Shropshire Fungus Group

NewsletterSPRING 2011 NUMBER 10

Foray Reports

Saturday 24th April Severn Valley Country Park. Leader RoyMantle.

On Spring forays you look forward to seeing certain species,and this foray ticked many of those boxes. The brilliant orange-red fruit bodies of the Scarlet Elf Cup are a feature of the parkearly in the year and a few turned up during the foray. Verpaconica and Mitrophora semilibera were also found. Anotherfeature of the Park is Pachyella violaceonigra a dark cup funguswhich favours waterlogged substrates. This had been foundbefore by John Bingham in 1996 and is a very rare fungus.

Saturday 14th August StokeWood Leader Les Hughes.We started off from the car park atStokesay Castle across fields toSallow Coppice. From here wecrossed another field to StokeWood. This was meant to be amorning foray followed by a publunch, however we found so muchin Sallow coppice that it was lunchtime before we reached StokeWood. Good things were beingfound and so it was decided toforay on and get a sandwich at theDiscovery Centre later.Sallow Coppice produced a wealthof common species such as

Marasmius androsaceus, M. rotula and Paxillus involutus., butalso some unusual Russulas, i.e. R. parazurea, R. graveolens,R. violeipes and R. sororia. The star of Stoke Wood wasAmanita crocea found at the side of the path. On the way backto the car park Inonotus hispidus was fruiting on an ash treenear one of the stiles.

Saturday 11th September Llynclys Common Nature Reserve.Leader Harvey Morgan

The path up to the common from the car park was steep butwas also wooded and it was here that we found most fungi.Whilst most were common we did find Chlorociboriaaeruginascens, Lactarius pyrogalus and Inocybe fraudans. L.pyrogalus is associated most often with hazel and has (as thename suggests) extremely hot milk. This is not a commonfungus but 2010 seemed to be a good year for it as it was foundin a number of locations. I. fraudans (= I. pyriodora) is said tosmell of ripe pears! This one did smell fruity, but pears!! It wasconfirmed microscopically. Out on the grassy common we onlyfound a few species but one was the lovely orange Hygrocybeintermedia On the way back to the cars we were shown alocation where the unusual plant Herb Paris grows.In the afternoon we went over the road to Dolgoch Quarry, astrange place full of hills and gullies but in the main, wellwooded. Here we found Lactarius deterrimus under whatlooked like small Christmas trees. Other notable species wereGeastrum triplex, the very scaly Lepiota aspera, and Mycenaheamatopus, a small tufted fungus that “bleeds” red latex fromthe broken stems.

Contents

Foray Reports Page 1Pictures from the Public Foray Page 3Some conifer associated fungi found in Wyre Forest Page 4A Dream Come True Page 5The White Thistle Mystery Page 6Eye Sight Test Page 6Sightings Page 7Mycological tool or offensive weapon. Page 8BMS Forays in Shropshire Page 9

Pachyella violaceonigra © John Bingham

Amanita crocea © Roy Mantle

Geastrum triplex © Roy Mantle

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Sunday 26th September. Clee Hill. Leaders John and DeniseBingham.

The season was very good for fungi and getting better all thetime and this area was good last year and so expectations werehigh. We made our way down a hedge row towards CramerGutter through an area of grassland, birch and oak. There werea number of very large Boletus luridiformis (=B. erythropus) andB. edulis both in the hedge and the field beyond. In the wetterplaces, growing in the sphagnum, was Hypholoma elongatum, afungus that I have seen only a couple of times before. Therewas quite a lot of dead gorse around and it did not take long tofind a fungus which is specific to this habitat, Daldinia fissa. Thisis very similar to Daldinia concentric (King Alfred’s Cakes)

except that it is smaller and of course specific to this habitat.In the afternoon we crossed the road and walked across thecommon where we found a number of Waxcaps but the mostsurprising find was Amanita ceciliae. It was young but wasobviously going to be very large. This was a first for me. Anotherroad was crossed and we eventually came to a wood which wasmainly conifer but had some beech trees near the entrance andat the base of one of the these was a nice specimen of Grifolafrondosa.

Sunday 2nd October. Severn Valley Country Park. A publicforay.

