The calendar is €12.99 (plus P & P) and printed to order from Lulu.com, the calendar features a different seasonal mushroom for each month.
I have spent many years photographing mushrooms and fungi wherever I find them, to identify them, study them and wonder over them. I’m delighted to share them in this calendar format.
I have chosen images taken around Ireland, the UK and Sicily, including Scarletina Bolete from Lockerbie, Cobalt Crust from Nottinghamshire, Scutellinia from Sicily and a half eaten Russula from Wicklow.
The calendar features dates for the Equinox and Solstice, as well as Irish Public Holidays.
Available to purchase directly from Lulu.com here for €12.99 (plus P & P).
Game of Shrooms is an international art holiday founded by artist ‘Daniel ‘Attaboy’ Seifert’ in 2019, and this year I am delighted to be taking part as an artist and an art hunter!
The idea is that artists hide mushroom related art works for people to find and keep. They will be in place for one day only, this year it take places on Saturday 10th June. There are artists participating all over the world and a few of us in Dublin too. Clues of the art’s whereabouts will be posted on the artist’s social media page, and links and a map can be found on the official site here: https://yumfactory.com/gameofshrooms/
I’m really looking forward to to taking part in this event, I will be hiding three paintings, two 7 x 9cm and one 15 cm square, depicting Scarlet elfcups (Sarcosypha sp), Scarletina Bolete (Neoboletus luridiformis) and a Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria), painted from my own photographs. This was my first endeavour into painting mushrooms, and it’s been a fun challenge!
I will be hiding these paintings in Merrion Square Park in Dublin City Centre. They will be hidden by 12pm and clues will be posted on my Instagram here.
In 2015, I was living and volunteering in the west of Sicily, for a Maltese environmental NGO whose aims at the time were to build an eco-community/eco-tourist village in the mountains between the beautiful villages of Vizzini and Licodia-Eubea. Villas had been in the area historically for at least a hundred years and there were invasive species such as Opuntia ficus-indica, Eucalyptus and Acacia, which we were attempting to remove, meanwhile encouraging the native flora and tending to the olive trees and building a community garden too.
There were some immature pine trees surrounding the villa and amongst this and the prickly pears I spotted these delightful purple/blue fungi. Crowded gills and textured looking stipe, with no ring helped give them some distinct features for my quest for identification.
Even still, I was unsure of ID as the only ID book I had with, Patrick Harding’s brilliant pocket guide showed examples with a pale brown cap. Taking a spore print and reading the actual description instead of just looking at the pictures, with some extra confirmation from a social media group confirmed the lovely wood blewit – Lepista Nuda. They are known to fruit autumn to winter, over Europe in leaf litter, which is what they feed on (i.e. they are saprobic) and tend to favour mixed woodlands and gardens as their habitat. I have one book that says Lepista nuda have a strong odour and First Nature says they have a faint aniseed smell.
This find reminds me of this time of year and vice versa. Taking things slow, a beautiful in between time and spending meaningful moments in nature. I always remember this patch of wood blewits and that it felt like a little yuletide and new year gift from Mother Earth. A time of reflection, and like the wood blewit – recycling what is around it, and doing its part in the ecosystem, it makes a great analogy for this time of year, for those of us who use the Gregorian calendar, when we reflect on what we can use, what we can take with us and what we can leave behind for the next year.
Basic Profile
Scientific name:Lepista nuda also Clitocybe nuda / Tricholoma nudum
Common names: Wood Blewit
Size of fruiting body: 5-10cm tall, 6 – 12cm cap
Spores: 6-8 x 4-5µm with small spines
Gills: Lilac, sinuate (wavy), crowded. Turning brown-ish when mature.
Slightly eaten by other creatures, but this Cortinarius there are visible web like remnants
At the end of November I worked remotely from my parents’ lovely house in rural Nottinghamshire. I owe much to my mum for inspiring my interest in mushrooms, she’s really excellent at spotting them and her love for nature in general, is infectious. In their garden, they’ve had some great fungal wonders including Gliophorus psittacinus (Parrot waxcaps), Trametes versicolor (Turkey tail), Crepidotus epibryus (oysterlings), Xylaria hypoxylon (candlesnuff fungus) and Peziza sp.! I tried to time my trip to see the parrot waxcaps but a project in my day job got in my way. However, I was delighted that I could get to see the Mutinus caninus, or dog stinkhorn! It had been on my wishlist for a while.
08:56 22/11/2215:33 22/11/22
Like the Common Stinkhorn (Phallus impudicus), Mutinus caninus emerges from an egg, the egg of the Dog Stinkhorn can range from being a pale brown to more white and has a gelatinous pale brown substance inside. It has gleba at the tip, a sticky grey substance, obscuring a darker, red/orange tip, unveiled once flies have been attracted to this and flown away, taking the spores with them. It was interesting to observe superficial changes in the gleba – when it first emerged it was a pale grey, turning to a darker grey with a definite shine, and then within the same day, the gleba had turned more matte, the tip was taken a downturn and more of the red was visible.
They are said to have an unpleasant smell, but less powerful than the common stinkhorn, which can be smelled before they are seen. I didn’t catch any kind of smell from this specimen at all.
30/11/22
The stipe is yellow, hollow and akin to polystyrene, with a distinct wrinkly, furrowed indents. It grows paler and starts to droop with age, eventually disintegrating. Our specimen here looks as if it had some secondary mould on it too, perhaps. This guy was on its own in a flower border, though they are known to grow in little troops, and it was presumably growing from some decayed wood, as they are know to be saprobic. They also grow in deciduous woods. They are most often observed from summer to autumn.
6/12/228/12/22
Cate2 holds 1627 records at the time of writing, 1858 – 2022, spread from Scotland to the South of England, with records getting decisively more dense the further south you go.
It was such a privilege to see almost the entire life cycle – the December photographs were supplied by my mum – and observing the changes. Such a fantastical looking organism and is another of my favourite finds this year!
Basic Profile
Scientific name:Mutinus caninus
Common English Name/s: Dog Stinkhorn
Size of fruiting body: 4-8 cm tall, 1 cm wide
Spores: 4-5 x 1.5-2µm
Gills: None
Edibility: Inedible (and unappetising looking!)
Lookalikes:Phallus impudicus – much larger and stipe is white, Phallus hadriani, stipe is white, egg sac has a lilac tinge and is found in sand dunes in the UK (other habitats in other countries).
