As the autumn rains soak our countryside, the fruiting bodies of fungi sprout forth, bewitching us with their bewildering multitude of forms.
One of the most bizarre of these is the Common Inkcap.
Tag Archives: #Funghi
Chanterelle; Notes on Biology and Foraging
Chanterelles belong to the Cantharellaceae family and their scientific name derives from the Greek word kantharos (κάνθαρος) which is a type of cup, describing their distinctive funnel or trumpet-like shape, with cibarius coming from the latin cibus which simply means ‘food’.
Picking Puffballs
Picking Puffballs, a look at the ecology, habitat and historical uses of Calvatia gigantea, the Giant Puffball, including tips on foraging and a simple recipe
Yellow Brain Fungus / Witches’ Butter
Those cold, damp January days, when nobody feels like venturing out so you can have the countryside completely to yourself, often offer the best opportunities for poking about the bare hedges and woods to see what treasures catch your eye. In this case, early on the First of January, the prizes I found, shining likeContinue reading “Yellow Brain Fungus / Witches’ Butter”
Waxcaps, the Jewels of the Pastures
Waxcaps are attractive looking grassland fungi found at biodiverse sites, those that are rich in flora and fauna species. They earn their common name by way of their shiny, waxy-looking caps which, depending on the species, come in a wide variety of colours ranging from red, orange, yellow through to green, there is even oneContinue reading “Waxcaps, the Jewels of the Pastures”
The Lady of the Woods and the Witches Brooms
The Silver Birch The Silver birch, Betula pendula, the ‘Lady of the Woods’, is a graceful looking deciduous tree which grows up to about 30m tall and flowers from around April to May, they are a short-lived species and rarely live beyond 100 years. Its scientific name, betula, comes from the ancient Gaulish word ‘betu’,Continue reading “The Lady of the Woods and the Witches Brooms”
Mushroom Picking
It’s nearing the end of September and the start of mushroom season, more wet weather is forecast and in this part of the country, with our rainy prevailing winds, we have some of the best fields and woods for picking funghi you could hope to find anywhere. Mushroom picking is traditionally a social activity, it’sContinue reading “Mushroom Picking”
Temperate Rainforests
Rainforest, but not as we know it Lofty green trees clad in lianas and vines, broad waxy leaves dripping with rainwater, howling and screeching monkeys and birds, the whine of flying insects and unbearable humidity, for most people the images these words conjure up are of the archetypal tropical rainforests, those vast, mysterious jungles ofContinue reading “Temperate Rainforests”
Northwest Nature and History 