Apply a few drops of a fresh aqueous solution of 10 per cent (weight: volume) ferric chloride or ferric sulphate to the stem and observe any colour change. If it is possible to obtain a large crystal of ferric sulphate, this can be rubbed directly on the stem and so used for rapid identification of certain species of Russula in the field. It can be kept fresh when not in use by placing it in a corked tube containing a wad of cotton wool moistened with dilute ammonium sulphate. Fungi may also sometimes be found in houses. Fortunately for the owners, they are usually no more significant than microscopic moulds, but many old houses, especially with cellars, will support some growth of Coniophora puteana, the cause of wet rot or the serious wood-destroying alien Serpula lacrymans, the cause of dry rot. Other Basidiomycetes, including Antrodia vaillantii and even the agaric Agrocybe arvalis, may also be found occasionally in cellars. Heathland, moorland and mountains Identification: A grey to fawn cap that is at first egg-shaped and then later bell shaped. The surface is smooth and splits into a few tiny scales from the apex, the edges are often wavy and split. Stem is white and hollow. Cap is around 4-8 cm across and stem is 5-15 cm tall. Geoffrey Kibby is one of Britain’s foremost experts on identifying mushrooms in the field and has published a range of excellent guides/handbooks to mushroom identification. Hbr S 10 Must Reads On Making Smart Decisions With Featured Article Before You Make That Big Decision By Daniel Kahneman Dan Lovallo And Olivier Sibony

Basic Guide to Identifying Fungi Basic Guide to Identifying Fungi

September is upon us with morning mists and a slight chill in the air… it must be mushroom time! Around this time of year, books on mushroom identification and natural history appear with almost as much certainty as the fungi themselves. Two of our favourite mycologically-minded authors, Peter Marren and Geoffrey Kibby, give some useful and interesting tips for the keen mushroom hunter.Shape. Cap shape shows the greatest difference between mature and immature specimens and this difference should be noted. The description of cap shape used normally in species descriptions relates to the mature form and five main types are recognised: bell-shaped, conical, convex (or in its extreme form, domed) with the appearance of an upturned bowl, flat and, finally, uplifted, where the entire cap is depressed into a bowl-like form with uplifted margins. In describing shape, the presence and form of any central bump or depression should also be noted. A cap with some form of central bump is called umbonate or, if the bump is very small and pimple-like, papillate; one with a depression is called depressed although a very deep depression rendering the cap funnel-shaped is found quite commonly and is characteristic of some genera. A depression in the cap with a small bump or pimple in the centre is also fairly common and is called umbilicate. The sixth title in the bestselling Collins Guide series, this book covers the fungi of the British Isles, with considerable relevance for Europe and the wider temperate world. Leading mycological artists have been specially commissioned to ensure accurate, detailed illustrations.

Mushroom Identification: Pro Tips from Top UK Mycologists - NHBS Mushroom Identification: Pro Tips from Top UK Mycologists - NHBS

Mycology, or mushrooming, can appeal on many levels, from the simple pleasure of seeing strange and wonderful organisms to the intellectual challenge of trying to identify them and understand their intricate life cycles. But the starting point is, and always will be, a good book! And finally… hand lenses to help with mushroom identification A field guide can only take you so far and show you a representative sample of a particular species. Fungi vary much more than most organisms and you will need to learn them in all their many and varied forms before you can confidently say you know a species well. The best way to learn is to get a good guide and then take it along on an organised fungal walk (or foray as they are usually called). Here you will usually be led by an experienced expert who can show you first hand the important features of each species as well as their particular ecology. The latter can be vital in fungus identification. Many fungi grow in association with specific trees or other plants and knowing this can help you to identify or even predict the species you may find. Among more local and restricted types of woodland with interesting mycobiota are those found mainly on wetlands, particularly copses and riverside plantations of willow or poplar, and especially alder carr. A surprisingly large number of fungal species are alder associates: Pholiota alnicola and Gyrodon lividus are among the most striking, while almost the entire genus Naucoria is found with alders, hence the English name aldercaps. Fungal nutrition is a complex subject but one aspect of it is nonetheless of particular importance in relation to their occurrence in the field. Anyone who has ever collected toadstools will have noted that many, perhaps most, occur in particular types of woodland, beneath particular types of tree or consistently in company with certain types of plant. This is not mere chance, nor the result of two species requiring a similar ecological niche. It is because of an intimate association called a mycorrhiza, which means that under certain circumstances the one cannot exist, or can do so only inadequately, without the other. A mycorrhiza is a symbiotic association between fungal hyphae and the roots of higher plants, and also, to some extent, of some Pteridophytes (ferns and their allies) and the rhizoids of Bryophytes (mosses and liverworts). The fungal mycelium forms an outer sheath around the fine rootlets and this can be seen if the rootlets are examined closely with a lens. Penetration of fungal hyphae into the root is limited and occurs only between the cells of the cortex. Precisely how the mycorrhizal mycelium assists its host plant, and vice versa, is still imperfectly understood, but it seems that the fungus obtains much of its necessary supply of carbon from the roots and, in return, acts as an intermediary in the uptake of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphate and potash from the soil. The mycorrhizal fungus seems better able to achieve this uptake, especially from poor soils, than does the plant acting on its own. The naming and classification of fungi Note the relationship of the fruit bodies one to the other. This is especially important with agarics which may occur as solitary individuals, attached to each other in various ways in tufts or clumps, or trooping (groups of isolated individuals growing close together but not obviously attached).The identification of fungi is not inherently any more difficult than the identification of other organisms but it requires a degree of patience and there are a number of unique factors. One major problem lies with the ephemeral nature of most fungal fruit bodies and the fairly irregular appearance of some from season to season. Thus, in many instances, there are only a few weeks each season in which to practise identification and some species may only be seen once every few years, even in the same locality. Beginners should take comfort therefore from the fact that even experienced field mycologists have to re-learn a great deal each autumn. Only the professional or very serious amateur with access to a fungal herbarium has year-round availability of material for study. Criteria used to describe and identify agarics Macroscopic features of the fruit body From mould to yeast, fungi are a diverse kingdom with over 15,000 species in the UK. Fungi are made up of different microscopic thread like bodies called hyphae, and collectively hyphae form mycelium. Mushrooms or toadstools are the reproductive, umbrella shaped fruiting bodies of certain fungi. These organisms can be found in almost every natural habitat, but more kinds of macro-fungi tend to be found in woodlands, as they provide a rich and continuing nutrient source and a wide range of microhabitats.