On the Red Data List (extinct/critically endangered/endangered/vulnerable/near threatened): No
On a lovely foraging workshop in October, led by the delightful Nicole from Howth Foraging – in a mixed woodland in County Dublin, Ireland, I spotted many treasures, not necessarily good for eating, but catching my eye none-the-less. My favourite find was the so-called Ugly Milkcap, Lactarius turpis. I have an affection for things nicknamed ‘ugly’ since that is something I was teased with in high school, so I’m reclaiming it and sending loving vibes their way, there’s always more than meets the eye and visual beauty is entirely subjective. Perhaps that experience is also a reason I find it easier to have a connection with fungi, over other humans!
These wonderful souls were camouflaged amongst the autumnal leaves, their caps an unmistakeable, brown-ish and grubby looking. There were two that we spotted, and they were quite large, with irregularly shaped caps, around 12- 15cm across, possibly larger, so they must have been quite mature. When young they are smaller and more round with an inrolled margin. The caps are known to be slimy when wet and duller when dry. The gills are pale cream turning spotted brown or sepia when bruised or older. They exude a milky white latex substance from their gills when broken, that is acrid and hot. On this occasion I didn’t taste the milk!
Ugly Milkcaps are known to be ectomycorrizhal with birch trees, in this mixed woodland there were birches dotted around frequently.
People often talk generally about fungi being essential to ecosystems, the unsung heroes of biodiversity and providing nutrients to other plant life, the mycorrizhal relationship is a great example of this. Mycorrizhal fungi are thought to occur with around 90-95% of plants. The fungi form complex cell structures in and around the roots of plants, in the case of ectomycorrizhal, this occurs around the root cells – contrasting with certain other types of mycorrizhae that penetrate the root cell walls. The fungus and host plant exchange nutrients, with the fungus providing nutrients that it can solubilise and the plant cannot, to the plant, in exchange for sugars and carbon. In addition, mycorrizhal fungi are known to support immune responses for their host plant.
At the very least, the knowledge of these incredible, complex relationships clearly highlights the importance of soil conservation, looking at soil ecosystems as whole, monitoring disturbance and erosion and considering fungi as part of carbon sinks too.
National Biodiversity Data Centre with records for Ireland holds 23 records from 1925 to 2009, from August to October. One record is in Kerry and most of the others are concentrated to County Dublin. Cate2 for the UK holds 4342 from 1900 to 2022, distributed fairly evenly on the mainland of Britain and the Isle of Man.
Basic Profile
Scientific name:Lactarius turpis also Lactarius necator / Lactarius plumbeus
Common names: Most commonly Ugly milkcap, also murder fungus!
Size of fruiting body: Caps 5 – 20cm across,
Spores: 6.5-7.5 x 5.5-6 µm
Gills:
Edibility: Not recommended, as some evidence shows them to be carcinogenic
Lookalikes:Lactarius blennius, is associated with beech, not birch and is plaer
On the Red Data List (extinct/critically endangered/endangered/vulnerable/near threatened): No
Terana caerulea, Cobalt crust, Bilsthorpe, November 2022
At almost the end of a delightful walk spotting fungal treasures in a deciduous wood on a rewilded old train track in Bilsthorpe, rural Nottinghamshire, I spotted some lovely Auricularia auricula-judae (wood ears) on a gnarly, jaggedy, tall stump of a tree. I then looked up and wondered how I could have missed the most incredible, midnight blue covering almost half of the wood. In my excitement at my new discovery, my photographs came out a little unfocused.
This beauty is resupinate, meaning it grows flat on its substrate and it is saprobic – feeding off dead matter. The top view above shows the fungus weaving between all parts of the wood. It can be seen all year round, the deep blue cobalt colour with a lighter or whiteish margin. It grow in smaller patches which sometimes merge as it spreads across its substrate. Cobalt crust loses its vividity with age.
I have to admit I am unsure of what the tree is. Cobalt crust is said to have a preference for ash and hazel and other broad leaved trees. Auricularia auricula-judae is most commonly found on elder, though also found on ash, hazel and other deciduous trees. The tall stump (or small snag), was covered in a multitude of other lichens but right at the bottom the bark is visible a little and could look like ash, which would line up with the cross-over of both these species.
Terana caerulea is said to be occasional in England and Wales. The 587 records on Cate2 for the UK, run by The Fungus Conservation Trust, shows records concentrated to England, particularly the south, notably in the south-west, in Cornwall; 3 records from Scotland and none in Northern Ireland. The records span from 1909 to October 2022. They are on a range of broad-leaved, deciduous trees including Oak, Ash and Elm and gorse. The National Biodiversity Data Centre for the island of Ireland has 3 records, 2 from County Kerry and 1 from County Limerick, dating from January and November, 2014 and 2015.
Basic Profile
Scientific name:Terana caerulea (formerly Pulcherricium caeruleum still present in some books)
Common English names: Cobalt Crust; Velvet Blue Spread
Size of fruiting body: Variable 0.1 x 0.5cm thick
Spores: hyaline 6.5-9 x 4.5-5.5 µm
Gills: None
Edibility: No!
Lookalikes: A few fungal crusts and lichens, but none have the vivid cobalt colour, though it does fade with age. First Nature lists Stereum subtomentosum as being similar, but has a grey or yellow colour.
On the Red Data List (extinct/critically endangered/endangered/vulnerable/near threatened): No
I love how diverse the forms of fungi can be, and this is (probably – apart from its very similar brother P. hadriani) the rudest looking fungus in the west, sure to illicit scoffs and giggles when seen. This delightfully protruding formation is the common stinkhorn.
It first emerges from the ground as egg shaped, and at this immature stage they are eaten as a delicacy – although apparently still emit a pungent smell at this stage thought not quite as strong as the mature form. As they break out of the egg stage the tip can be seen covered in the green-ish brown ‘gleba’ which contains the spores. Flies are attracted to this whiffy, sticky substance, landing on it and consuming it, sticking the spores to their feet and spreading the spores when they fly on their merry way.
5th September 2020
The stem is white, spongey and hollow, it tapers towards the top which has a dome that is covered with the slimey gleba. The smell is described in various terms such as like ‘bad drains’, ‘rotting flesh’, ‘faeces’, ‘foul’ and politely as ‘unpleasant’. Funnily, (luckily?) enough, I have a very poor sense of smell, and I haven’t experienced the smell first hand, despite my finds.
24/12/2015, Licodia Eubea, Sicilia
My first was in December 2015 in rural Sicily, land that had eucalyptus, pine and Agave and Opuntia ficus-indica (Pricky pear) on the grounds. It was in December and the gleba was almost entirely decimated aside from a patch on the side, a fly was hanging out around it for quite a while. Second find was in tact protruding from the side of a pine tree in County Wicklow, Ireland.
They are known to be found in soil, woodland, gardens and on stumps of both broadleaved and coniferous trees, in Ireland and the UK from early summer to autumn. They are saprobic, which means they live on dead wood.
