Members’ Finds 2026
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February 11th 2026
.jpg "Photo © Jesper Launder") |
February 11th Meottomyces dissimulans (Winter Brownie) In Seer Green Jesper Launder came across a sizeable fruiting (60+ fruit bodies) of this infrequently recorded LBJ which has a preference for this time of year. Jesper apparently knows it from 'up north' but had not seen it in Bucks before today. Penny has only found it once - see the Finds previous entry which includes some description details, so this is one to look out for now as the present conditions must clearly be suitable. Note that the stem ring - a useful pointer to the species - is visible on the two young fruit bodies (bottom left) but is missing on others and is described as fleeting. Though described as widespread, this species is not common with under 50 FRDBI records. Previous finds |
February 10th 2026
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February 10th Sarcoscypha austriaca (Scarlet Elfcup) A wander at Turville Heath produced several fungi today but Penny was particularly pleased and also not surprised to find first one, then a couple more examples of this charismatic and eye-catching spring species. It favours damp places where fallen deciduous wood is in contact with soil, and there should be plenty of those around at the moment! Here it was on fallen Lime though it often shows a preference for Willow (though maybe just because Willow favours damp areas too?). We have plenty of previous entries, yes, but Penny couldn't resist putting this one in as she's received no report of it as yet this year. Previous finds |
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February 10th Psathyrella spadiceogrisea (Spring Brittlestem)  In woody litter under Lime at Turville Heath Penny found a small singleton, and at home her thoughts that it was a Psathyrella, possibly spadiceogrisea considering the time of year, were confirmed. Our earliest record - we have plenty - is for early March (as it happens from this same site - Finds entry Mar. 3rd 2024), with the vast majority of records for April and May, but considering the recent mild and very damp extended spell it seems hardly surprising that it should be starting to fruit now. Previous finds |
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February 10th Exidia glandulosa (Witch's Butter) It is perhaps no surprise (after constant rain) that 'jelly fungi' should be thriving at present, and this was born out at Turville Heath where Penny found this fully expanded and extremely soggy and gelatinous example on fallen Lime. The underside (seen in photo 2) shows the finely bobbly surface typical of both this species and the similar E. nigricans (Warlock's Butter), though that species is more 'brainlike', forms clusters of smaller less cushion-like fruit bodies which don't develop into the large individual swellings seen here. If splitting the two is in doubt, there is a difference in spore size between them, though today Penny thought it not necessary to check. (For further explanation re the names of these two species see her comments under the E. nigricans entry dated Jan 17th 2022.) Previous finds |
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February 10th Tubaria furfuracea (Scurfy Twiglet) In a large patch covered in rotting chips and woody debris at Turville Heath (where a Beech had been felled last year) Penny counted upwards of 100 fruit bodies of this common species dotted about. Nearly all were missing the tell-tale white veil remnants around the cap rim which in the field help to separate this species from the similar genus Conocybe or even Galerina - no doubt washed off by rain. However, the slightly decurrent gills (often but not always apparent) seen in photo 2 left no doubt in her mind. Elsewhere in a less exposed spot she found another example less affected by the rain and showing this rim of veil well (photo 3). Previous finds |
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February 10th Auricularia auricula-judae (Jelly Ear) In a somewhat drizzly Turville Heath Penny spotted a fallen Ash branch liberally covered with this species - common on Elder, less common on Beech, but with just two previous county records this century on Ash as here. (In all we have around 350 records in the database!) It was not until she'd turned one over to check that she was certain of the ID (see examples of the typical underside in both photos) because none looked typically ear-shaped and all were rather browner than usual with little hint of red - maybe just very washed out. Previous finds |
| Just in September 23rd 2025 |
Russula rutila (Ruddy Brittlegill) Click here |
February 9th 2026
.jpg "Photo © Jesper Launder")
.jpg "Photo © Jesper Launder")
.jpg "Photo © Jesper Launder") |
February 9th Cortinarius damascenus (Clustered Webcap) In Chalfont St. Peter Jesper Launder was surprised to find a Cortinarius (Webcap) under Beech - this being a strange time of year for this genus. However, he recalled finding an identical collection from this same spot back in late December 2024 (though his photo never made it into Finds, thus is included here). The species is apparently characterised in the field not only by its tapering conjoined stems (which he'd observed in the first collection) but also by its cap colour suggesting plums or damsons and its raphanoid (radishy) smell. The microscopic features also fitted, thus though today's collection was only a singleton he is confident that the two collections are one and the same. There are scant UK records this century on FRDBI, and prior to that one from 1945 and another from 1915, so it is seldom recorded thus a sample will be sequenced, especially as December and February are somewhat unusual for this genus to be found fruiting. (Photo 1 is of the 2024 collection.) New find |
