1) CommonEarthball(Sclerodermacitrinum)sometimesknownpigskinpoisonpuffball,isthemostcommonspeciesofearthballintheUKandoccurswidelyinwoods,heathlandandinshortgrassfromautumntowinter.Itsuperficiallylooksliketheediblepuffball,buttheEarthballispoisonous,butnotfiercelyso,neverthelessitisinedibleandshouldbeavoided.

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2) BirchPolypore.Piptoporusbetulinus,commonlyknownasthebirchpolypore,birchbracket,orrazorstrop,isoneofthemostcommonpolyporousbracketfungiand,asthenamesuggests,growsalmostexclusivelyonbirchtrees.Thebracketsburstoutfromthebarkofthetree,andthesefruitingbodiescanlastformorethanayear.Ithasbeenknowntokillbirchtreesaswell.Technically,itisanediblemushroom,withastrong,pleasant"mushroomy"odour,butabittertaste.Thevelvetycutsurfaceofthefruitingbodywastraditionallyusedasastropforfinishingthefinestofedgesonrazors.Itisalsosaidtohavemedicinalproperties.Ithasbeenshowntohaveanti-inflammatory,anti-bacterialandanti-septicpropertieswhichhavebeenknownsinceancienttimes.

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3) SpottedToughshank(Rhodocollybiamaculate).Thisfungusisgenerallyquitewidespreadin

deciduousandsometimesconiferouswoodland,generallyhidingunderbracken.Fruitinginthelatesummertoearlyautumn..Inedibleduetoitstoughnessandbittertaste.

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4) OchreBrittlegill(Russulaochroleuca).formanyyearscommonlyreferredtoastheCommonYellowRussula-isfoundinallkindsofwoodlandfrommidsummerthroughtoearlywinter.Itisedible,butthetasteismediocreandsometimesratherpepperyandsothisabundantmushroomisnotmuchprizedforitsculinaryvalue..VerycommonandwidespreadinallkindsofwoodlandsthroughoutBritain,IrelandandmainlandEurope,theOchreBrittlegillalsooccursinmanypartsofNorthAmerica.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5)HoofFungus(Fomesfomentarius).TinderFungusandHoofFungusaretwocommonnamesforthispersistent,toughpolypore.Thislargebracketfungusattacksmainlybirchbutoccasionallybeechandsycamore.Thepaleleather-brownfleshwasusedforlightingfires(itburnsveryslowly);forthisreasonitwasgiventhenameTinderFungus.ThisisoneofthebracketfungifoundamongthepossessionsofOtzitheIceman,a5000yearoldmanwhosebodywaspreservedinaglacierintheÖtztalAlpsontheborderbetweenAustriaandItaly,whereitwasdiscoveredbyhikersin1991.ItseemslikelythatOtziwascarryingthismaterialinordertolightafireatthecloseofadaywhoseendhedidnotlivetosee.Annuallayersoftubesbuilduptoproducealargehoof-shapedstructure10to40cmacrossandupto20cm

deepatthecentreoftheattachmentline.Afterthefirstthreeorfouryears,bracketsincreasesteadilyinthicknessbutdonotgrownmuchindiameter-hencetheresultinghoofshape.Theupperinfertilesurfaceisvariousshadesofgrey,oftenwithabrownishgrowingzonetowardstheouteredge.Thelower(fertile)surfaceiswhiteorgreyish,turningslightlybrownwhenbruised.

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5) SnaketonguedTruffleClub(Cordycepsophioglossoides).Sometimesknownasafalsetruffle.TheFruitbodiesuptoabout6cmtallandupto1cmacross.Growingunderbirchandash.AlsogrowingwithBillberrybushesandsomesortofthickmoss.Notconsiderededibleastheyhavenodistinctivetaste.

FruitingBodyofthesnaketonguedtruffleclub

Fruitingbodycutinhalf

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6) TawnyGrisette(Amanitafulva),isabasidiomycetefungusofthegenusAmanita.ItisfoundfrequentlyindeciduousandconiferousforestsofEurope,distributedthroughoutEurope,.Itisgenerallyfoundwithoak(Quercus),birch(Betula),spruce(Picea),pine(Pinus),chestnut(Castanea)andalder(Alnus),withwhichitformsmycorrhizae.ItgrowsinacidicsoilsandfruitsfromsummertolateautumnandisverycommoninBritain.AmanitafulvaisoneofthefewediblespeciesinthegenusAmanita.Thoughthisparticularspeciesisconsiderededible,itmustbeidentifiedwithcareasothermembersofthegenusAmanitaarepoisonousandsomearedeadly.Forthisreason,collectionforconsumptionofA.fulvacanbedangerousandisnotrecommended,Someauthorsindicatethefungusispotentiallytoxicwhenraw,andissuitableforconsumptiononlywhencooked.