There are 6225 records of P. impudicus in the UK on Cate2, 71 of P. hadriani and 3 of P. duplicatus, which is very similar but has a net veil hanging from its cap. 87 records of P. impudicus on the Biodata Centre for Ireland, spread across the country, high concentrations of records in Dublin, but as usual I suspect this doesn’t necessarily reflect the prevalence of the species, rather, a concentration of recorders and their sometime tendency to grow in groups, though they can also grow on their own! They are spread across Europe and North America too.
Basic Profile
Scientific name:Phallus impudicus
Common names: Common stinkhorn
Size of fruiting body: cm tall, cm wide
Spores: ellipsoid 3.5-4 x 1.5-2 µm
Gills: None!
Edibility: Edible, apparently, at egg stage. Nicknamed ‘witches egg’, still stinks so not necessarily appetising!
Lookalikes:Phallus hadriani – shorter and only grows on sand dunes in Britain, grows from a pink ‘egg’ rather than white; Mutinus caninus – Dog stinkhorn – stipe is yellow and altogether different proportions
On the Red Data List (extinct/critically endangered/endangered/vulnerable/near threatened): No
Sparassis crispa, or cauliflower fungus, to me, is one of the most distinctive and fun looking species I’ve had the pleasure to stumble upon in person. Emerging from the base of conifers, it is a parasite, causing brown rot and can also be saprobic i.e. living on the dead wood. Various sources differ, but it is not considered to be an aggressive parasite. These pictured here, I found both on Scots Pine in Co. Wicklow.
With their characteristic flattened lobes stemming from densely packed branches, the overall body of the fungus and its white to off-white, aging brown appearance, it is easy to see where it gains it common English name – Wood Cauliflower or Cauliflower fungus.
It is said to be edible – I can’t speak from experience – but also difficult to clean as maggots, worms, slugs and all types of critter-y insects, as well as leaf litter can all take refuge between the fronds. My Collins Gem Pocket Guide by Patrick Harding says it tastes like hazelnuts, I will gather the guts to forage some next time I see one!
17th October 2021
Basic Profile
Scientific name:Sparassis crispa
Common names: Cauliflower fungus; Wood Cauliflower
Size of fruiting body: 40 x 20 cm
Spores: 5-7.5 x 4-5.5 µm
Gills: None – flat, curly lobes
Edibility: Edible when young, not when turning brown
Lookalikes:Grifola frondosa (hen of the woods) sometimes gets mistaken for Sparassis crispa though it is quite different, grows in rosettes, grows on oak trees (not conifers), has pores, and concentric patterns. Sparassis spathulata is much more similar but has fronds that are flat like a spatula and stand up.
On the Red Data List (extinct/critically endangered/endangered/vulnerable/near threatened): No
The more I’ve learned about mushroom and fungi since starting to look deeper into these colourful, ephemeral jewels of the forest, the more I realise how much I don’t know and how they can teach us about life in the most unexpected and humbling ways.
Amanita muscaria, September, 2013
It’s been over 10 years since I started to dip my toes into the world of mycology, reading more and paying more attention to my surroundings and the life beneath my feet. My life and outlook had looked very different to what it does now. And I recall a particular turning point in 2013. I was busy, working numerous jobs, involved in various art projects as well as running an arts organisation. I filled my days doing my best, moving quickly in both thoughts and actions. Several things had happened and I realised I needed to slow down. There was no room for myself to grow. There was no slowing down, no time to appreciate what I had in front of me.
I set myself a task to go for a slow walk, I took the opportunity to check out a little wooded area, and dared to hope I might see some Amanita muscaria or any other mushroom. I thought if I slowed down, maybe I would see some of my favourite organisms. Although by this point, I was known amongst friends and family as a mushroom lover, I was pretty terrible at spotting them for myself.
So I set off one September evening, over a small bridge and through a gap in a fence and onto Willow Bank I wandered, following a rough public footpath. Trees hugging the path, framing evidence that horses frequently use the track, and quickly opening up to a clearing. My steps were attempting to be careful and slow, taking in the oasis of calm and ruggedness and trying to overcome the habitual ‘a to b’ nature of my walking, of speed and having a destination. Enjoying the time and space to be curious, I came off the path and into a cluster of trees at the bottom of the bank. I ducked under some low hanging branches, following my intuition. And there, amongst holly, brambles and leaf litter, the most beautiful family of fairytale mushrooms. Various ages, some nibbled by wildlife, some young and domed; some older, their caps flattened, paler, split and wrinkled in parts. Velar remains on each ruby red cap, and the most exquisite ring, looking pleated with little teeth hanging from the edges as if it was the edge of some handcrafted tablecloth. These were Amanita muscaria, as if right out of a children’s fairytale book.
Even today, as I recall this memory, I feel my turbulent heartbeat slowing down. I recall the magic and wonder of finding them. The amazement of this coincidence, did I wish them into being? Not at all. They were there, part of our beautiful, intricate world. It was the act of slowing down, being more considered in what I was doing, where I was going, that allowed me to find them. I am so grateful for this experience, it reminds me that when I’ve filled my days with activities and projects and ‘things to do’ (as seems to be my nature sometimes), that I might just be missing the most important and life affirming objects, organisms, wonders, that they may just lay underneath my feet, or right in front of me.
7th September 2021, Hypholoma fasciculare, Sherwood Pines
The wonderful Sherwood pines in Nottinghamshire is a brilliant space for cycling, mushroom hunting and also getting lost. I was happy to spot these whilst pootling around on one adventure. Clustered on a little pine stump itself covered with a montage of brambles, nettles and grass, these little sulphur tufts were glowing on the forest floor, I had to stop (and make my poor suffering parents stop) and check them out.
I was delighted to see their sulphurus coloured gills, characteristically the same colour as the stem and also had a hint of olive as they were aging. It was my first time noticing these distinctive fungi in real life, though they are common and widespread. I have really been missing out and the records reflect this, Cate2 shows them all over the British Isles, 16, 426 records at time of typing, and even the less resourced National Biodata Centre for Ireland has 209 records, dotted all over the country.
They fruit throughout the year, but are more numerous in summer and autumn. They are found on broadleaved and coniferous trees, and is another white rot fungus, able to break down lignin and cellulose. There is a faint ring on the stem, though I couldn’t see that on these, and when very young there can be veil remnants. Hypholoma fasciculare has been used experimentally as a fungicide, to try to eradicate an Armillaria species in British Colombia.
