Trees and Woodlands Gallery - Fungi

Field mushroom ?

Agaricus campestris?

This is probably a species of agaricus, such as Field Mushroom (Agaricus campestris) or possibly Horse Mushroom (Agaricus arvensis). They have white or off-white caps, which may have a yellowish or brownish tint as they age. They grow in clusters on the ground, probably a field or woodland edge. They typically have gills that are pinkish when young and turn dark brown with age.

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Orange peel fungus

Aleuria Aurantia - from Greek aleuria, flour, likely referring to the white, powdery underside of the fungus; aurantia, from Latin orange or golden.

This fungus is easily recognizable due to its bright orange, cup-shaped fruiting bodies, which often resemble pieces of discarded orange peel on the ground. It lacks a distinct stem and gills. It is a saprobic it gets nutrients from decaying organic matter fungus, commonly found on disturbed ground, such as forest edges, roadsides, and areas with clay-based soil.

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Fly agaric

Amanita muscaria

One of the most recognisable fungi, with a distinctive red cap and white spots. It is often found in woodlands and heathlands, typically growing near birch, pine, or spruce trees. It is poisonous mushroom, and contains psychoactive compounds that can cause effects similar to alcohol intoxication and hallucinations. Some animals, such as red squirrels and slugs, are known to eat it.

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The Blusher

Amanita rubescens

The mushroom has a brownish-orange cap with lighter, patchy areas. The cap can be convex when young and flatten with age. The stem is white and has a ring. The base of the stem is bulbous. It gets its name from the fact that its flesh, particularly the stem, "blushes" or stains pinkish-red when cut or bruised. It is often confused with the highly poisonous Panther Cap (Amanita pantherina), which has a different type of ring and volva A cup-shaped or sac-like remnant of the outer layer (universal veil) that enclosed a young mushroom.

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Stump puffball?

Apioperdon pyriforme?

A.k.a. Lycoperdon pyriforme., this is a saprobic growing on decaying wood fungus that grows often in large clumps. These puffballs are typically pear-shaped and can be yellowish to greyish-brown. The fungi in the image match this description. Stump puffballs are one of the few puffball species that grow directly on dead wood, which helps distinguish them from other puffballs that grow on soil.

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Honey fungus

Armillaria mellea?

This is a type of honey fungus, which includes a number of species, this one probably being Armillaria mellea. These mushrooms are characterized by their honey-brown color and their tendency to grow in dense clusters on or around decaying tree stumps and wood, with white to yellowish gills and fibrous stems. A similar species is (Desarmillaria tabescens (Ringless Honey Fungus), which does not have a ring on around its stem, unlike the former type. I didn't check the stem! Armillaria ostoyae is another possibility.

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Honey fungus

Armillaria gallica?

This is a type of honey fungus, probably armillaria gallica, possibly a. mellea. It has an ochre-brown to red-brown cap that is 4 to 10 cm wide and often has fine brown scales. Its key feature is a bulbous or swollen stem base, which distinguishes it from other honey fungus. It grows on woodland litter, dead stumps, and rotting wood of broad-leaf trees appearing in clusters, often with a short-lived, cobweb-like ring on the stem. The gills are initially white, becoming yellowish-brown with maturity.

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Giant funnel

Aspropaxillus giganteus

A.k.a. leucopaxillus giganteus, giant leucopax, giant clitocybe. It is a saprobic it grows on decaying organic manner species, the fruit body, or mushroom, can become quite large - the cap reaches diameters of up to 50 cm. It has a white or pale cream cap, and is funnel-shaped when mature, with the gills running down the length of the stem. It is typically found growing in groups or rings in grassy pastures, roadside hedges, or woodland clearings. It is considered by some to be a choice edible when young, and has been shown to contain a bioactive compound with antibiotic properties.

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Jelly ear

Auricularia auricula-judae

Named for its ear-like shape and gelatinous texture. It is typically found on the decaying branches of broadleaf trees, especially elder and beech (this one was on an elder), and is most prolific during the winter months.

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Bracket fungus

Bjerkandera adusta ?

A type of bracket fungus, likely either Smoky Bracket (Bjerkandera adusta) or Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor). These two species are often confused with each other. Both grow in clusters on dead wood, on stumps and downed logs.

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Yellow stagshorn

Calocera viscosa

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A saprotrophic an organism that feeds on dead or decaying organic matter jelly fungus known for its distinctive bright yellow to orange, branched, gelatinous, waxy form resembling antlers or coral. It feeds on dead organic matter, typically found growing on decaying conifer wood, such as stumps and buried roots. It can be found throughout the year, but it is most commonly seen in autumn.