This event was organised jointly between the Country Park andourselves. We hoped that this may introduce some moremembers. The SFG pulled out all the stops and there was amagnificent display of labelled “live” fungi (provided bymembers), books and pictures. Members turned out in goodnumbers to assist, advise, and lead he public around the park.Two groups set out to different parts of the area and the findswere brought back at the end of the day for identification anddisplay.There was a wonderful array of Milk Caps in the birch scrubincluding L. torminosus, L. pubescens, and the rare L. citriolens.

Daldinia fissa © Roy Mantle

The grassland provided some good Waxcaps such asHygrocybe coccinea, psittacina, russocoriacea andsplendidissima as well as clavaria fragilis. Also found was thebiggest Cep I have ever seen.Considering the amount of advertising that went out theresponse was mediocre and most of the people had just comefor a afternoon out. Despite the wealth of material and theamount of expertise available we did not recruit one newmember. We did split the entrance fee with the park and made£14.

Sunday 17th October. Dudmaston. Leader Roy Mantle.

This annual autumn foray followed the usual pattern and themorning was spent in Comer Wood. Here we found a wonderfulspecimen of Otidea onotica and the uncommon Paxillusatromentosus. This can be quite a large fungus which grows at

the base of stumps and has a black velvety stem. Also in thewood was Macrolepiota gracilenta, a lovely slender parasol anda cousin Cystolepiota seminuda.On the way to the Dingle in the afternoon Amanita phalloideswas found in the grass amongst the birch trees. The highlight ofthe Dingle was the beautiful Rhodotus palmatus. This fungusgrows on elm hence it is quite uncommon now. The fruitbodiesare felty, gelatinous and wrinkled and pale apricot in colour.Another unusual find was Pseudoclitocybe cyathiformis (TheGoblet). Its upturned cap makes a cup shape which gives it itscommon name.

Sunday 31st October. Whixall Moss. Leader Roy Mantle.

In the morning we were taken round by Dr. Joan Daniels theSenior Reserve Manager and we started in a wet area near tothe car park at Morris’s Bridge. This had very long wet grassand in amonst it were a number of spectacular fruitbodies ofVolvariella gloiocephala, a large pink spored species. In the wetdeciduous woodland around the moss was Leccinum variicolorwhich is very similar to L. scabrum except that when the stem is

Hygrocybe coccinea © Roy Mantle

Otidea onotica © Roy Mantle

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More pictures from the Public Foray at the Severn Valley Country Park

The fact that only four people are shown does not mean that these are the only ones who took part. Manymembers helped to make the day go well. Thanks are due to them all for a splendid effort.

Left is our display table at thestart of the event. Memberswere still arriving with morespecimens.

Below Shirley, Cherry andHarvey are busy labelling theexhibits

Bottom Cherry, Shirley,Harvey and Martin arefinalising the display.

Above Clavaria fragilisphotographed by John Bingham. Oneof the many species found in thegrassland in the park.

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(continued on page 4)cut longitudinally blue colour develops at the base with pinknearer the top. These two fungi are often found growingtogether. We did venture onto the moss to look for morespecialised fungi but only found Hypholoma elongatum growingin the sphagnum. (This had also been found earlier in theseason on the Clee Hill).In the afternoon we were left to our own devises in BettisfieldMoss. The area that we forayed was a wet woodland of birchand alder. Inonotus radiatus was found here but growing onbirch rather than the more usual alder. In an open mossyclearing was the interesting Lichenomphalia umbellifera . As thename suggests this is a lichenised fungus and I have found aspecimen where the green dots of the algal partner have beenpresent around the base of the stem. This mossy clearing alsohad Laccaria laccata growing amongst the moss.

Saturday 13th Nov. Mortimer Forest. Leaders John & DeniseBinghamDuring the morning we forayed in the oak woodland behind theForestry Commission buildings and found a good selection ofspecies including Mycena heamatopus which we has foundearlier in the year in Dolgoch Quarry. It often happens thatsome fungi don’t appear for years and then, when the conditionsare right, it fruits all over the place. Also fruiting on an old stumpwas Cudoniella acicularis – a tiny pale agaric only a fewmillimetres across. We had lunch on a seat overlooking MaryKnoll Valley.On the return journey the keen eyes of Denise found Marasmiushudsonii. This is another even smaller agaric with “hairs”growing out of the cap. This species is easy to identify butdifficult to find. Later in the afternoon we looked is the coniferplantation over the road, and here on a dead fruitboby ofRussula nigricans was Asterophora parasitica. This fungus onlygrows on the dead fruitbodies of other fungi.