Basic Profile
Scientific name:Hypholoma fasciculare
Common English names: Sulphur Tuft
Size of fruiting body: 4-10cm x 0.5-1cm tall, 2-7cm wide cap
Spores: 6-8 x 4-4.5 µm
Gills: Adnate, sulphure, becoming olive
Edibility: Inedible – bitter – some sources say they are linked to fatalities
Lookalikes:Hypholoma capnoides
On the Red Data List (extinct/critically endangered/endangered/vulnerable/near threatened):
Sometimes, one spends years in the hope of finding a particular species, and many times creeping up to brightly coloured mysteries glinting in the speckled light of the forest only to find that it’s litter. And yet, one day, on a walk with some wonderful colleagues, at the serene, Newmillerdam in West Yorkshire, I tentatively walked up to something, daring to hope and discovered it was, finally, orange peel fungus! Please forgive the quality of the pictures it was 2014 and all I had was my Windows phone on me.
The vivid glowing orange of Aleuria aurantia, of course, gives it its common English name, ‘Orange Peel Fungus’. Thin flesh with an undulating margin, the inner is smooth and the outer is slightly downy. This specimen was by a huge old tree stump.
The other side of the stump, had some old Ganoderma on it, possibly Ganoderma australe
Orange Peel Fungus emerges typically from autumn to early winter on damp bare soil, ditch banks, and gardens in grass or gravel.
It was initially classified in the Peziza genus, until it was recategorised into Aleuria in 1870. The first record on Cate2, which collects records for across the UK, dates from 1905 and the last at time of writing, was from December in 2021. The records are fairly evenly distributed across England and Wales, less in Scotland but still very common, 1773 in total to date. Keep your eye out for this little gem. Alot of the time, mushroom hunting involves being drawn to random colours that look out of place and being looked at oddly by strangers, but disregard those naysayers as once in a while you will find treasure!
Majestic Newmillerdam, West Yorkshire
Basic Profile
Scientific name:Aleuria aurantia
Common English names: Orange Peel Fungus
Size of fruiting body: 1-10cm wide
Spores: 17-24 x 9-11 µm
Gills: None, sporulates from the smooth inner surface
Edibility: Apparently edible, with cooking first, caution needed as other cup fungi described as poisonous by First Nature.
Lookalikes:Sarcoscypha austriaca scarlet elfcup – is scarlet and grows on twigs, also has a stem; Peziza species, but they are said to be generally duller shades of orange
On the Red Data List (extinct/critically endangered/endangered/vulnerable/near threatened): No
Birch Polypores in abundance, Sherwood Forest, Edwinstowe
This time last year I was visiting my parents back in the UK, after not seeing them for a year and a half due to the pandemic. How time flies! They are very lucky to live near the beautifully sprawling Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, lots of different areas, it’s a mine of experiences, biodiversity and incredible to see. We visited the historical Major Oak trail near Edwinstowe on one occasion and it was abundant in Birch polypores – Piptoporus betulina or Polyporus betulina or Fomitopsis betulina, the latter, apparently being the most accepted scientific name since 2016 according to the trusty website First Nature. Enough about confusing names as I look through my ID books and realise I should get some updated ones.
3/9/2021 Young Birch Polypore3/9/2021 Birch Polypore
The birch polypore, is fascinating, ball-like when young, emerging from birch trees, it is a parasitical fungus. Many specimens I saw on this trip were young, I kept hoping that they Reticularia lycoperdon (aka Moon Poo), a slime mould, even though it’s not the season, I just really wanted to see some. It remains on my wish list. I kept prodding each one to check, but they were all too firm and indicated birch polypore.
Birch Polypores
After its globular growth, it then flattens and grows commonly into a kidney shape, retaining a narrow point of attachment to its poor host tree. The top side turns brown-ish or grey with some rings and often has a cracked appearance, there is a white margin that turns under when mature. The underside is said to have small white pores that mature grey. They fruit all year round, so a good one to keep an eye out for in all seasons, on living trees and dead wood.
I learned, after being surrounded by them, that birch polypore are said to be medicinal, used in folk medicine and was even found with a 5300 year old mummy in Austria. A scientific study from 2018, showed that it had particular immune system enhancing properties. One of its common names – Razorstrop fungus – belies another of its uses, that of a tool for sharpening razors on this hard fungus. It’s also known to be used to start campfires too.
This parasite is a brown rot, instead of white rots that break down lignin, brown rot attacks carbohydrates and demethylates the lignin, not being able to fully decompose it like white rot fungi.
A prolific fungus with a strong sociological and medicinal history which continues to evolve, birch polypore is now one of my favourites to look out for.
Birch polypore’s lookalike – Fomes fomentarius is much more hoof shaped and darker, this is a very old, gnarly looking specimen of Fomes fomentarius
2018 I had the pleasure of visiting Langley Castle as my friend was having a fairytale wedding there. The morning after we went for a stroll around the grounds and discovered this fine specimen. I casually took this photo to identify later. I wish I had looked up and paid more attention to the tree, despite the pine needles all around, the bark on this tree looks distinctly like beech, which would fit with me thinking that this is the one and only Meripilus gigantea, aka Giant polypore or blackening polypore. The latter due to one of its distinguishing features being that it stains brown or black when bruised or cut.
Growing from a bulbous base, some of which can be seen above, the layers grow in a rosette or look lobe shaped. It is saprobic (meaning they live on dead plant matter) and parasitic. The giant polypore causes white rot to the tree, digesting lignin; it is said to weaken the roots initially, as that is how it first enters the tree.
Here you can see the black around its edges, contrasting with new growth on the left
They are known to grow on roots appearing far from the tree, so if you see one you may need to have a look around more thoroughly to check for the host. It appears in summer to late autumn.
Cate2 for the UK has 2413 records of Meripilus gigantea, from the mainland of Britain and including the the Isle of Man and Isle of Skye, but more abundant in the south of England. The first record being from 1886 in the New Forest in mixed woodland, and the last at time of writing, being May 2022 in Newtown St Boswells in the Scottish Borders, recorded on a beech, Fagus sylvatica.
Size of fruiting body: 10 – 30 cm wide / 1-2 cm thick, collectively can be 50-80cm wide
Spores: 5-6.5 x 4.5-6 µm
Gills: None, tubes and pores
Edibility: Some consider this edible, should always be cooked before consumption, research thoroughly and ensure you know before eating.
Lookalikes: Grifola frondosa (Hen of the woods) – topside is more grey, Laetiporus sulphureus (Chicken of the Woods) – topside is more orange and doesn’t bruise black
On the Red Data List (extinct/critically endangered/endangered/vulnerable/near threatened): No
At the end of July, I had a beautiful stay at a retreat centre in Laragh, near Glendalough taking time away to meditate and look after myself. I took advantage of my beautful surroundings and went for a walk along the Wicklow Way. The area I was walking in was a mixed deciduous woodland, with lots of beautiful diversity along the way, gorgeous ferns, moss, foxgloves and lichen, to name a tiny smidegon of what was there.