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Giant puffball

Calvatia gigantea

Large, white to off-white, typically spherical or irregularly shaped. They lack a traditional stem and cap. When young, their surface can feel like velvet, becoming smoother as they mature. They can grow to be the size of a football or even larger, with some specimens exceeding a metre in diameter. They are often found in nutrient-rich habitats like grassy verges, fields, and woodland edges. They typically appear in the autumn months.

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Dryad's saddle

Cerioporus squamosus

A.k.a. Pheasant's Back or Scaly Polypore. A large bracket fungus with a fan-shaped cap that can grow up to 60 cm across. The cap is typically brown to yellow and covered with dark scales. It is found on dead or dying hardwood trees and logs. It is often described as having a smell similar to watermelon or cucumber.

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Wood blewit ?

Collybia nuda

Probably wood blewits, a.k.a. Lepista nuda, known for their distinctive blue-violet or lilac color on the cap, gills, and stalk, especially when young. The caps are typically stocky and can be 6–15 cm in diameter. They are saprotrophic they live on dead organic matter . They are commonly found in both coniferous and deciduous woodlands.

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Fairy inkcap ?

Coprinellus disseminatus ?

A species from the genus Coprinellus, probably Fairy Inkcap, possibly Glistening Inkcap (Coprinellus micaceus). They grow in dense clusters or tufts on decaying wood, stumps, or buried roots. The caps are typically small, bell-shaped or conical, and can be a pale tan or beige color. Coprinellus micaceus is also known as the mica cap or glistening inky cap due to tiny, glistening particles on its cap when young. Coprinellus disseminatus is a.k.a. fairy bonnet. Both species are saprobic they grow on and decompose dead wood , and are commonly found in woodlands.

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Shaggy inkcap

Coprinus comatus

A.k.a. lawyer's wig, or shaggy mane. The young fruit bodies first appear as white cylinders emerging from the ground, then the bell-shaped caps open out. The white caps are covered with scales, the origin of its common names. The gills beneath the cap are white, then pink, then turn black. This mushroom is unusual because it will turn black and dissolve itself in a matter of hours after being picked or depositing spores. The mushroom is often seen growing about lawns, gravel roads, and waste areas.

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King Alfred's Cakes

Daldinia concentrica Daldinia: in honour of the Swiss monk Augusto Daldini (1817–1895); concentrica: This specific name refers to the visible, dark, concentric rings inside the fungus, which resemble tree rings and are formed by seasonal growth.

A dried mushroom collected on a fungus foray, this is a hard, black rounded ball, that grows on dead hardwood like ash and beech trees. When cut, it reveals concentric rings of silver and black, similar to a tree's growth rings. A.k.a. cramp balls, and coal fungus, as they are excellent for bushcraft, being long-burning and can be used to transport embers, smouldering like charcoal briquettes.

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Hoof fungus

Fomes fomentarius

A.k.a. tinder fungus, this is a bracket fungus a group of fungi that grow on trees or dead wood. They are shelf- or bracket-shaped and often grow in horizontal rows with a distinctive hoof-like or shelf-like shape with a hard, woody texture and is typically gray or brown. The fungus grows in layers, with new layers forming each year, which can give it a striped appearance. It is a wood-decaying fungus that grows on the trunks of deciduous trees, such as birch, beech, and sycamore. The name 'tinder fungus' comes from its historical use for starting fires, due to its porous inner tissue.

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Birch polypore ?

Fomitopsis betulina

A bracket fungus, a.k.a. a shelf or polypore fungus. Bracket fungi are common in the UK and grow on both living and dead trees. They cause decay and rot in the heartwood of trees, which can weaken the tree over time. Birch polypore is a type of bracket fungus that grows exclusively on birch trees. It is also known as Razorstrop fungus because its leathery surface was once used to sharpen knives and razors.

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Artist's Conk

Ganoderma applanatum Ganoderma, from the Greek for bright (ganos) and skin (derma), and applanatum, Latin for flattened, describing the shiny appearance and its characteristically flat, bracket shape.

A.k.a. Artist's Bracket, a large, perennial, woody shelf fungus. It has a unique, smooth white underside that stains dark brown instantly when scratched, allowing it to be used as a natural canvas for drawing. It has a tough, flattened, fan-shaped or hoof-like fruiting body that can grow very large (up to 30 inches across). The top surface is dull, gray to brown, often covered in reddish-brown spores, and may have concentric rings or furrows. It lacks a traditional stem. The internal flesh is tough, corky, and woody. It is a saprophyte it lives on dead or decaying organic matter on dead wood or a parasite on living trees, causing white rot in a variety of hardwood trees (e.g., beech, poplar, maple, oak) and sometimes conifers.

