John C. writes: Whilst cleaning out nest boxes with the LWVP volunteers at Standlake last Thursday morning (12 October) we noticed some fungi on a log at the side of the track. I didn’t pay much attention to them at the time but after we’d finished and I’d spent an hour or so in one of the hides, I went back for a closer look.
At first they didn’t look very interesting but close up it was clear that they were a bit unusual. Looking more closely, the gooey red/orange droplets on the stems confirmed that they were wrinkled peaches (Rhodotus palmatus) – a nice find because they are very attractive and rather uncommon. They seem to be associated with elm.
I previously found this species very nearby almost exactly two years ago (and ‘blogged’ it here, where there are some more and better photos). I looked for them last year but didn’t find any, perhaps because the summer had been so hot.
I hope that this augurs well for the Club’s Fungus Foray at Watlington Hill on 5 November. (Details on programme page here.)
John Cobb 14 October 2023
WEST OXFORDSHIRE FIELD CLUB 