.jpg "Photo © Jesper Launder")
.jpg "Photo © Jesper Launder") |
February 9th Entoloma cf. sericioides (Satin Pinkgill) In Gerrards Cross Jesper Launder spied a large shiny capped Entoloma in mossy grassy near Oak, noted its distinct rancid mealy smell on collection and took it home to key out. The small spores and silky dark brown cap fitted with the relatively common E. sericeum (Silky Pinkgill), however the slightly sunken cap centre and (microscopically) the lack of clamps suggested the similar but rarely recorded E. sericeoides. Bearing in mind that clamps, if present, are often elusive and easily missed, this specimen will be sequenced to confirm and Jesper is happier to qualify the name with 'cf.' for now. We have just one previous county record: Derek's from Rushbeds Wood back in 1999. New find |
.jpg "Photo © Jesper Launder") |
February 9th Elaphomyces muricatus (Marbled False Truffle) In Chalfont St. Peter Jesper Launder spotted various dig holes on a residential lawn, and with the owner's blessing he checked the holes for truffles. At the bottom of one, a squirrel-scraped surface of an Elaphomyces truffle was just visible, but only on excavating it did he realise why the squirrel had failed to remove it. It was an absolute whopper! This species is described as reaching 2.5cm across at most, but this one was a good cm larger than that! However, the distinctive garlic smell together with microscopic features left no doubt though it was, in his words: 'far and away the largest specimen I've encountered!'. Previous finds |
February 8th 2026
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February 8th Lamproderma scintillans (a slime mould with no English name) In Ragpits Reserve Phil Townsend noticed these tiny shiny white globes on thin stalks on a piece of rotten wood, thought it was a slime mould and sent his photo to Penny who promptly forwarded it on to Barry Webb and Jackie Mackenzie-Dodds for their thoughts on an ID. Both agreed on this name though it has not been checked microscopically, but Barry comments that he's been finding this species a lot lately and Phil's photo is spot on for what it looks like when immature before it colours up. See previous Finds entries for more mature specimens. Previous finds |
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February 8th Didymium squamulosum (a common slime mould with no English name) In Ragpits Reserve Phil Townsend noticed these tiny bobbles on a fallen leaf, thought it was a slime mould and sent his photo to Penny who promptly forwarded it on to Barry Webb and Jackie Mackenzie-Dodds for their thoughts on an ID. Both agreed on this name though it has not been checked microscopically but is one of the commonest in this large genus and favours dead leaves in damp conditions - perfect at the moment! Previous finds |
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February 8th Encoelia furfuracea (Spring Hazelcup) In Rushbeds Wood Phil Townsend found this small cup fungus on a mossy Hazel branch, one which likes to fruit at this time of year. Rushbeds Wood abounds with Hazel and interestingly our first Finds photo of this species was Joanna Dodsworth's from this same site almost to the day in February back in 2021 Previous finds |
February 6th 2026
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February 6th Entoloma hirtipes (Graceful Pinkgill) In Gerrards Cross Jesper Launder was pleased to find some fresh mushrooms fruiting, no doubt encouraged by the copious recent rains. This particular Pinkgill can apparently often appear in spring as well as in late autumn and has a distinctive mealy farinaceous smell with a cod-liver-oil component similar to that of Macrocystidia cucumis (Cucumber Cap). Jesper comments that this smell was very noticeable once the collection had been contained overnight, and this helped to confirm his ID as the caps were a less conical shape than usual for the species - see previous entries for comparison. Previous finds |
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February 6th Galerina graminea (Turf Bell) In Gerrards Cross in a grassy verge Jesper Launder spotted this little group and recognised not only the genus but also the species, this being quite a common species of Bell with which he is familiar though he's not come across it for quite some time. It is a new entry for Finds though this in itself is not an indication of rarity but more likely evidence that few of us spend time studying this tricky genus - one which is not that hard to name to genus but having many species which appear almost identical and microscopic characters which are not always easy to interpret. New find |
January 29th 2026
.jpg "Photo © Jesper Launder") |
January 29th Heteroradulum deglubens (Blushing Crust) In Jordans Village Jesper Launder came across a nice fresh example of this corticioid species on some fallen indeterminate wood and, though his camera failed to pick it up successfully, he noticed the pink flush which gradually developed and is a useful field character, helping to confirm his determination. We have very few county records though this is not a rare species. New find |