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Sulphur tuft?

Hypholoma fasciculare?

This is probably a Sulphur Tuft, or a similar species like conifer tuft (Hypholoma capnoides) or Brick Tuft (Hypholoma lateritium). They grow in dense clusters or "tufts" on dead wood, such as stumps, logs, and roots. The caps are typically a sulphur-yellow colour, often with a darker, tan or orange tone in the center. The gills are initially yellow and darken with age. The poisonous Sulphur Tuft has greenish gills, while the edible Conifer Tuft has pale grey gills. The Brick Tuft is generally larger and has a more reddish cap.

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Bay bolete ?

Imleria badia ?

A.k.a. Boletus badius. The cap is typically a reddish-brown to chestnut-brown color and can be slightly sticky or wet when young or after rain. : The stem is usually a paler brown color, often with a fibrous texture, and lacks the prominent net-like pattern (reticulation) found on the stems of some other bolete species, such as the Porcini (Boletus edulis). It is commonly found in coniferous and mixed woodlands, often under pine or spruce trees, and grow during the summer and autumn.

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Lilac fibrecap?

Inocybe geophylla

Probably a lilac fibrecap, with its small, conical lilac cap and a silky, pale stem. It could be a webcap from the genus Cortinarius, known as spotted cort or viscid violet cort: this mushroom has a slimy, purple cap that can develop yellowish spots as it matures.

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Weeping widow?

Lacrymaria lacrymabunda? Lacrima - Latin meaning tear, alluding to the black, tear-like droplets of spores that can form on the cap and gills of the mushroom; lacrymabunda - Latin meaning producing an abundance of tears or weeping. It reinforces the meaning of the genus name, emphasizing the distinctive "weeping" characteristic of the fungus.

Probably a cluster of Weeping Widow mushrooms. The cap is initially bell-shaped and becomes more broadly convex as it matures. It is covered in woolly fibres and can be reddish-brown with radial streaks of yellow and clay brown. It is a saprotrophic it feeds on decaying organic matter. It is commonly found in grasslands, on verges, and in woodland clearings.

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Chicken of the woods

Laetiporous sulphureus

A polypore polypores form large, woody, or fleshy fruiting bodies, often shaped like a shelf or bracket, with pores or tubes on the underside. , growing in shelf-like clusters on the trunks of both living and dead trees, typically a vibrant yellow to orange colour when young. The fruiting bodies can be up to 20 cm wide. This one was spotted growing on an old yew tree in "Squirrel Wood", near the pond in Thornton le Dale.

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Brown birch bolete?

Leccinum scabrum?

A common mushroon with brown cap, though it can vary in shade - which starts hemspherical and flattens with age. The surface can be smooth and is sticky when wet. It has a white to greyish stem covered in small, dark, rough scales or scabers, which gives the mushroom its common name "scaber stalk". It is commonly found in association with birch trees..

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Red lead roundhead

Leratiomyces ceres

A.k.a. as stropharia aurantiaca, and chip cherry, often found growing in large clusters on woodchip mulch or sandy soil, especially under pine trees, known for its bright red to orange cap, which is typically convex to flat in shape as it ages. The cap is 2 to 6 cm in diameter and has thin flesh. It has a pale stem that is often flushed red at the base. It often has remnants of a white veil on the margin.

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Common puffball

Lycoperdon perlatum - from Greek lúkos (wolf) and pérdomai (to break wind), creating the meaning wolf's flatulence, thought to describe the puffball releasing a cloud of spores when it is disturbed, similar to a puff of gas from a wolf. perlatum is Latin, meaning pearl-bearing, a reference to the common puffball's warty, pearl-like surface.

These are probably common puffballs, often found growing in groups on the ground in woodlands. They are typically white or off-white, with a rounded or pear-shaped body. The surface of the common puffball is covered in small, spiky warts that can be rubbed off, leaving a net-like pattern. The stump puffball tends to be a bit smoother and more pear-shaped, and it typically grows on decaying wood or buried roots, even if it appears to be on the ground. When young, the inside of a true puffball is solid and pure white. As the mushroom matures, the interior turns yellow, then brown, and becomes a powdery mass of spores. A small hole or pore eventually forms at the top to release these spores.

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Parasol mushrooms

Macrolepiota procera ?

A large, edible mushroom with a cap that starts rounded and flattens out with age, often having a snakeskin-like pattern on the stem. Alternatively this could be a a related species - shaggy parasol, Chlorophyllum rhacodes: its stem lacks the snakeskin pattern and its flesh stains red when cut, neither of which tests did I conduct.