I was delighted to spot these little white mushrooms tucked under moss near some oak trees. There were a few dotted along closer to the path, which I thought I would investigate. I’m not sure why, but when I carefully took it from the ground I wondered if it was a milkcap, so I ran my fingernail along the gills and sure enough there was some milky fluid that appeared. I tasted it, and sure enough it had a peppery taste.
Very crowded gills, typical of Lactifluus piperatus
I had brought my trusty Patrick Harding Collins Gem book with me, so had a look when I returned to my accommodation. Patrick describes Lactifluus piperatus as ‘ivory white, matt, funnel-shaped cap with an inrolled margin’ and the gills as ‘very crowded’ and exuding an ‘acrid milk when damaged’. The habitat, the crowded gills and the milk all aligned, although I didn’t think it was too pungent. The description of it having a funnel shaped cap is what was making me doubt as these were all domed caps, though I knew that it could have just been a younger stage. The lookalike stated was Lactarius velleus, which doesn’t have such crowded gills and has a fleecy cap.
After attemping a spore print, this was my specimen, slimy and mouldy!
Returning home I attempted a spore print, which resulted in some barely visible white smudges, which could have been from a mould growing on it. It did allow me to see that it had aged an ochrey yellow, true to a description in my Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms & Toadstools. However, again, the image shown and the description said ‘convex with a depressed centre’.
On my mushroomy journey, I have learned from books, a couple of forays with experts, websites, but perhaps, most of all, putting it together, I have learned from Facebook groups. There are a wealth of incredibly generous, verifiable, experts in certain groups, and I owe alot to Mushroom Spotters UK and more recently Mushroom Foraging Ireland. I don’t post a lot, but seeing others and the way and why they determine a fungus to be a certain type, is knowledge that cannot be undervalued. So with my humility firmly in check, I posted this, with as much information as I could and a very knowledgeable person got back to me to say they agreed but also informed me that ‘Lactifluus glaucescens is macromorphologicaly identical apart from its milk drying greenish although that’s not reliable and micro would be needed to separate the two.’ I hadn’t come across this information in any of my books, so there I have it, probably right, but with no microscope skills (yet) I will never know. What a huge motivation for learning how to prepare my own slides, and potentially, invest ina better microscope.
National Biodiversity Centre has 9 records, 4 in Dublin, 2 in Kerry, 1 in Galway and 2 in Donegal, the earliest being 1936 – the one in Kerry, the most recent in 2011.
Once upon a time, 4 years ago, I had the pleasure of working at an organic farm in Kilkenny. It was a very informative experience, and it showed me how much I absolutely loved working with nature and getting my hands dirty. There were many times I spotted fungus popping up amongst the industrious soil. These ones weren’t hard to miss, standing proud on top of the woodchip pile next to one of the polytunnels.
Agrocybe rivulosa are known to only grow on woodchip and it was first identified in Britain in 2004. The National Biodiversity Centre here in Ireland has one record, apart from this one, from 2014 from Ballincollig Regional Park in Cork. There are 338 records on Cate2 which covers the UK, dating from 26th October 2004 onwards, distributed fairly evenly across England and Wales, less so in Scotland.
The biggest were quite tall at around 10cm and the ring can be clearly seen. It is described as ‘easily torn’.
They were growing in many little clusters in the woodchip which was great as I could see more mature specimens alongside the ones in their prime. The more mature had discoloured browny caps that had flattened out from their more distinctive irregular conical shape.
Spore print of Agrocybe rivula, brown spores
Basic Profile
Scientific name:Agrocybe rivulosa
Common names: Wrinkled fieldcap
Size of fruiting body: 5-10cm tall, cap 5-10cm wide
Spores: 11.5-12 x 7-8 µm
Gills: Creamy/grey, then brown
Edibility: Unknown
Lookalikes:Agrocybe praecox according to First Nature, though this has a darker cap
On the Red Data List (extinct/critically endangered/endangered/vulnerable/near threatened): No
All photographs in this post taken by Katie O’Brien
Laetiporus sulphureus, so-called ‘chicken of the woods’ is an interesting fungus that grows mainly on deciduous trees; including oak, sweet chestnut and beech. It is prized by foragers. A good friend alerted me to a brilliant example on a yew tree, an outlier to the deciduous tree ‘rule’, just over a year ago (25th May 2021), a gorgeous undulating bright specimen, with some interesting glowing blue mould colonising it. A couple of weeks later I was able to visit the tree myself, in the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin and the Laetiporus was degraded and looking a bit shabby. I am so intrigued at what this blue mould was and what effect it’s had. Correlation does not equal causation, but what is this blue mould, what effect did it have? What’s it doing to the yew tree, is it protecting it? Colonising it for itself? Laetiporus sulphureus is known to be saprobic itself, meaning it grows on dying or dead hardwood, to know and understand the role of this mould would unlock some secrets of this fascinating interaction.
Some type of secondary mould?
A nearby, older yew sprouts a young and prime example of Chicken of the Woods, closer off the garden’s ground. Thanks so much to Katie for the photos – it always makes me happy when friends share their fungal finds with me!
Photographs by Katie O’Brien
The National Biodiversity Data Centre for Ireland has a mere 16 records dotted around Dublin, the midlands, Donegal and Kerry. Interestingly, one of the records, the source being the British Mycological Society, recorded in 1925 in Powerscourt and another from the same dataset from 1936 in Muckross, other records are more recent from 2005 – 2021. In comparison, Cate2 recording for the UK has 3282 records of Laetiporus sulphureus, spanning most parts of the country evenly and thinning out towards the northern most part of Scotland. The records state only 28 of these were on yew, 794 on oak, 53 on prunus species, 44 on beech and 4 on hawthorn, whilst other records unfortunately don’t specify the host tree.
16th July 2017, Phaeolus schweinitzii, Dyer’s Mazegill, Dyer’s Mazegill, Lake Menteith, Scotland
One of my favourite places in the world, is the magical Lake of Menteith in Scotland. Home to the historic Inchmahome Priory, the island of Inchmahome is accessible only by a tiny boat. The priory was founded in 1238 and now lies in romantic ruins, steeped in history yet there is a sense of seclusion, peace and purity that surrounds the aura of the island. That’s how I remember it when we visited when I was a child and when I accidentally came upon the area again, 5 years ago, I had to see if it had the same affect. I’m happy to say, it still holds the same peace and magic.