ImmatureTawnyGrisetteMaturespecimen____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7)LeafParachutefungus(Marasmiusepiphyllus).Thewhitishcapisusually3to10mmindiameter;thestemisverylongincomparison.Thegillsarealsowhiteandarefewinnumberandwidelyspaced.Exactidentificationofspeciesrequiresdetailedexamination.Habitat:Growsondecayingwoodandplantmaterial.Normallyseeninlatesummerandautumn.Thesesmallmushroomsplayanessentialroleinwoodlandecosystems,helpingtobreakdownthelitterlayerofthewoodlandfloor.WidespreadandquitecommoninBritain.

LeafParachutefungus(Marasmiusepiphyllus)

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7) BrownCupFungus(Pezizaphyllogena). commonlyknownasthecommonbrowncuporthepig-earcup,isaspeciesoffungusinthefamilyPezizaceae.Asaprobicspecies,thefungusproducesbrownish,cup-shapedfruitbodiesthatgrowsinglyorinclustersoneithersoilorwell-rottedwood.ItisfoundinEurope,NorthAmerica,andIceland,whereitfruitsinthespring.ThefruitbodiesofPezizaphyllogenaarecup-shaped,measuring3–8cmindiameter.Thefleshisthinandfragile,andthesidesofthecupareoftencompressedorlobed.Thecupsdonothaveastem,andinsteadareattachedtothesubstrateatanarrowcentralpointonthebottom.Theinnersurfaceofthecupisdarkpurplishbrowntodarkreddishgray,whiletheoutersurfaceissimilartotheinnersurface,ormayhavemorepurplishtones.Thecupmarginisthin,withasharpedge,anditturnsblackasitdries.Theedibilityofthefungusisunknown.

BrownCupFungus(Pezizaphyllogena______________________________________________________________________________________________________

8)TheDeceivermushroom(Laccarialaccata),isaverycommonwoodlandfungus,andwhereyoufindoneyouarelikelytofindmanymore.Deceiversaremycorrhizalfungi.Thecapcolourchangesquitesignificantlywithageanddependsalsoontheweather,andthischaracteristicistheoriginofthecommonname..Distribution:AbundantinallkindsofwoodlandinBritainandIreland,LaccarialaccataoccursalsothroughoutmainlandEuropeandinNorthAmerica.Commonly(andmostaptly)knownasDeceiver,thisveryvariablemushroomisnotalwayseasytoidentifywithcertainty.Thebroadgillsandfibroushollowingstemsarehelpfulcharacteristics,butcapsize,shapeandcolourareverylittlehelpbecausetheycomeinsomanyvarieties.Often,however,youwillfindbrown,tanandalmostwhitecapstogether.

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8) Fibrecap(Inocybegeophylla).Thismushroomoccursintwovarieties,whiteandlilac.Itisaverypoisonousmushroomcontainingtheverydangerousmuscarine.Itisaverycommonspeciesandissometimesmistakenforsmallfieldmushrooms(Agaricuscampestris)withdisastrousresults:itisextremelypoisonousanditsconsumptioncanbefatal.ItiscommoninBritainandmainlandEurope,growinginbothdeciduousandconiferwoodlands.,throughoutthesummerandautumnItisalsocommononroadsideswhereleaflitterhasaccumulated.

Fibrecap(Inocybegeophylla)._____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9) Daldinia fissa Lloyd (Gorse Cramp Ball) Usually found on gorse which has been subjected to fire at some point. There are scattered records of it occurring throughout the British Isles.

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10) SulphurTuft(Hypholomafasciculare).Thisisaverycommonfunguswhichisusuallytobefoundgrowingonrottenwood.FromAprilthroughtothefirstheavyfrosts,awalkinmixedwoodlands,SulphurTuftsareaverycommonsight,fruitingonfallentrees,decayingstumpsor,occasionally,hollowtrunksoflivingtrees.Itcanbefoundrottingbothondeciduousandconifertrees,althoughitismosteffectiveondeciduoustreeswhichhavealowerlignincontent.Thesefungiareanessentialcomponentofthecycleoflifeinthewoodlands.Itisinedibleduetoitsverybittertaste.Theremayhavebeenafewcasesofpoisoningfromthisfungus.

