Dead man’s fingers / Autumn / Winter / Inedible The Dead Man’s Fingers (Xylaria polymorpha) is a striking and slightly eerie fungus that earns its name from its unusual appearance. Found growing on decaying hardwood, particularly around tree stumps and buried roots, this fungus resembles blackened, finger-like shapes emerging from…
Tag: fungi
Shaggy Bracket / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Winter / Inedible The Shaggy Bracket (Inonotus hispidus) is a bold and fascinating fungus often found on deciduous trees such as ash and apple across the UK. Its large, shaggy-looking brackets and rusty brown colour make it a distinctive sight, particularly…
Silky Rosegill / Summer / Autumn / Winter / Edible The Silky Rosegill (Volvariella bombycina) is a stunning and edible mushroom that occasionally graces decaying hardwoods with its presence. Its silky, cream-coloured cap and delicate pink gills give it a striking appearance, making it a prized find for those lucky…
Rooting Shank / Summer / Autumn / Edible The Rooting Shank (Hymenopellis radicata) is a distinctive mushroom often found in UK woodlands, particularly around the bases of decaying hardwoods. With its tall, slender stem and small, pale-brown cap, this mushroom gets its name from its long, tapering root-like base that…
Tuberous polypore / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Winter / Edible The Tuberous Polypore (Polyporus tuberaster) is a delightful find for me. Known for its edible qualities and distinctive growth habit, this mushroom grows from an underground sclerotium—a hard, tuber-like structure that gives it its name. Found on…
Cinnamon Bracket / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Winter / Toxic The Cinnamon Bracket (Hapalopilus nidulans) is one of those mushrooms that stops you in your tracks during a woodland walk. Its warm, cinnamon-brown colour and soft, velvety texture make it stand out against the dull greys and greens…
Egghead Mottlegill /Spring / Summer / Autumn / Winter / Inedible The first time I came across the Egg head Mottlegill (Panaeolus semiovatus), I was struck by its delicate, egg-shaped cap and intricate mottled gills. This is one of those fungi that catches your eye in horse pastures and other…
Silver leaf fungus /Spring / Summer / Autumn / Winter / Inedible The Silver Leaf Fungus (Chondrostereum purpureum) is a fascinating yet inedible fungus often found in UK woodlands, particularly on decaying hardwood trees and stumps. Known for its role as both a decomposer and a plant pathogen, it’s infamous…
Shaggy Scalycap / Summer / Autumn / Inedible The Shaggy Scalycap is the one mushroom you could potentially confuse with the edible honey fungus mushroom, it’s well worth getting to know as we come across it regularly. Scientific Name Pholiota squarrosa Common Names Shaggy Scalycap Family Strophariaceae Habitat They are…
Tripe Fungus / Autumn / Inedible The Tripe Fungus (Auricularia mesenterica) is an unusual and eye-catching mushroom, often found on the decaying wood of broadleaf trees across the UK, Europe, North America, and parts of Asia. Named for its resemblance to animal tripe, this fungi features a distinctive layered structure…