Some conifer associated fungi found in WyreForest - Rhizopogon luteolus Fr. (Yellow False Truffle)and Rhizina undulata Fr. (Pine Firefungus) andAuriscalpium vulgare, S. F. Gray. (Earpick Fungus).John Bingham

Rhizopogon luteolus is an uncommon hypogeous (underground)fungus associated with Scots pine and appears to be rare in theforest. The fruit body is between 1.5–5cm across, ovate toglobose, whitish at first then dirty ochre-yellow covered in tawnymycelial strands. It typically occurs in Scottish pine woods.

During the WFSG slug and fungus day on 30th October 2010 anumber of R. luteolus were discovered under Scots pine atLongdon Wood. They were falling victim to the lemon slug, acase of one rare species eating another, but there appeared tobe a good colony of fungi and able to cope with the ravages of afew slugs. Another location for the fungus in 2010 wasdiscovered at Malpass Woods which brought the total I amaware of to three sites, all with substantial numbers. It may bemore common than realised with Scots pines but being partlyburied it can easily be missed.

Recent research has established that Rhizopogon is a memberof the Boletales, closely related to the genus Suillus, that includethe larch bolete. All species of Rhizopogon are ectomycorrhizal(forming a beneficial union) on tree roots and are playing animportant role in the ecology of coniferous forests.

Another uncommon fungus that appeared in some numbers inOctober 2010 was Auriscalpium vulgare. This small species issaprobic on decayed buried decaying pine cones, typicallyScots pine. It has a long thin stem about 2-4cm long and asmall dark brown cap with spines on the underside. We havefound numerous specimens out in open grassland within thewoodland. Birds or small mammals must have moved thecones and buried them away from the woodland.Marasmius hudsonii © John Bingham

Asterophora parasitica © Roy Mantle

Rhizopogon luteolus © John Bingham

Auriscalpium vulgare

© John Bingham

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Finally another conifer associate found in 2010 was Rhizinaundulata . As far as I am aware this was the first recent recordof this scarce fungus from the forest, certainly a new species forme in Wyre. This was found on a fire site in a forestry clear fellarea at Longdon Wood, where Douglas fir had been removedand the brash burnt.

The fungus is 4–10 cm across, 3-8 cm high, chestnut brown incolour with a paler margin. It forms irregularly lobed cushionsthat are attached to the ground by numerous thick whitishrhizoids growing from the underside. It is normally disliked byforesters as it causes a serious disease of conifers called groupdying. In this case the area was cleared as part of the reversionback to native broadleaf under the Plantations on AncientWoodland Sites (PAWS) restoration.

Although most conifer species are not native to the foresthaving some introduced conifers helps increase the overallbiodiversity and whilst we may dislike the even-age plantationsof dark spruce, having a few conifer in the forest is perhaps nota bad thing!

Rhizina undulata

© John Bingham

Rhizina undulata© John Bingham

A Dream Come True – Roy Mantle.

Some years ago, during a foray in Wigmore rolls, a piece of the cap of what was obviously a reasonably large fungus was handedto Ted Blackwell. I though at the time that there was no chance of a positive ID. The fragment was tawny and felty with no othervisible useful characters. A few days later however and Ted had the ID. It was, he said, Phaeolepiota aurea, easily identified underthe microscope because the cap cuticle is made up of sphaerocysts (spherical cells). I looked this up in a book and saw thiswonderful golden fungus and thought that I would love to see one of those, even the common name The Golden Bootleg sounds asthough it is a special fungus.A couple of years later Harvey turned up at one of our meeting in Church Stretton with a whole, perfect fruitbody and it wascertainly a magnificent thing. This time I thought, I would love to see that growing in the wild.This year I was talking to Les and he said quite casually that P. aurea was fruiting again in Wrekin Wood. My immediate reactionwas “when can we go”. A couple of days later Les took me to the site, a ferny depression about five or six meters across and alongthe one edge were several fruitbodies of this charismatic fungus in several stages of growth. I was armed with a camera and tooksome nice pictures. A dream come true.

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THE WHITE THISTLE MYSTERY (or itmay not be snow you are looking at onthistles!)