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Pinwheel mushroom

Marasmius Rotula Marasmius, from Greek marasmos - drying out, referring to the ability of these mushrooms to recover if rehydrated after drying out; rotula - from Latin meaning little wheel, describing the mushroom's gills and collar, which resemble the spokes and rim of a wheel.

A small, delicate, whitish agaric fungus. It is characterized by its parachute-like cap and slender, tough stem. The cap is broadly convex, developing a navel-like central depression, and is pleated with a flat top and squarish sides. The gills are attached to a small collar encircling the stem, and the flesh is thin and white. The stem is dark brown towards the base, shiny, and wiry, with no ring. The spore print is white or whitish. It thrives in environments with deceased deciduous hardwood roots, fallen trunks, branches, and twigs, and is found in hardwood forests from spring to autumn.

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Giant polypore

Meripilus giganteus

A.k.a. Black-staining Polypore, this fungus forms large, layered, fan-shaped brackets that can grow to be quite massive (about 18 inches across here). The colour is typically brown, with a lighter underside. It is a parasitic fungus that grows at the base of trees, particularly beech trees, or on their stumps and roots: here it was gorwing on the stump of a large beech, awith other clumps a few feet away, probably on the roots. A key identifying feature is that its flesh will bruise or turn black when handled or damaged.

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Clustered bonnet?

Mycena (inclinata?) Mycena, from μύκης" (mykes), Greek for mushroom; inclinata is from Latin, meaning sloping inwards or curved inwards, referring to how the mushrooms in a cluster often lean into one another.

These mushrooms are part of a large group of small, grey-brown bonnet mushrooms that are often difficult to identify without a microscope. They are probably from the Mycena genus (or possibly Psilocybe). They could be species such as the Snapping Bonnet (Mycena vitilis) or the Nitrous Bonnet (Mycena leptocephala). Snapping Bonnet gets its name from the stem, which breaks with a sharp snapping sound when pulled lengthwise. Mycena inclinata has a bell-shaped to conical cap with striations and a slender stem. It is typically found growing on decaying hardwood, such as oak stumps or fallen branches. It grows in clusters or bunched groups.

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Rosy bonnet ?

Mycena rosea ?

This is probably a Rosy Bonnet or a closely related species such as the Lilac Bonnet (Mycena pura). It has a bell-shaped cap that can flatten with age, and its colour is typically a shade of rosy pink or lilac. The gills are also a pale pink hue. It is saprotrophic growing on decaying organic matter like leaf litter, twigs, and branches . They are commonly found in damp, shaded woodlands, often in mixed or coniferous forests.

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Mottlegill

Panaeolus papilionaceus??

These could be a type of mottlegill, though this is far from certain: they could be from the mycena genus. They have a conical to bell-shaped cap that is pale brown or grey-brown, and a slender, fragile stem. This appearance is consistent with several species within the Panaeolus genus, which are commonly known as mottlegills. They are growing on a forest floor, a common habitat for many small fungi, including some types of mottlegill. The name mottlegill refers to the mottled pattern on the gills.

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Tawny funnel

Mycena (inclinata?) Para, Latin, meaning beside or near, and Lepista, a related genus, meaning wine pitcher or goblet, referring to the concave shape of the mushroom's cap when mature; flaccida, Latin, meaning slack, flabby, or limp., referring to the texture which is not tough or rigid.

This species is a common and widespread fungus found in woodlands across the Northern Hemisphere. It is known to form fairy rings. The cap is typically pinkish, orange, or cinnamon-brown and slightly funnel-shaped with decurrent the fungal gill extends downward along the stem or stalk gills.

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Common stinkhorn

Phallus impudicus

Recognizable by its phallic shape and a foul odour, the mushroom emerges from an egg-shaped base, which is often partially buried in the ground. The cap is covered in a sticky, olive-brown slime called gleba the spore-bearing inner mass of certain fungi, from the Latin word for clod of earth , which attracts flies to help disperse its spores. The stinkhorn is found in woodlands and gardens, often associated with rotting wood.

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Shaggy scalycap

Pholiota squarrosa Pholiota: from Ancient Greek pholis, meaning scale, referring to the scaly appearance of the mushroom's cap and stem; squarrosa: from Latin meaning scaly, rough or shaggy.

This is possibly pholiota, but could be a honey fungus (armillaria). The mushrooms have yellow-ochre or straw-yellow caps covered in prominent, upturned brown scales. The stems are also covered with scales. This is consistent with the common name shaggy scalycap. It is typically found growing in large groups at the base of living deciduous or coniferous trees, as here.

