identify it from.

There are a number of little clumps of Bonnet toadstools popping up around the woodland as well. While I’m certain these are of the mycenaceae family, narrowinig down further is difficult. I’m currently thinking these ones might possibly be Mycena galopus or Mycena vitilis, which are both woodland rather than grassland species, but several other family members are very similar and they can often only be distinguished between through a microscope. It’s possible that each clump is a different species

I think this next toadstool might be an Ugly Milkcap (Lactarius turpis). There were at least three of these growing, plus one upturned, amongst the brambles down near the stream in the little woodland. There may have been more. They were very well camouflaged by the leaf litter, and the brambles made getting close enough to look a bit difficult. I managed to gain a few new scratches taking these pictures!

This Scaly Earthball (Scleroderma verrucosum) was much easier to snap a picture of.

Back in the meadow again I spotted a cluster of toadstools that I think might be Field Mushrooms (Agaricus campestris).

To finish, here’s a picture of a toadstool that I can never resist photographing – a Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria). This species has definitely been very prolific in the little woodland this year.

That’s all for today. Are there any fungi growing where you are?