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Fungal Foray, Ancient Oak Woodland on Castle Hill
Duncombe Park, October 16th 2010

notes by Rhona Sutherland [Species list below]

group in oak forest Sixteen of us met in Helmsley and then drove to a ridge of Ancient woodland to the south of the river Rye within Duncombe Park. This is an area of mostly old Oaks, small leaved Limes and Birch, with patches of Bilberry and Bracken. The gnarled old trees were just magnificent. It has been an exceptionally good year for fungi and I had hoped to find all sorts in this special habitat. In fact although there were fungi there, they were not in the profusion you might see in more open areas like Castle Howard Arboretum. We only looked at a small area and I am sure merely scratched the surface of the fungi present, but with 16 pairs of eyes and three visiting Mycologists we found some interesting species including the rare bracket fungus – the Oak Polypore Piptoporus quercinus – and a total of 63 species. We were very lucky to have Gordon Simpson with us who shared his knowledge of fungi and identified many specimens.



It was a delightful walk and just whetted our appetite for finding out more about fungi here and elsewhere.

Tremella foliacea - Leafy Brain

Leafy Brain Tremella foliacea.

oak polyppore <i>Piptoporus quercinus</i>

Oak polypore Piptoporus quercinus. The bluish marks may be another fungus growing on the polypore.

Bjerkandera adusta Smoky Bracket

Smoky Bracket Bjerkandera adusta.

Mycena inclinata - Clustered Bonnet

Clustered Bonnet Mycena inclinata.


Species list (63spp.)

    Genus Species English
  PYRENOMYCETES & PLECTOMYCETES      
1   Diatrypella quercina  
1   Erysiphe alphitoides Oak mildew
1   Hypomyces chrysospermus Bolete Mould
1   Nectria cinnabarina Coral Spot
1   Xylaria hypoxylon Candlesnuff Fungus
  DISCOMYCETES      
1   Cudoniella acicularis Oak Pin
1   Trochila ilicina Holly Speckle
  LOCULOMYCETES      
1   Leptosphaeria acuta Nettle Rash
1   Rhopographus filicinus Bracken Map
1   Rutstroemia firma Brown Cup
  BASIDIOMYCETES      
1   Amanita fulva Tawny Grisette
1   Amanita muscaria Fly Agaric
1   Amanita rubescens Blusher
1   Armillaria gallica Bulbous Honey Fungus
1   Boletus badius Bay Bolete
1   Boletus chrysenteron Red Cracking Bolete
1   Clitocybe nebularis Clouded Funnel
1   Collybia butyracea Butter cap
1   Coprinellus atramentarius Common Inkcap
1   Coprinellus micaceus Glistening Inkcap
1   Cortinarius hemitrichus Frosty Webcap
1   Hypholoma fasciculare Sulphur Tuft
1   Inocybe geophylla var. lilacina Lilac Fibrecap
1   Kuehneromyces mutabilis Sheathed Woodtuft
1   Laccaria amethystina Amethyst Deceiver
1   Laccaria laccata Deceiver
1   Lactarius quietus Oakbug Milkcap
1   Lactarius tabidus Birch Milkcap
1   Leccinum scabrum Brown Birch Bolete
1   Mycena arcangeliana Angel's Bonnet
1   Mycena epipterygia Yellowleg Bonnet
1   Mycena inclinata Clustered Bonnet
1   Mycena polygramma Grooved Bonnet
1   Paxillus involutus Brown Rollrim
1   Plicatura crispa  
1   Pluteus cervinus Deer Shield
1   Rickenella fibula Orange Mosscap
1   Russula fellea Geranium Brittlegill
1   Russula ochroleuca Ochre Brittlegill
1   Tricholomopsis rutilans Plums and Custard
  APHYLLOPHOROID FUNGI      
1   Bjerkandera adusta Smoky Bracket
1   Fistulina hepatica Beefsteak Fungus
    Fomes fomentarius Hoof Fungus / Tinder Bracket
1   Grifola frondosa Hen of the Woods
1   Hyphodontia sambuci Elder Whitewash
    Peniophora incarnata Rosy Crust
1   Piptoporus betulinus Birch Polypore / Razorstrop Fungus
1   Piptoporus quercinus Oak Polypore
1   Postia stiptica Bitter Bracket
1   Stereum hirsutum Hairy Curtain Crust
1   Stereum rugosum Bleeding Broadleaf Crust
1   Trametes versicolor Turkeytail
  HETEROBASIDIOMYCETAE      
1   Auricularia auricula-judae Jelly Ear
1   Calocera cornea Small staghorn
1   Dacrymyces stillatus Common Jelly Spot
1   Tremella foliacea Leafy Brain
  GASTEROMYCETES      
1   Lycoperdon pyriforme Stump Puffball
1   Phallus impudicus Stinkhorn
  UREDINIOMYCETES      
1   Coleosporium tussilaginis  
1   Melampsoridium betulinum Birch Rust
1   Phragmidium violaceum Violet Bramble Rust
1   Naohidemyces vacciniorum Bilberry rust

Text © Ryedale Natural History Society 2010; photos © Rhona Sutherland and Gill Smith Back to the Home page