On Sunday 5th of November about 25 of us, including some visitors, met Peter Creed on Watlington Hill for a foray to look at (mainly) grassland fungi. It was a beautiful day, sunny and dry with a breeze, good conditions for seeing fungi.
Approaching the open hillside through woodland we spotted shaggy parasols and tawny funnels – making a promising start. Emerging on to the hilltop we were confronted with a magnificent view and a gathering of about twenty red kites wheeling over the slope.
We soon spotted numerous snowy waxcaps quickly followed by several more species of waxcap, indicators of the unimproved grassland that makes this such a good site.
We then encountered the first of several rare species that Peter had hoped to show us, Leucocybe connata, a large, beige fungus growing in a long extended clump down the slope. This was followed by big blue pinkgills (this one specific to the site as shown by its DNA) with a metallic dark grey cap (main picture). Several of the rarer fungi we saw are associated with the common rockrose of which Tricholoma hemisulphureum is one, named for its distinct smell of gas; also Cortinarius ultrodistortus, a small tawny fungus with orange gills. The last two of the fungi we had particularly come to see were Lactarius evosmus, slightly past its best but still beautiful with a bright orangey hue that almost glowed. And finally, a single Amanita simulans, a rare member of the grisette group of Amanitas.
There were still plenty of plants flowering on the hill; wild basil and thyme, harebells, centaury, yellowort and the all important rockrose.
It was a wonderful morning and we saw a wide range of different fungi – so many we couldn’t stop to identify them all before it was time to go home. Many thanks to Peter for his enthusiasm and sharing his knowledge.
A full species list can be found here.
Jill Tigwell 7 November 2023
WEST OXFORDSHIRE FIELD CLUB 