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Wavy cap ?

Psilocybe cyanescens ? Psilocybe: from Ancient Greek psilos (ψιλός), meaning bare or naked, and kubē (κύβη) meaning head; cyanescens:Latin meaning 'becoming blue,' which refers to the blue bruising that occurs on the mushroom when it is handled or damaged.

This is probably from the genus Psilocybe, probably a wavy cap, but possibly Psilocybe allenii. A.k.a. blueleg brownie. These mushrooms are known to contain the psychoactive compounds psilocybin and psilocin. They are often found growing on woodchip mulch and can be found in autumn and winter.

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Liberty cap

Psilocybe semilanceata ? Psilocybe: from Ancient Greek psilos (ψιλός), meaning bare or naked, and kubē (κύβη) meaning head; semilanceata:Latin meaning half spear-shaped

This large patch of mushrooms fall into the "little brown mushrooms" (LBM) category applied to many small, brownish mushrooms that can be difficult to identify. They are probably liberty caps, known for distinctive conical or bell-shaped caps with a small nipple-like point at the top. The cap is typically yellowish-brown to dark brown when moist and fades to a lighter color as it dries. They are commonly found in grasslands, meadows, and pastures, often growing in clusters on decaying plant matter or wood chips, as seen in the image. Another possibility could be Panaeolus cinctulus.

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Coral fungus

Ramaria botrytis

A type of coral fungus from the genus Ramaria, probably Clustered Coral. They are often found in woodlands, growing on the ground, dead wood, stumps, or branches.

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Buttercaps

Rhodocollybia butyracea ?

A.k.a. Greasy Toughshank. The cap is typically brown, often darker in the center and paler at the edges. It can have a greasy or buttery feel, especially when damp. This species is common in woodlands, particularly in coniferous forests, and grows in leaf litter or mossy areas. It is widespread throughout the UK, Europe, and parts of the USA.

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The Sickener ?

Russula emetica ?

This is a type of brittlegill from the genus Russula, possibly the Emetic Russula. The cap is red, convex to flat, and can have a diameter of up to 8.5 cm. The cuticle can be peeled off almost to the centre. The gills are white to pale cream and closely spaced. The stem is smooth, white, and can be up to 10.5 cm long. It is found in coniferous woodlands and often grows among leaf litter. Many red-capped Russula species look similar and can be difficult to distinguish. For example, this could be Primrose Brittlegill, Russula sardonia, which is found in coniferous woodlands and has a reddish-purple cap.

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Common Earthballs

Scleroderma citrinum?

A.k.a. Pigskin Poison Puffballs, a round, warty fungus that can resemble a potato. It typically has a dirty yellow to brown color and no stem. This species is common in woodlands, on heathland, and sometimes in short grass. It is a ectomycorrhizal forming a symbiotic relationship with the roots of certain trees fungus, meaning . It is often mistaken for edible puffballs, but where the puffball has a single opening on top through which the spores are dispersed, the earthball just breaks up to release the spores. Also earthballs have much firmer flesh and a dark gleba interior much earlier in development than puffballs. It is the most common species of earthball fungus in the UK and occurs widely in woods, heathland and in short grass from autumn to winter.

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Blue roundhead?

Stropharia caerulea?

This is probably from the stropharia genus, probably a Blue Roundhead, but possibly Verdigris Agaric (Stropharia aeruginosa). Both of these mushrooms are known for their blue-green color and can be found growing in similar habitats. It could be an Aniseed Funnel (Clitocybe odora), which is also a blue-green mushroom. Sadly I didn't check for an aniseed or liquorice smell. The Verdigris Agaric is noted for its slimy, glutinous cap and fine white scales on the stem below the ring. The Blue Roundhead is a closely related species that can look similar but lacks the greasy or sticky cap coating of the Verdigris Agaric.

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Candlesnuff

Xylaria hypoxylon

A.k.a. Stag's Horn fungus. Characterized by its erect, stick-like fruiting bodies that grow up to 6cm tall. It has a black base and a distinctive white, powdery tip, which resembles a snuffed-out candle wick. Some of the fruiting bodies may also be forked. It is a common fungus in the UK and grows in groups on dead and rotting wood, particularly on the stumps and branches of broadleaved trees.

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Dead Man's Fingers

Xylaria polymorpha

This fungus is a saprobic it grows on decaying wood species, commonly found on rotting tree stumps and logs. It has distinctive black, club- or finger-shaped growths that often emerge in clusters, resembling human fingers. Young specimens can be a pale grey or bluish color, but they mature into a rough, black, and woody texture. It is a common species in woodlands across Europe.

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