So many beautiful textures
Full of nature, fungus thrives on the island, from our quick visit, we found several interesting finds. One of which was a few of these specimens, which I belive to be Dyer’s mazegill, Phaeolus schweinitzii. The fuiting body was around 30cm across, with a thick margin, in rosettes popping up form the ground. These are known to be parasitic on coniferous trees and their roots, I’m not sure if there were some roots nearby unseen. I wish I’d paid more attention!
Fruiting bodies were dotted around – you can see another in the background here
Micheal Jordan’s Encyclopedia of Fungi of Britain and Europe describes the Phaeolus schweinitzii as having fan or fused cushions, which is true to these spongy, velvety cones. Unfortunately, I didn’t look at the pores, though I wish I had, as the pores form a maze-like pattern and the tubes attach to the stem.
These were delightfully huge and felt like they were from another world on the secluded beautiful island. A fun find.
Cate2, run by the Fungus Conservation Trust has 1799 records of this species, the first being recorded in June 1899 in the New Forest and the latest being recorded from December 2021 in Glenbranter in Argyllshire. The records are distributed fairly evenly over the mainland of Britain and the Isle of Man.
Basic Profile
Scientific name: Phaeolus schweinitzii
Common names: Dyer’s mazegill (due to its historic use in dying yarn) / Velvet top fungus / Dyer’s polypore
Size of fruiting body: up to 30cm in diameter
Spores: Ellipsoidal to ovoid, smooth, 5-7 x 3.5-5µm
Gills: Pores, brown with age
Edibility: Inedible
Lookalikes: Laetiporus sulphurus
On the Red Data List (extinct/critically endangered/endangered/vulnerable/near threatened): No
Trametes gibbosa, lumpy bracket, on a sycamore stump, Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin
A wintry dusk stroll around the historical Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin revealed a colourful array of lichen and some curious brackets and crusts too on the old trees and stumps.
This pale, chunky, lumpy specimen, Trametes gibbosa, common English name ‘lumpy bracket’, was covering a cluster of sycamore stumps. Amongst the deep fallen burned umber and ochre coloured leaves, the tangled green ivy, these prominent lumps protruded through their tangled friends, revealing themselves in their abundant ecosystem.
It has a soft felty texture on the top, can be found on wood of deciduous (trees that lose their leaves at the end of their growing season) trees, most often on beech. They fall in to the family Polyporaceae – polypore fungi – most members of this family have pores instead of gills. Trametes gibbosa can be identified from other Trametes by the pores being elongated, rather than circular or oval. Where Trametes gibbosa is attached to its host it is more bulbous – hence ‘gibbosa’ which means humped or rounded (hence also the term gibbous moon!).
Semicircular Trametes gibbosaSycamore buds
It can be seen at all times throughout the year, sporulating in spring. Older specimens are described as being more brown on their top side and even green due to an algal crust that forms on them over time. And Michael Jordan in his Encyclopedia notes that they are frequently attacked by boring beetle larvae which leave granular deposits nearby.
Lumpy bracket appears across Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe in temperate climates. Cate2 currently holds 3423 records across all counties of mainland Britain, most noted on beech and sycamore, in woodland, parkland, heath and roadsides. The first record is from 1860 and the last, at time of writing was on the 25th December 2021. Ireland’s National Biodiversity has one record (aside from my own), from the Waterford Greenway from January 2022, which reminds us of the importance of recording and the importance of not taking records out of context and their limitations. First Nature also notes it has also been documented in parts of USA & Canada from 2007 as a suspected alien introduction.
Rosettes of Trametes gibbosa on sycamore stumps, graves in the background
As all fungi do, Trametes gibbosa play an important part in our ecosystem, this particular widespread and common fungi belong to a group of fungi called white rot fungi. White rot fungi are particularly special as they are able to breakdown lignin, which not many other organisms can. It is therefore an important recycler enabling the surrounding elements of the ecosystem to reuse the nutrients and components that make up lignin. Recently white rot fungi are being closely looked at and utilised in bioremediation.
Basic Profile
Scientific name:Trametes gibbosa 1836 (initially called Merulius gibbosus) also Pseudotrametes gibbosa; Pseudotrametes gibbosaforma tenuis
Common names: Lumpy Bracket
Size of fruiting body: up to 20cm across, wide
Spores: hyaline 4-5.5 x 2-2.5µm
Gills: None, elongated pores on underside
Edibility: Inedible
Lookalikes: Blushing bracket (Deadelopsis confragosa) – less white pores, bruises dark pink and is more brown
On the Red Data List (extinct/critically endangered/endangered/vulnerable/near threatened): No
Pottering about my little suburban back garden (in Dublin, Republic of Ireland) which is almost entirely paved, aside from two raised beds at either side, my eye caught sight of a grey undulating clump, sticking out between the chickweed and dry soil. I pondered for a moment whether I should be excited at fungus or I was going to be mildly irritated that one of the neighbourhood cats had left us a cheeky present, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the former. After some tentative poking around with a stick, I was delighted it seemed mycological.
After a few days its grown very slowly, standing currently around 3cm tall, after initial hesitation I have settled on this being Xylaria polymorpha, common name aptly ‘Dead Man’s Fingers’. Photographs usually show them as either black or much more finger like, even coloured at the end looking as though they even have finger nails. However, upon reading, they are described as initially grey-brown, grey, or light grey, or light brown turning black, so I will be keeping watch over them to see what happens. This is where my microscope would be handy, still learning to use it for higher magnification. Social media groups are so useful for learning and when I put a photo in Mushroom Spotters UK, a friendly fellow mushroomer almost immediately helped identify as Xylaria polymorpha. Obviously, one has to be careful and cannot take one person’s word for it, but it often assists greatly and leads to further research and learning.
Lobed and found mainly on beech, Xylaria polymorpha are saprobic and mainly on beech. I carefully moved some of the dirt away to find these were growing on a small, narrow buried stump, which, to my amateur eye doesn’t look like beech. I can’t bend down at the moment so will investigate further when I can, so delighted that these are in my back garden. On that subject, all credit for the close up picture above goes to my partner. First Nature notes interestingly that X. polymorpha doesn’t consume the lignin – which is something no other organism except fungi and bacteria can break down – it consumes ‘polysaccharides – glucan and other minority content compounds of timber that bind the cellulose and lignin together to form what we recognise as wood. As a result, when these and various other ascomycetous fungi have consumed what they can of a dead stump the remainder is a nutrient-rich soft mess that insects and other small creatures are able to feed upon (if other cellulose- or lignin-rotting fungi haven’t found it first).‘ How wonderful to have this in my back garden to watch the process!