January 28th 2026
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January 28th Phaeotremella frondosa (Leafy Brain) In Burnham Beeches Gill Ferguson came across this large frilly seaweed-like gelatinous fungus and sent her photo to Penny who recognised it as what we have previously named Tremella foliacea. Checking her facts with Sarah Ebdon, she recalled that recently not only has the genus name changed but as DNA revealed it as a species complex, it has now been split with the result that P. foliacea is now the name for fruit bodies found on fallen conifer and P. frondosa when found on fallen broadleaf wood, most commonly Beech. In fact it is apparently parasitic on the common Stereum hirsutum (Hairy Curtain Crust), often occurring on the wood once the host fungus fruit bodies have disappeared, and Gill commented that she'd noticed this host further along the branch today. So though this is a new record for the county under its present name, there can be little doubt that most if not all of our records for Tremella foliacea are in fact this species. Previous finds |
January 27th 2026
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January 27th Dissingia leucomelaena (a rarely recorded Saddle with no English name) In Gerrards Cross Jesper Launder investigated a spot under Pine where he'd previously found this rare species several times in Spring, and there it was again. Previously in genus Helvella (though looking more akin to maybe Peziza) this is the earliest date he's found it here. See the notes on previous finds for more information about the species. Previous finds |
.jpg "Photo © Jesper Launder") |
January 27th Balsamia vulgaris (Common Truffle) In Gerrards Cross Jesper Launder visited a spot he knows for a springtime Helvella species (which he successfully located), but whilst there he also noticed a large 'dig hole with truffly scraps in it' - his words - and on further investigation found a large in-tact knobbly truffle. It had a strong aroma of garlic which suggested B. vulgaris and his ID was then confirmed with microscopy later. What was particularly interesting was that the only possible host tree was 2-needle Pine which is not a known host for this species, known to associate with Beech, Hazel or possibly Larch, though Jesper has also found it under Spruce. There are only a dozen or so records for this species on FRDBI, four of these being Jesper's from Bucks. Previous finds |
January 12th 2026
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January 12th Tulostoma brumale (Winter Stalkball) Jesper Launder went looking for this species on a mossy bank in the carpark of a Gerrards Cross hotel where he'd found it new to the county in November '23', though having failed to find it there last year. He was rewarded with perhaps 10 fruitbodies though not in great condition, the best of which is seen here. These are tiny puffballs on a stalk, less than 1 cm across with the stalk up to about 2.5 cms tall, with a preference for sandy calcareous soil and most commonly found in coastal dunes. As will be ascertained from our other two Finds entries, we now have two county sites where it's been found. Previous finds |
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January 12th Flammulina velutipes (Velvet Shank) Tony Knight noticed this attractive fresh clump on an old Ash log in Chilton village. This is a species at home in wintry conditions and quite happy with snow and ice, so it's no surprise that our many other Finds entries have similar dates to this collection. Another to keep a look out for, with its brightly coloured caps and dark finely furry stems. Previous finds |
January 10th 2026
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January 10th Exidiopsis effusa (Hair Ice Crust) Claire Williams is becoming a dab hand at locating this beautiful and interesting species, though today's photos come from Downley Wood where she's not seen it before. Mid January seems to be the peak time for it to appear, when suitably moist and frosty conditions trigger this remarkable mutation to occur. See previous comments for further information. If we get another really cold spell then this is well worth looking out for on fallen wood. Previous finds |
January 4th 2026
| Just in December 31st |
Hypholoma capnoides (Conifer Tuft) Click here |
| Update December 25th |
Chrysomphalina grossula (Green Navel) Click here |
| Just in December 14th |
Craterium minutum (a slime mould with no English name) Click here |
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January 4th Craterellus tubaeformis (Trumpet Chanterelle) Our first find for 2026! Justin Long found these fruitbodies in Apsley Woods nr Milton Keynes, easily recognisable despite being completely frozen solid! The genus name may surprise a few here as this was previously in Cantharellus; it has also had several different English names including Yellowlegs (very apt) and Winter Chanterelle (also in this case apt) though it is certainly not restricted to fruiting at this time and is often to be found in good numbers during the autumn months. This is a mushroom which, if you come across one, there are nearly always more close by though they're usually surprisingly hard to see and you need to 'get your eye in' as the saying goes! Surprisingly, our previous Finds entry appears to be from 2023 because this is not a rarity. Previous finds |