Volume 9, Part 4, November 1995

Though inconspicuous in the field, Athelopsisbananispora is easily distinguished microscopi-cally by its prominent hyphal pegs and banana-shaped spores. Like Parvobasidium cretatum , itappears to be restricted to dead attached fernfronds, and also occurs in spring. It was originallydescribed from the French Indian Ocean island ofReunion (Boidin & Gilles, 1986), and later col-lected in France itself. The Devon collections arethe first from Britain, though an earlier collectionfrom the Channel Islands has been found at Kmisdetermined as Epithele galzinii. This latterspecies, now known as Athelopsis galzinii (Bres.)Hjortstam and also found on ferns, is dis-tinguished by its much shorter, depressed ellip-soid spores and has not yet been found in theBritish Isles, though it should occur.

Thanks to Kurt Hjortstam for determiningPhlebiella paludicola, and J . Boidin for the loan ofthe type of Aphanobasidium bourdotii.

ReferencesBoidin, J. & Gilles, G. (1986) Basidiomycetes

aphyllophorales de l'ile de la Reunion IV. Bulletinde la Societe Mycologique de France 102:299-304.

Boidin, J. & Gilles , G. (1989) Les corticies pleuro-basidies en France. Crypt. Bot. 1: 70-79.

Bourdot, H . & Galzin, A. (1928) Hymenomycetes deFrance. Marcel Bry, Sceaux.

Roberts, P. (1993) Interesting and unusual corticioidfungi from Slapton, Devon. Mycologist 7: 152-155.

Roberts, P. (1994) Interesting and unusual corticioidfungi from Slapton, Devon. II. Mycologist 8:115-118.

PROFESSOR C.T. INGOLD'S 90TH BIRTHDAY FORAY

On 15 July 1995 a celebratory foray was held atLittle Wittenham Nature Reserve to mark the90th birthday of Professor Terence Ingold, and ashe is president of the Fungus Survey of Oxford-shire it was most appropriate that the forayshould be organised by this group. There werenearly 50 people present, some ofthem not seen onforays for many years, and there would have beeneven more but for the rail strike. The morning wasspent in Little Wittenham Wood, starting inlight rain which soon petered out leaving con-ditions as dryas ever . In spite ofthe drought about90 species of fungi were found in a range ofhabitats.

Terrestrial fungi were scarce but Russula aeru-ginea , Boletus chrysenteron (see Fig 5 on backcover) and Hemimycena candida in particularwere found. Fallen wood provided some varietywith Steccherinum ochraceum, Resupinatusapplicatus, three species of Pluteus and Calocerapallidospathulata being noted ; rusts and smutswere also in evidence. Dutch Elm disease attackvia beetles was seen and also Alder die-back. Wereturned to the pleasant and spacious lower roomof Glebe Cottage (attached to the Manor House)for our picnic lunch supplemented by hot or colddrinks and the buzz ofconversation was continualeven after we should have been out exploringother parts of the Reserve. Some dedicated for-

ayers did venture forth again and produced thebulkiest find of the day, Inonotus hispidus whichwas fruiting on several ancient apple trees.

Professor Ingold arrived with his daughter inthe early afternoon and was soon engrossed inconversation with one group after another, somecolleagues from many years ago and some morerecent friends as he circulated around, taking aseat here for a while, then standing there withanother group. Our President Dr Juliet Frank-land gave a short speech of appreciation andcongratulation to which Terence replied in hisusual lively way , after which he was asked to cuthis birthday cake (see Fig 4 on back cover). Thiswas a beautiful construction, made by AllisonBanham of the Oxford Group, iced to appear likethe surface of a pond with floating leaves bearingspores of aquatic fungi and the edge decoratedwith aquatic plants.

Conversation continued with knots of peoplechatting, breaking up to collect delicious savour-ies and cakes, then mixing and reforming, butgradually thinning out as various deadlines fordeparture came and went. We reluctantlydeparted from a happy and memorable occasion,so well organised by Marion and Arthur Warlandand their band of helpers from the Fungus Surveyof Oxfordshire group.

A.W. Brand