Cate2 shows distributions of Xylaria polymorpha as widespread across the British Isles with 14,031 records, the earliest dating to 1904 and the most recent (at time of writing) being 23rd May 2021. Records for Ireland from the National Biodiversity Data Centre have only 3 recorded, including my one, all from this year. The other two being in rural areas in Monaghan. Of course, this is only a reflection of the amount of records and not the amount of individuals of the species. Here in Ireland we seem to lack an accessible comprehensive recording database for fungi in contrast to Cate2 that The Fungus Conservation Trust provides for the UK. A big, important niche in biodiversity conservation missing, an opportunity awaits someone there methinks.
Basic Profile
Scientific name:Xylaria polymorpha
Common names: Dead Man’s Fingers
Size of fruiting body: 3-8cm tall, 1-3cm wide
Spores: In fusiform or banana-shaped asci, 20-30 x 5 µm
Gills: None
Edibility: Inedible, flesh is tough and no distinctive taste
Lookalikes:Xylaria longipes (Dead Moll’s Fingers) is thinner and taller.
On the Red Data List (extinct/critically endangered/endangered/vulnerable/near threatened): No
26/03/2015 Auricularia auricula-judae, Wood Ear, Rabbit Ings Country Park, Barnsley
Wood ears, found all year round, are most commonly found on elder trees, either living or dead. They’re a good treasure for finding in spring and winter when other more obvious fungi may be elusive.
Elder bark, with its distinctively, gnarly, furrowed bark, offers a textured contrast to these undulating brown specimens and its a greatly helpful indicator when trying to identify them. Auricularia auricula-judae begin life as cup shaped and smooth before they become elongated and wrinkly giving them their distinct ear-like appearance. They are soft on the outer surface and moist on the inside. I have read that they are attached ‘laterally by a small stalk’ to its host, I have not noticed this but will have to look closer next time! Their colour darkens significantly as they age.
They are widespread and common throughout the globe, and can be found in Ireland, the UK, mainland Europe, parts of Asia and North America.
Cate2, the extensive database run by The Fungus Conservation Trust, shows records for this species as being widespread across Wales, England, the Isle of Man, and the South of Scotland; densely recorded in those areas. Interestingly much more sparsely recorded in the highlands of Scotland, though whether this is due to them being unrecorded or due to them actually being sparse in this area, I am unsure. There are, at time of writing, 10499 records for Auricularia auricula-judae in total on the database, dating from 30/09/1888 on a tree stump in a domestic garden in Staffordshire, and the latest (at time of writing) on the 16/04/2021 by a riverside on a dead branch of an elder in Northumberland.
26/03/2015 Auricularia auricula-judae, Wood Ear, Rabbit Ings Country Park, Barnsley
These wood ears pictured here, are from the unique and interesting site – Rabbit Ings Country Park. On an elder, by the damp side of a body of water on the north of the park, the warden was able to take me right to them, such reliable fruiting bodies as they are. The park is on the site of the former Monkton colliery & Royston Drift Mine and spoil heap, restored to nature by The Land Trust. I had the pleasure of doing some sporadic volunteering here in 2015, before I left the UK. At the time, it was cared for by a couple of passionate, welcoming and community-minded rangers who promoted the park’s biodiversity which included, birds, newts and snakes. I found it to be an inspiring and shining example of the potential for biodiversity and community in reclaimed sites.
I have read that the scientific name is derived from the rumour that Judas of the Christian Bible, was said to have hung himself on an elder tree. I haven’t been able to corroborate how true this is. It would be interesting to look back on elder trees and their presence in Jerusalem 2000 years ago.
Auricularia auricula-judae, Wood Ear, are a fun fungus and in my experience, one of the easiest to identify and it’s even edible. Though I haven’t found one yet that looked appetising!
26/03/2015 Auricularia auricula-judae, Wood Ear, Rabbit Ings Country Park, Barnsley
Basic Profile
Scientific name:Auricularia auricula-judae
Common English names: Wood Ear, Jelly Ear, Jew’s Ear
Size of fruiting body: Up to 8cm across
Spores: 16-18 x 6-8µm, sausage shaped
Gills: None
Edibility: ‘Best in soups or stews, not easily fried’ says Patrick Hardy in his excellent book ‘Mushrooms’.
Lookalikes:Auricularia mesenterica (tripe fungus) is a bracket fungus, described as small, hairy and gelatinous, on stumps and dead wood, not elder; Auricularia fuscosuccinea can look similar, but is not recorded in Ireland or the UK and has a different though significant global spread, it has been proposed for the Red Data List and can be found in tropical areas as well as in Russia and Africa.
On the Red Data List (extinct/critically endangered/endangered/vulnerable/near threatened): No
Helvella macropus, Lockerbie, Scotland, 21st July 2016
This little tiny gem was found in Eskrigg Nature Reserve in Lockerbie, Dumfries & Galloway, in the South West of Scotland. Eskrigg Nature Reserve, run by Lockerbie Wildlife Trust, is a special little place and an incredible reserve with a mixture of habitats. It is an important sanctuary for key species of flora and fauna. You will find red squirrels scarpering and climbing amongst the mixed and coniferous woodland areas, birds such as kingfishers, owls and little grebes and even a rare fern – the Adder’s Tongue fern hidden beneath the trees. It is incredibly and impressively managed by Jim Rae, who, over the years has been a tour de force in founding and building the reserve; taking on volunteers, educating groups from pre-schoolers to adults, and doing practical work on the reserve too. I was lucky enough to spend a year living in Lockerbie after I returned from voluntary conservation work in Sicily and Malta. Whilst I was briefly out of work for a couple of months, I was delighted to do a little volunteering here, it was a beautiful little haven for me to get my thoughts together and learn alot about conservation in the UK, as well. I quickly came to realise, within the rich diverse woodlands, underfoot lay a mycological treasure trove.
This particular little specimen, was hidden in a pile of old and decaying logs, from memory I believe it was spruce and pine, certainly pine needles are visible there in the photo above. Felt saddles are usually found in soil and leaf litter in deciduous woodland and occasionally with conifers, I do recall this being the coniferous part of the reserve.
The fruiting body is only around 5 cm tall and 3 cm wide, its slender, delicate, monochromatic stem supporting the cup-shaped cap. When younger, the cap would have been flatter, it upturns into the cup shape as it matures. The under-side is covered in fine flocci – distinct, minute, downy hairs, whilst the top-side is smooth.
Interestingly, it is documented in 2 of my books as autumn-fruiting, yet I found this individual in late July. Looking at records from the Cate2 database, Helvella macropus has been found around Britain anywhere from July to November, there’s even one that appeared one June in Norfolk, though most records are from September to November.