For several years, dramatically purewhite shoots of the creeping thistle,Cirsium arvense (see picture) havesurprised walkers in some parts ofBritain and in America. Commoneverywhere, the thistle weed has notbeen seen to have white shoots inneither the Midlands (Shropshire,Herefordshire etc.) nor the WelshMarches. It has been found in a varietyof places in Kent and Suffolk – morerecently in Anglesey andCarmarthenshire. It is now certain thatthis is a bacterial disease, caused by abacterium in the genus Pseudomonas.It is not caused by a fungus, but anysightings of this phenomenon fromanywhere in Britain or abroad would becarefully added to the records if you letme know. Nothing is known about itsmode of spreading. Usually bacterialdiseases are spread in obvious ways,but so far plant pathologists have notmade sense of sheep grazing, mowing,aphids or any other method by which itspreads from A to B. Tom Preece.

Fungi, Mosses and Liverworts: an eyesighttest Tom Preece.

We talk about fungi being everywhere, but there aresome places we do not look for them! Thus we readin the DICTIONARY OF FUNGI (2008) produced bythe Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux that “thepresence of fungi on the leaves of mosses andliverworts seems to be a frequent universalphenomenon. These fungi are normally totallyneglected, despite their number and frequency”. Aswe walk onforaysthroughwoods,especially inwetterplaces, andwe arealwaysstruck by thebrilliantgreen ofmosses on

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the trees and also on the ground. There areliverworts in the wetter places, especially thedelicate leafy liverworts. Although difficult to find,tiny fungi, mostly ascomycetes, with little lovely cupsor apothecia, 0.5 to 2.0 mms across, which aregenerally brown, orange or red, can be found.Though I must admit I have had little success so far!One species is a black, tiny spiderlike fungus on theleaves of the leafy liverwort genus Plagiochila,S.D.S. Bosanquet has recently found it in severalplaces in South Wales and has kindly provided thepicture shown here. We are now in a better positionto identify more of the host mosses and liverworts,because of the 2010 publication of a superbpractical identification book, packes with illustrationsin colour – MOSSES AND LIVERWORTS OFBRITAIN AND IRELAND by Atherton, Bosanquetand Mark Lawley (of Ludlow). I hope we will keepour eyes open (with backs bent) for theseapparently very common fungi on mosses andliverworts in 2011. I would be keen to identify anyfinds. Tom PreeceThe green “boxes” are the cells of the liverwort leaf.

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Sightings.Cherry has sent two very nice pictures and says “I have seen Cortinarius violaceus this year inHerefordshire, not recorded since the nineteen century and Aleuria aurantia growing like lettuces in aWorcestershire woodland.”

Comments Ed.

Aleuria aurantia (above) is fairlycommon but the specimens Cherryhas seen have cups are at least12cm(7ins) across.

Cortinarius violaceus (right) is arare fungus but is found in theWyre Forest in Shropshire.

I had never seen this fungus in thewild but a member of the publicfound one on a foray I was leadingfor the Forestry Commission inEarnwood Copse in the WyreForest.

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Mycological tool or offensive weapon.

Earlier this year an article appeared in a national newspaper Whichshould be noted by us all. The gist is laid out below.

A DISABLED man who kept a penknife in his car forpicnics has been convicted of possessing an offen-sive weapon.Rodney Knowles, 61, who is a full-time carer for

his wife and walks with a stick, was stopped onsuspicion of drink driving. He was below thelimit, but police found the Swiss Army knife inthe glove box. Knowles, from Newton Abbot, Devon,pleaded guilty at Torbay magistrates' court andwas given a conditional discharge. He said later:"It's a stupid law. Now I have a criminal record.The knife was in my glove box in a pouch, with atorch, first aid kit and waterproofs."Mr Jolyon Tuck, defending, told the court that

Knowles used the knife to cut up fruit on picnicswith his wife. He said: "The law is very clear. Heaccepts it was in his car." Knowles was ordered topay £40 costs and the knife was forfeited.

DESMOND GARCIA DEEGAN 1998) upheld the Harris rulingstating that "folding was held to mean non-locking". No leave toappeal was granted.

The maker of official Swiss Army Knives has given advice onwhich tools to buy to avoid arrest, after a retired engineerRodney Knowles was prosecuted for possession of an offensiveweapon.