Collins Fungi Guide: The most complete field guide to the Collins Fungi Guide: The most complete field guide to the

To naturalists who are used to identifying birds and mammals, the study of fungi (rather like the study of some insects and other small creatures, and to a certain extent some plants) requires a rather different approach. This is because relatively few species can be named accurately in the field, other than by the most experienced collectors, and even they almost always find it necessary to collect fruit bodies for close inspection. Most fungi, moreover, require microscopic examination and sometimes simple chemical tests too, either to verify an identification based on superficial characters or, sometimes, to identify them at all. The legality of collecting Finally, it should be noted if the gills are deliquescing or self-liquefying and turning inky, a characteristic of many species in the genera Coprinus, Coprinopsis, Coprinellus and Parasola. This guide is destined to be an indispensable authority on the subject for everyone from beginning hobbyists to trained experts, throughout Appalachia and beyond.Many species can only be distinguished with certainty by using a microscope to examine their spores and other microscopic structures, or by the application of specific chemicals to produce colour reactions. More technical monographs are needed for these. How to Identify Edible Mushrooms' describes all the edible species of mushroom, together with those with which they may be confused.

Collins Complete British Mushrooms and Toadstools: The Collins Complete British Mushrooms and Toadstools: The

A small range of chemical reagents will be necessary for use with particular groups of fungi, which cause characteristic colour changes when the chemicals are applied to them (either as macroscopic reactions, visible to the naked eye, or as microscopic effects, to be seen under the microscope). These reagents are shown here, along with details of the various tests. Collection and examination in the field The second edition draws on an additional three years of surveying done over a wider area, adding 23 new species to the 177 already described in the first edition Identification: One of the largest fungi in the UK, it is similar in size to a football. The young fruiting bodies are solid, white, thin and smooth and then later turn olive, then finally brown when it opens. When mature it is roughly 20-75 cm across. There is no stem, however it can be connected to the ground by a fine root like filament. Shape. Most stems are equal (more or less parallel sided) but some taper either upwards or downwards; most species with rooting stems taper downwards into the ‘root’, while others are markedly club-shaped (clavate) with a highly pronounced taper upwards or even bulbous (with a pronounced swelling at the base like an onion). Some bulbous forms have a marked and rather sharp margin around the upper edge of the bulb; these are called marginate bulbous while those that swell very abruptly at the base are called abruptly bulbous. Stem shape in transverse section should be noted if it is other than circular; some species have markedly flattened or grooved stems for instance, while it is sometimes important to observe if it is solid in section, hollow or stuffed (apparently with a central hollow filled with cottony tissue). Former Head of Mycology and Plant Pathology and sometime Acting Regius Keeper at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh]

Remove the specimens carefully from the substrate, noting especially if the stem base is rooting (inserted deeply into the ground, rather like a carrot root). Make a record of any features that are immediately obvious and striking (a hairy cap, a smell of almonds or a bright red colour for example) and also those characters that change on handling (such as a colour change similar to bruising where the tissues have been touched, or an aroma that becomes suddenly apparent). Whenever possible, try to take at least one immature fruit body but remember that without some fully mature individuals identification will usually be impossible. It is much better to place only one collection in each container for bringing home; many toadstools look remarkably similar, especially when seen apart from their habitat, and trying to relate a mixed collection to one species can cause endless frustration. The need not to mix collections is even more important when collecting fungi to eat because an inedible or poisonous species can so easily be tossed into the pan along with the edible ones. Note: we cannot stress strongly enough the caution with which you should approach mushroom identification. Some mushrooms are edible, but some are deadly, and identification can be very difficult. As Geoffrey Kibby says below, if in doubt, throw it out!). Collins Fungi Guide. The Most Complete Field Guide to the Mushrooms and Toadstools of Britain& Ireland. London: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. ISBN: 978 0 00 724290 0. Jordan M (2004) The Encyclopaedia of Fungi of Britain and Europe...