There are only 306 records of Helvella macropus on Cate2, most of these are concentrated in England and Wales, and then, more densely they are recorded in the south-east of England. Most of these are recorded as growing directly from the soil, rotted wood or leaf litter. Helvella macropus, like many fungus is dynamic in that it can thrive living in a mycorrizhal relationship with woodland trees or saprobically, digesting dead wood or leaves.
According to First Nature, Helvella Macropus occurs in Britain, Ireland, throughout mainland Europe and has even been found in North America.
Basic Profile
Scientific name:Helvella macropus previously Peziza macropus – recategorised in 1870
Common names: Felt saddle
Size of fruiting body: 5cm tall, 3cm wide
Spores: spindle shaped, 18-24 x 10-12.5μm
Gills: None
Edibility: No distinct taste, considered inedible and possibly poisonous according to First Nature.
Lookalikes:Helvella corium in constrast has a shiny black fruit layer and fruits in early summer, far more rare
On the Red Data List (extinct/critically endangered/endangered/vulnerable/near threatened): No
Xylaria hypoxylon, Rathfriland, Northern Ireland, 2nd December 2017
This little cluster of Xylaria hypoxylon, standing between 4 – 6cm high, nestled between the undergrowth amidst blades of green grass, brown dried grass and creeping buttercups, is one of my favourite finds. Standing proud with it’s distinct features, these figures poetically appeared when I was throwing out the ash from the woodburning stove during a house-sitting/Wwoofing stay in rural Northern Ireland, at a friend’s smallholding.
It’s common name of candlesnuff fungus describes this treasure perfectly, it really does resemble little burned wicks. The tips are white with uneven edges, and the slender ‘stems’ (stroma) wiggle their way upright for attention, they are are quite flat and branch at the top like little antlers. In the example above, the dark black of the base is in sharp contrast to the tip, the tip gives the impression of being pure white. The grey white-noise like tone between the pure black and pure white is created by the asexual spores which are crucial for its reproduction. Due to the life cycle of the fungus and its fruiting body (as with most fungus), the fruiting body can appear differently at different stages for example, the entirety of the fruiting body will eventually blacken as spores ripen. This happening usually in winter.
They normally grow in the fallen dead wood of broad-leaved trees and can be be found year round in Britain and Ireland. It is widespread and common, but is uncommon around conifers.
Xylaria hypoxylon, Candlesnuff fungus, is usually found in clusters, on fallen branches and debris of broad-leaved trees
On the Cate 2 database, managed and maintained by The Fungus Conservation Trust, there are currently 14,012 records in the UK and Northern Ireland dating from 31/12/1904 – 20/03/2021, with most recorded in England.
Basic Profile
Scientific name:Xylaria hypoxylon
Common names: Candlesnuff fungus; Stag’s Horn Fungus
Size of fruiting body: 3-6cm tall, 2-5mm wide
Spores: bean shaped 11-15 x 4-6µm
Gills: None
Edibility: According to First Nature.com – no distinctive taste, Patrick Harding notes it is tough and inedible
Lookalikes:Xylaria carophyla grows on rotting beech and is much thinner
On the Red Data List (extinct/critically endangered/endangered/vulnerable/near threatened): No
Amanita muscaria, Willow Bank, Barnsley, 29th September 2013
Hello and welcome to Mushroomination. Thanks for visiting! In my first post I’d like to share what you can expect from this blog, my motivations and a little about me, the author.
After years of growing my passion around mycology, reading books, going on forays, drawing and photographing fungus, I am inspired to share my passion and knowledge. I am by no means an expert, I am an enthusiast, learning as I go.
Me on the right, 1996, aged 10, peering at an Amanita muscaria with my wonderful mother and sister (photograh taken by my wonderful father)
Over the past decade, when out walking, farming, gardening, driving, cycling, anything, if I spot a fungus or interesting lichen, I will stop and take a look, if I have a camera handy, take photographs. Along with these photos I will share stories, ruminations, thoughts and facts on fungus.
Fungus can be indicators – showing us what other biodiversity is present in an ecosystem, from signs such as them being half eaten! This fungus found in Roundwood, Co. Wicklow, Republic of Ireland
Why fungus?
Why fungus, indeed. It’s a question I have been asked when people learn that this is my apparently peculiar interest. There are many facets, and whilst I can pinpoint a particular memory in my mid 20s of a family walk in Kielder Forest, my mother delicately raising a fern at the edge of the path to reveal a burgundy-red gem of a russula, and then glancing deeper into the forest undergrowth, more of these treasures appeared. This spurred my curiosity and I gradually started reading more about the world of mushrooms. The magic of mushrooms (and I’m not talking about psilocybin!), the magic that fungus provides to our ecosystems and habitats, crucial to life from assisting with decomposition, directly providing fauna and flora alike with critical nutrients like no other living organism, their incredible diversity in what they look like, continues to hold my attention and draw me in. Whilst mycology is growing in popularity thanks to various elements including renewed interests in foraging and developments in mycoremediation, it remains still a somewhat overlooked, though highly significant part of our ecosystems.
The Russula in Kielder Forest that catalysed my interest, 17th August 2011
The way fungus interact in their environment, with other living organisms and inert elements, providing a network of life, can teach us something positive about the way we can fit into the natural world and how we live alongside other humans and living beings. The more I learn and read about mycology, the more exponentially infinite this world seems.
Lepista nuda, Monte Altore, Sicily, 28th December 2015
Who am I?
I grew up in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, with vivid memories of family walks in the surrounding countryside, from Brimham Rocks to Ingleton Falls and everywhere in between, providing me with a wonder and fascination of nature. When I grew up, I gained a degree in painting and followed this path until my late 20s. A number of experiences brought me to a huge change of heart, inspiring me to explore and reconnect with my love of the natural world, cemented by those fortuitous memories growing up. I became both interested in environmental conservation and sustainable food-growing.
Interning on the farm, Kilkenny, 2019
I studied some basic courses and volunteered for a couple of local wildlife trusts alongside my day job in Wakefield. I was then lucky enough to be accepted to join a volunteer project in Malta and Sicily. I was here for 11 months, we worked to conserve protected habitats, remove invasive plant species, designed and grew an organic vegetable garden and renovated buildings. I returned to the UK and studied Biology and Environmental Conservation A Levels, did some WWoofing and then completed an internship on an organic vegetable farm near Kilkenny. I now live in Dublin and for my day job I work in an office, and on the weekends I can be found foraying, reading or gardening.
I am inspired by, and hugely grateful to, those who make mycology accessible to the general public whether it be writing books, field guides and leading groups whether on Facebook, or in real life.
I look forward to sharing my learning journey with you.
All images owned by me, Fiona Halliday, owner and author of Mushroomination, unless otherwise stated. Logo kindly designed and donated by Kraig Morrisroe – talented graphic designer.
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