Weird and Wonderful Fungi
There are some strange things growing out in the woods – check these out…
The elegant and ephemeral hare’s foot inkcap. Learn more about inkcaps here
An amazing perfect 4kg oyster mushroom. One of the most beautiful things, let alone fungi, I have ever seen. You can just see my metal knife poking out of the top to give you a sense of scale.
Learn more about oyster mushrooms here
Bracket Fungi (Crepidotus) growing on rock, Laurieston
I have never seen a bracket fungus growing directly from rock before, and possibly never will…
Cauliflower Fungus (Sparassis Crispa), found by Hector
Learn more about cauliflower fungus here
Filming for CBBC Incredible Edibles with Stephan Gates – this 4kg hen of the woods stole the show!
The rather rude stinkhorn (phallus impudicus), witches egg stage and in its full foetid glory. Click here to learn more.
And if you think that’s odd, check out this one…
The veiled stinkhorn. This lovely picture was sent to me by a very nice Nepalese man on Twitter. The veiled stinkhorn has been recorded once in the UK.
Devil’s tooth (hydnellum peckii)
This is a rare tooth fungi, found in old Scottish pine forests. Read more about it and its relations here and a blog about where I found it here
Jelly tongue – pseudohydnum gelatinosum (bastard progeny of jelly ear, devil’s tooth and snake-tongue truffle-club
The parasitic cordyceps militaris feeds on larvae.
Other cordyceps species parasitise truffles and even live insects. Ants are stupefied by the fungal spores, driven to climb to the top of the nearest plant and die, whereafter the fungi devours it from the inside out before dropping more spores. If these fungi ever set their sights on humans, we are all dooooomed! Everyone should watch this amazing, and somewhat chilling, short video.
Yellow brain fungus – commonly found growing on gorse
My brother discovers yellow stagshorn – calocera viscosa
Not sure if this is fungi, slime mould, insect eggs or extra terrestrial!
Mazegill
Elegant and mysterious – Angel wings
Orange peel fungus – edible, but not as tasty as oranges
This whopping parasol mushroom was 2 feet tall
Ox tongue fungus…
…AKA beefsteak fungus
The rather fluffy and beautiful thelephora spiculosa
3 Comments
Great post with some lovely fungi! Can I add: Orange peel fungus. Edible but not as tasty as oranges, although definitely better than orange peel! It’s one that we began harvesting last year.
Some excellent finds here. Esp the Devil’s tooth and the crepidotus growing on a rock :^0 wierder and wierder. keep up the good work.
Cheers Buzz, your trompette find didn’t go without notice! I have 3 spots in Galloway now where I know they have been found, but haven’t nailed any yet. Word is it was a really bad year for them. Also a hot tip in Dumfries for morels!