An assortment of fungal finds

Trees are cool. So are fungi. Together, they’re also cool. Thus, here’s some pictures of a few fungi that I came across this week on and around trees, given that autumn is upon us and things are now coming out into action.

Some tiny Crepidotus cesatii all along a fallen small ash (Fraxinus excelsior) twig. The central pith of the twig was completely overrun by mycelium, upon inspection.

Turning the small fruiting bodies upside-down reveals a quite glorious gill arrangement.

A pair of Pluteus chrysophaeus popping out from the heavily-decayed remains of an ash log.

A lone Pluteus cervinus barges its way out from an old branch attachment on a long-dead birch (Betula pendula) stem.

This quartet of Gymnopilus junonius fruiting bodies making the butt of a fallen oak (Quercus robur) their place of temporary residence.

A select few of a quite abundant display of Mycena inclinata upon its much-preferred host: Quercus robur.

An enterprising Coprinus lagopus stands produly above its emerging companion on the floor of a deciduous woodland.

Close by, a few more Coprinus lagopus are beginning their sporophoral life.

A cluster of Coprinus atramentaria have reserved this car-parking space.

My favourite one of them all: Chlorociboria aeruginascens. This gorgeous little ascomycete (specifically a discomycete, if I recall correctly) dresses its substrate with a turquoise colouration, courtesy of its entrepreneurial mycelial network.

These guys are absolutely tiny, though we can even see the dainty little stipe on the one in the top right.

The yellow jelly-like fungus Tremella mesenterica parasitising upon a visually absent Peniophora sp. mycelial network, penetrating through this well-decayed hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) branch.

Peculiar! Daldinia sp. upon a fallen stem of birch (Betula pendula). I am uncertain as to whether this would be Daldinia concentrica, or another one of the myriad of known species of the genus Daldinia. At least five species are known to the UK.

Another angle of the coal fungi along this birch stem.

Dead man’s fingers! Xylaria polymorpha fruiting bodies are littered along this fallen ash (Fraxinus excelsior).

This ascomycete has a fantastic context. Anyone for liquorice?

An old and now quite mouldy Ganoderma lucidum that I found within a coppice stool of hornbeam (Carpinus betulus). What a great stipe!

A duo of Nigroporus durus on some very old decaying logs – probably of ash (Fraxinus excelsior), due to the presence of Daldinia concentrica to the pair’s left.

Finally, the remains of a Phaeolus schweinitzii on a stump of Pseudotsuga menziesii. A few weeks earlier and it’d have been lovely!