Fun with Funky Fungi

I like taking photos of fungi as if you hadn't guessed. So armed with cameras, bin bag (to lie on) and a mirror (to look underneath the fungi- tip courtesy of Chris Packham from BBC Autumn Watch) we have ranged far and wide photographing funky fungi. These are some of my collection over the summer months. I don't know the names of all of them. In fact I don't the names of many of them so if you can identify them please let me know.

The three photographs are of  funnel mushrooms.But I can't be any more specific than that...

Some close-ups of the gills.

Coral Spot on a decaying tree.

This may be an earthfan fungi growing through the moss.

The small but brightly coloured Yellow Staghorn. This is harmless if eaten....so I'm informed...

 Brown mushrooms are a nightmare to identify with any certainty as there are so many....Even asking questions such as 

• what time of year is it found?

• where is it growing?

• has it got gills or flesh?

• what shape is the cap?

• are you seeing it in its immature or mature form?

The process of elimination is still complicated.

The next photo is a case in point...

The Sulphur Tuft is a common fungus appearing in groups on dead wood at this time of year. It is not edible.

This conical shaped fungi is a Blackening Waxcap and goes from this glorious orange to black. It is also appropriately known the Witches Cap.

This is the Parasol mushroom. When it is young it has a very domed cap which flattens as it matures. It is edible.

Having scoured the books (no wonder this post is taking so long) these are a type of oyster mushroom much like you get in the supermarkets. Their only down side is the maggot to mushroom ratio which might deem it a bit off putting ...

This interesting specimen is (I think) the Jelly Ear mushroom. This is edible but may be an aquired taste as few books recommend it. There are several inedible fungi that are similar in appearance but are brittle if touched rather than gelatinous.

A Puffball, probably the mosaic variety and it is edible.

The Hoof fungus growing up a dead tree trunk. The flesh is very thick and hard and several adorn each tree.

And could this next fungi be Wrinkled Crust?

Any images of fungi would be incomplete with the classic red spotted Fly Agaric. As it colour suggests red for danger. It is seemingly not as poisonous as it's reputation may suggest ....

 The very delicate, luminous porcelain mushroom is edible if a tad slimy. It commonly grows on Beech trees. One interesting point is that the porcelain mushroom fights of other fungus on a tree by producing it's very own powerful fungicide.

The very attractively named Slime Mould is not a fungi at all but a lichen but is edible. It's a real delicacy in Mexico.

The incredibly tasty (sauteed in butter with garlic, add cream) and common chanterelles. There are others that look similar but the real thing has a distinctive apricot smell.

The common name for this beauty found growing in the local beechwood is The Sickener. Enough said!

This last photograph is I think another lichen. I wish it was something startling like Old Man's Fingers . Wouldn't that be a fun note to end on?

We use two books for identification in the main. These are The Pocket Nature Book on Fungi and The River Cottage handbook on Mushrooms.
There's also some very good internet sites including a Blog. Here's the link for all budding mycologists. 

On a serious note please be careful with identification of fungi. Better to leave well alone than end up in the hospital!