SulphurTuft(Hypholomafasciculare)

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11) TurkeyTail(Trametesversicolor).ThispolyporefungusisverycommonandwidespreadacrossBritainandIreland,italsooccursthroughoutmainlandEurope,fromnorthernScandinaviarightdowntotheMediterraneanregion.Thiswood-rottingfungusisalsofoundinAsiaandisverycommoninNorthAmerica.Whiletheuppersurfaceofthefunguscomprisesofconcentriczonesofred,yellow,green,blue,brown,blackandwhite,theunderside,whichiscoveredintinyshallowporesspacedat3to6porespermm,iswhiteorcream.Thesebracketfungiareconsideredtobeinediblebecausetheyarefartootough.ApparwentleytheyareusedinChinesemedicine.

TurkeyTail(Trametesversicolor)._______________________________________________________________________________________________________

12) WoodPinkgill(Entolomarhodopolium).ThisfungusissimilartotheStarPinkgillbutgrowsinwoodlandwhereastheStarPinkgillisgenerallytobefoundingrassland.ItistobefoundthroughoutBritainandEurope.Thisfungusisinedibleandhasbeenreportedtobepoisonousasitcontainsthetoxicagent,muscarinesoitistobeavoidedanddefinitelynotoneforthepot.

WoodPinkgill(Entolomarhodopolium________________________________________________________________________________________________________

13) TheBlusher(Amanitarubescens).Blushersaremycorhizalwithhardwoodandsoftwoodtrees;theyareparticularlyabundantinmanyconiferforestsonpooracidicsoils,wheretheyoccurinsmallgroupsmoreoftenthansingly.TheycanbefoundfromJunetoOctoberinBritainandIreland,butoccasionallyBlushersappearduringmildspellsaslateasDecember.ItisoneofheveryfewoftheAmanitaswhichisedible,butgreatcarehastobetakenwhenpickingthemasitissimilartothedeadlyPantherCap(Amanitapantherina).TheBlusherhastobecookedthoroughlybeforeeatinginordertoremovethetoxinswhicharetobefoundintherawstate.Ifthefleshofthismushroomisdamageditwillturnfromwhitetoapinkishred..(hencethenameTheBlusher)

TheBlusher(Amanitarubescens).

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14) PaleBrittlestem(Psathyrellacandolleana).isaverydelicatememberoftheinkcap-relatedgroupoffungi.Thismushroomoccursinallkindsofwoodlandsandwoodlandclearingsaswellasontimberburiedindampgrassland.Commonandwidespreadinmeadows,onlawnsandinwoodlandsthroughoutBritainandIreland.Someguidesrecorditasbeingedible,whilstothersrecorditasinedible.Thereforebesttobeavoided.TheBrittlestemowesitsnametothefactthatthefragilestemsarehollowandthinwalled.

PaleBrittlestem(Psathyrellacandolleana).____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

15) HaresfootInkcap(Coprinopsislagopus).MatureHaresfootInkcapslooksounliketheimmatureformitishardtobelievethattheyareofthesamespecies.Thefurrywhitecoatingthatinitiallycoverscapsandstemsdisappearsasthecapschangefromegg-shapedtoconvexandflat,therimfinallyturningupwardsandshrinkingindiametertoproduceaninrolledmarginthatcreatesashallow,distinctivelyblack-ribbedtranslucentbowl.Seeninbrightsunlighttheintricatebeautyofthesedelicatelittleinkcapsisquitestunning,TheyarewidelydistributedthroughoutBritainandEurope.Thisfungusgrowsonhumusrichwoodlandsoils,leaflitterandwoodchipmulch.MaytoNovember.

ImmatureformMatureform_______________________________________________________________________________________________________16)VariableWebcap(Cortinariusanomalus).InthegenerallydifficultCortinariusgroupoffungiCortinariusanomalusisoneofthemostvariableanddifficulttoidentifyfrommacroscopic

charactersalone-henceitscommonname.Capcolourinparticularisaveryvariablefeatureandchangesasthefruitingbodymatures.LikeallfungiintheCortinariusgenus,thismushroomshouldnotbeeaten;itcouldeasilybeconfusedwithsomeofthewebcapsthatcontainorellanineandareknowntobedeadlypoisonous.ItisfairlycommoninBritainandIreland,generallyoccurringinbirchwoodlands.

