Back on the farm

I took my exercise on a farm in the High Weald today, where I had permission to undertake a survey of the grassland fungi while I was there. 

It was my first time going solo on a serious mycological survey so I thought I'd try out Lukas Large's tip for keeping my collections organised: raffle tickets! It's a neat way of linking photos, field notes and the specimens I collected for further study at home. That's why most of these photos have raffle tickets in.

First field

This field was quite waterlogged after the torrential rain we've had recently. I didn't find much of note, just...

Blackening Waxcap Hygrocybe conica s.l.

• Very clearly going black. 
  

 Cedarwood Waxcap Cuphophyllus russocoriaceus

• Lovely smell!
  

A Dermoloma

The cap on the young one is quite dark — I think it's probably Crazed Cap Dermoloma cuneifolium. But I'll check.

Here's another one starting to look ever-so-slightly crazed (i.e. the cap is breaking up). 

Snowy Waxcap Cuphophyllus virgineusi

• No particular smell

Field 2

I was starting to feel a bit despondent and thinking I should have perhaps gone somewhere else for my waxcap fix when I suddenly spied some orange shapes ahead of me, decorating the sward.

See 'em?

A wide ring of large reddish-orange mushrooms. 

The younger specimens were a deep red.

 While older ones had faded to orange.

This was so exciting I had to have a sit down and consult with the book ('The genus Hygrocybe 2nd edition by David Boertmann). 

Crimson Waxcap Hygrocybe punicea

• viscid cap
• fibrillose stem 
  

As I looked around me, I realised there were more waxcaps here. Many more.

Slimy Waxcap Gliophorus irrigatus

Parrot Waxcap Gliophorus psittacinus

Scarlet Waxcap Hygrocybe coccinea

The odd tiny orange one...

Spangle Waxcap Hygrocybe insipida?

• decurrent gills
• reddish top to the stem
• cap not squamulose
  

Golden Waxcap Hygrocybe chlorophana

• adnexed gills
• viscid cap
  

And this. WHAT IS THIS?! Have I won the tombola? I know what I think it looks like...

... Gliophorus europerplexus ??? !!!

• butterscotch colour
• lubricous (?) cap and stem
  

I shall look into this. We might want to get this one DNA-sequenced.

Field 3

A distinctly lubricous tawny-coloured thing. 

... not sure if that's a totally washed out Parrot Waxcap Gliophorus psittacinus, or something else.

More Crimson Waxcaps Hygrocybe punicea

More Scarlet Waxcap Hygrocybe coccinea

An old Golden Waxcap Hygrocybe chlorophana?

• viscid cap

 

Spangle Waxcap Hygrocybe insipida?

 

More Parrot Waxcap Gliophorus psittacinus

• these were showing only the slightest hint of green, so I think the first thing I found in Field 3 is probably the same: G. psittacinus.
  

A more definite contender for Golden Waxcap Hygrocybe chlorophana?

I'm not super sure about this one. It's a red one! 

Could it be Splendid Waxcap Hygrocybe splendidissima ???

• will check for honey smell when drying
  

Snowy Waxcap Cuphophyllus virgineus

Top field (sheep field)

Cedar Waxcap Cuphophyllus russocoriacea

• had that smell
  

Meadow Waxcap Cuphophyllus pratensis

Snowy Waxcap Cuphophyllus virgineus

• no particular smell

Scarlet Waxcap Hygrocybe coccinea

I make that 11 or 12 species during the day's survey. Not bad! I think that just beats a previous visit in October 2019.

For the record

Date: 19/11/2020

Location: farm near Heathfield [private site]