Fungi: Top 40 Countdown and some new arrivals
Andy Woodall
Wednesday 9th November 2022
Andy told us that the British Mycological Society (BMS) produced a list about 10 years ago of all the species of fungi with more than 1000 records from their forays, ranking them in order from least to most common. As a way of introduction to commonly encountered fungi, Andy ran through the list from number 40, down to the most commonly recorded at number 1. To add an element of fun, Andy asked people to play ‘fungi bingo’ – asking people to write down the names of 5 fungi that they thought may be on the list and tick them off as we encountered them during the talk – the first person to shout ‘house’ would win a mystery prize! Below are a few highlights.
Andy talked about how modern DNA analysis is revealing that some species of fungi are much more closely related than previously thought, despite their distinct morphological differences. An example of this was number 37 on the list, False Chanterelle (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca) which although it has gills, is a close relative of the boletes which have pores rather than gills.
Sycamore Tarspot (Rhytisma acerinum) was surprisingly high on the list at number 31, despite almost every Sycamore having those familiar dark blotches on it’s leaves. So why is it that sycamore trees in urban areas appear to be less affected by this fungus? The first thought may be that perhaps the fungus is not very tolerent of pollution, however, Andy said this isn’t the case and the real reason is revealed when you understand the lifecycle of the fungus. Infected leaves drop to the ground in autumn, then the following spring, pin-head sized mushrooms appear from these leaves. These tiny mushrooms release spores that are dispersed by the wind, ready to infect new leaves. In urban areas, last year’s leaves are usually swept away, reducing the source of infection.
Bluefoot Bolete (Boletus cisalpinus), which was approximately number 15 on the list, was only described as a new species relatively recently when it was realised that it differed to Red Cracking Bolete (Boletus chrysenteron), most noticeably because when the base of the stem is bruised, the flesh turns blue. DNA analysis has helped to reveal that Red Cracking Bolete is rare in the UK, unlike the much commoner Bluefoot Bolete.
The top five in the list were revealed as follows:
5 - Deceiver (Laccaria laccata). The common name comes from the fact that the cap colour changes quite significantly with age, and is a good example of why ID apps don’t really work for fungi.
4 - Candlesnuff Fungus (Xylaria hypoxylon). Turns black as it gets older, producing spores. This was the final of the 5 species on my bingo list and made me the winner of a beautiful hand-crafted fridge magnet featuring wooden mushrooms (Andy has hidden talents!).
3 - Hairy Curtain Crust (Stereum hirsutum). A small bracket fungus with a wavy margin, the upper surface is hairy at least when young.
2 - Turkeytail (Trametes versicolor). Formerly known as the Many-Zoned Polypore, this fungus is used by some to make medicinal drinks which are said to benefit the immune system, although Andy says it doesn’t taste particularly good.
1 - Sulphur Tuft (Hypholoma fasciculare). This species turns up on most forays. Mature black spores on the yellowish gills give an overall greenish appearance.
Since the BMS list was made, we have seen an increasing number of alien species of fungi popping up in the UK. Andy talked about a number of these new species such as Devil's Fingers (Clathrus archeri). Reminiscent of the film Alien, this fungus appears to hatch from a slimy ‘egg’ with red tentacle-like arms. It releases an unpleasant smell which attracts flies to spread its spores. Closely related to Devil’s Fingers is Red Cage (Clathrus ruber). This too initially appears as an egg-like structure but then develops a globe shape with a lattice-work surface. Ian reported seeing Red Cage many times on wood chip in supermarket car parks in the south of England, but this fungus is also on the march, spreading its range in the UK. Andy was recently send a photo of this fungus from a lady in Horsforth.
Andy thanked Ian Forward for providing many of the photographs for tonight’s talk.
Andy and Ian recommended the photographic identification book Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools as a good guide for beginners, although some of the names have changed since it was published.
Text by Susan