VariableWebcap(Cortinariusanomalus).___________________________________________________________________________________________________________\

17)AmethystDeceiver(Laccariaamethystina).ThisbeautifulmushroomiswidespreadinBritainandmainlandEurope.Itvariesincolourfromapaleviolettoadeeppurple,dependinguponhowolditisandwhetheritiswetordry.Thedeeppurplecolourismostnoticeableinyoungwetspecimens.Thebroad,deepgillsoftheAmethystDeceiverarewidelyspacedandinterspersedwithshortergills..ItcanbefoundbetweenJuneandNovember.TheAmethystDeceiverisedible,althoughittakesratheralotofthemtomakeagoodmeal.Thefibrousstemsofthesemycorrhizalmushroomsaretoughandinedibleandsoonlythecapsareworthcollecting.

AmethystDeceiver(Laccariaamethystina).SeenonHudson’sFen

______________________________________________________________________________________________________18)Stinkhorn(Phallusimpudicus).Wedidnotsee(orsmell)thestinkhornonourforay,wedidhoweverfindacoupleof“eggs”.TheLatinnametranslatesinto“shamelesslyphallic”ItgenerallyoccursinpinewoodlandsfromJunetoOctober.Itemergesfromtheeggstagewhichcanlaydormantformanymonths,withthecapcoveredinadarkgreenverysmellyslime.Itisthiswhichattractstheflieswhichthenconsumeitandthendistributethesporesbycarryingawaythesporesontheirfeet.

Stinkhorneggcutinhalf

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________19)BirchMilkcap(Lactariustabidus).isfoundingreatabundanceinBritainandIrelandfrom

AugusttoNovember,beneathbirchtreesinareaswherethesoilisdamp,humus-richandmossy.Thewhitemilk(latex)issometimesrathersparse,especiallyinveryyoungoroldspecimensandduringprolongeddryweather.ThebirchMilkcapisgenerallyconsideredtobeinedible.

BirchMilkcap(Lactariustabidus)

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20)BoletusedulisorCepmushroom.Thisisamuchsortafterandprizedediblemushroomwhichdoesnothavegills,butinsteadaseriestubesandpores,whichareagreenishyellowcolourinmaturespecimens.Itformsasymbioticrelationshipwiththerootsofnotablybirchandbeechtrees.thefungihelpthetreetoobtainvitalmineralsfromthesoil,andinreturntherootsystemofthetreedeliversenergy-richnutrients,theproductsofphotosynthesis,tothefungalmycelium.Althoughmosttreescansurvivewithouttheirmycorrhizalpartners,boletes(andmanyotherkindsofforest-floorfungi)cannotsurvivewithouttrees;consequentlytheseso-called'obligatelymycorrhizal'fungidonotoccurinopengrassland.ItcanbefoundfromJunetoOctober.

Boletusedulis

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21)SnowyInkcap(Coprinopsisnivea)isadung-lovingfungus,andmostoftenitisfoundonoldhorsedungoroncowdung,particularlywheredungandstrawfromstablesorfromcowshedshasbeenpiledupandlefttorot.ItcanbefoundfromMaytoOctober.ItisnotacommonfungusinBritain,butitisfarfrombeingrare.

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22)Rustgill(Gymnopiluspenetrans).CommonRustgillsgrowinmainlyconiferousforestsonrottingstumps,fallenbranchesandtheforestfloorwhereverconiferdebrishasbecomeburiedbeneathneedlelitter.Conifersawdustorwoodchippingsseemtobeequallyacceptablefareforthesefungi.TheyarecommoninBritainandIrelandfromJunetoNovember.TheCommonRustgillisinedibleandmaybepoisonousasseveralspeciesinthegenusGymnopilusareknowntobeseriouslypoisonous.

Rustgill(Gymnopiluspenetrans).___________________________________________________________________________________________________________23)ScurfyTwiglet(Tubariafurfuracea).Afairlycommonfungus,throughoutBritainand

Europe.Itcanbefoundonwoodydebris–twigsetc,throughoutmostoftheyear,particularduringtheautumnandearlywinter.Itisinedible.

ScurfyTwiglet(Tubariafurfuracea

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24)GreenBrittlegill(Russulaaeruginea).ThereareonlyafewfungiinBritainwhichhavegreencapsandthisisoneofthem.ItisusuallyfoundinbirchwoodlandsfromJunetoOctober.Thegillsareusuallywhite,yellowingwithage.TheGreenBrittlegillisrecordedasbeingedibleinsomefieldguidesandasinedibleinothers.

GreenBrittlegill(Russulaaeruginea).

===========================================================================TheinformationandsomeofthephotographsinthislistwascompiledfromvarioussourcesontheInternet.