FUNGUS FORAY 13.10.12
Wade Wood, the Luddenden Brook
Unidentified, marble-sized
Laccaria amethystina, Amethyst Deceiver.
"Deceiver" because it's in a tricky group. Said to be edible but I've not eaten it.
A very scalloped form of Birch Polypore, maybe a different species. Inedible but found in the pack carried by 5,300 year-old ice mummy named "Otzi" found in 1991 in the European Alps. May have been valued as an anti-biotic, or can be used to sharpen blades. Also known as Razorstrop Fungus.
Upper and lower surfaces of Artist's Bracket. Ganoderma applanatum. The white undersurface scratches to create a dark brown line - said to have been used for sketching purposes.
Tree Ear or Jelly Ear, Auricularia auricula-judae. Used to be said to be confined to Elder, but on finding it on several different species of tree and talking with Professor Roy Watling, he informed me it is under review and may be split into different species. Edible - I was first served it in a Thai restuarant in France. I once ate too much of it at home and got a very uncomfortable bloated feeling in my stomach.
A small species of Ink Cap, Coprinus.
Common Ink Cap has been used to treat alcoholism.
With many thanks to Linda for all these photos and several others.
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FOLLOW - UP FORAY TO STOODLEY GLEN
European Brown-bear - Ewan Chesser photo It will be on Saturday 27th October. Meet 10.30 for a 10.45 start. Bring packed lunch.
Meet at Eastwood Cricket Club on the main A646 road between Hebden Bridge and Todmorden.
Parking is OK on the main road overlooking the cricket ground, but take care - it's a 40 limit and some drivers speed a lot faster than that. SD965252
It is served by buses, such as the Todmorden and Burnley services.
Meet at the junction - marked "Stoodley Glen". We will be taking the track up Stoodley Glen.
If the weather is good we might go over the top and down into the valley bottom at Mytholmroyd, where a bus can take us back along the main road to the cars. People can retrace their steps if they want to leave early.
At the top of the wooded glen, the path goes through classic unimproved grassland with a good selection of grassland fungi including, last year, pink waxcap and hare's ear. I have occasionally seen actual hares up there, and there are some of the few local wild crabapple trees. It will be interesting to see if they have suffered from the cold spring like the garden apples and crabapples.
There are, interestingly enough, crabapples just over the watershed in Broadhead Clough, though these are not possible to get to, as Yorkshire Wildlife Trust requests we stay on the footpaths in the reserve.
It's a puzzle why these relict trees don't regenerate any longer. I have my theory it's because there are no longer any wild mammals that would eat the fruit and deposit their seeds with their dung on soil where the turf was broken through by their piggy hoofs/ bears paws. Of course sheep nibble off seedlings as well.
Get a glimpse back into the MIddle Ages as well as a fungus foray!
Phone or text ahead mobile 0771 500 5379 (Steve) or simply turn up. Small donations to Halifax Scientific Society gratefully received.
Good set of pictures Steve, and an excellent post.
ReplyDeleteAbout 9 yrs back after reading up on mycology, I had a crack at eating Razor Strop fungus. In a pressure cooker, seasoned up to high heaven, result - absolutely no taste and boring to boot.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen that one suggested as an edible one. not poisonous, but hard enough to sharpen razors on ! Thanks for doing the experiment, though, Nigel, and reporting on it.
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