The case provoked widespread outrage from groups includingsailors, farmers, campers and ramblers, who say the originalscouting and adventure essential accessory is a must-havepiece of kit for their activities.

Now, Garry Woodhouse, UK spokesman for manufacturerWengerhas said knives are so essential that everyday life couldnot function without them.

He said it is important to ensure the blade does not lock –otherwise it is legally regarded the same as a fixed-blade knife.Anyone carrying one in a public place needs to have a goodreason.

Mr Woodhouse said the BuckWhittakerknife, which Mr Knowlesclaimed he used for cutting fruit on picnics, did have a lockingblade.

He said: "If he had been carrying a knife with a folding non-lockable blade with a cutting edge of less than three inches, hewould not have had to show good reason for carrying it in apublic place.

"People should be aware that as strange as it may seem, yourcar is still defined as a public place if parked on a public street,even if it is locked."

But, in law, any otherwise innocent object, such as a bottle or abrick, could count as an "offensive weapon" if there is evidencethat the bearer intends to use it to cause harm.

I hope you find that more re-assuring, so, Good Hunting,

Ted Blackwell

Ted has found out the following: -

As a result of circulating an item about a prosecution for carryinga Swiss Army knife, I have received some information about"Carrying Knives in Public".It seems that a folding non-lockable knife with a cutting edge ofless than three inches is alright (providing it is not used as anoffensive weapon).

I have been sent the following:

The Criminal Justice Act (CJA) 1988 mainly relates to carryingknives in public places, Section 139 being the most important.

"It is an offence for any person, without lawful authority or goodreason, to have with him in a public place, any article which hasa blade or is sharply pointed except for a folding pocket-knifewhich has a cutting edge to its blade not exceeding 3 inches."[CJA 1988 section 139(1)]

The phrase "good reason" is intended to allow for "commonsense" possession of knives, so that it is legal to carry a knife ifthere is a bona fide reason to do so. Examples of bona fidereasons which have been accepted include: a knife required forones trade (e.g. a chefs knife), as part of a national costume(e.g. a sgian dubh), or for religious reasons (e.g. a Sikh Kirpan).

In this case, public place is meant as anywhere accessible tothe public, so for example a private campsite, which members ofthe public must book to use, is a public place. Also, knivesshould only be carried to and from and used at the locationwhere they are needed. For example, leaving a knife in a car foruse when you go fishing would be illegal. It should be takenback into the house each time you use the car (other than to gofishing). [1]

The special exception which exists in the Criminal Justice Act1988 (s139) for folding knives (pocket knives) is another"common sense" measure accepting that some small knives arecarried for general utility however even a folding pocket knife ofless than 3" (76mm) may still be considered an offensiveweapon if carried or used for that purpose. It was a long heldcommon belief that a folding knife must be non-locking for thisprovision to apply.

A Crown Court case (Harris v DPP), ruled (case law). A lockknife for all legal purposes, is the same as a fixed blade knife. Afolding pocket knife must be readily foldable at all times. If it hasa mechanism that prevents folding, it's a lock knife (or for legalpurposes, a fixed blade) The Court of Appeal (REGINA - v -

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I was at a loss as to what to fill this space with but I thought itmight be nice to use this picture of Verpa conica. This picturewas taken on Llynclys Common some years ago but it was seenon our Spring foray to the SVCP this year.

Verpa conica © Roy Mantle

BMS FORAYS IN SHROPSHIRE

1909 - 1937

TED BLACKWELL

The past occasions when the British Mycological Society visitedShropshire have been all too few, with few in recent years, untilthe last in 1998 based on Preston Montfort. The return after somany years of the BMS to the county for the 1998 AutumnForay prompts a dip into history. For reasons that can only beguessed at, an interval of 61 years separates the 1998 PrestonMontford meeting from the previous event in 1937.

The first official BMS Foray to be held in Shropshire took placeonly 13 years after the inauguration of the BMS. That was in1909, from Friday 28th May to Tuesday 1st June, whenmembers assembled at Shrewsbury on the Friday evening inthe George Hotel. During the days following, sites within easyreach of Shrewsbury were visited. A young local mycologist,William Allen1, a native of nearby Benthall, whose name cropsup repeatedly in Shropshire mycology about this time, wasclearly acting in the role of 'local foray secretary'. Not only washe the obvious person to undertake this task, being alreadyknowledgeable about suitable sites and on good enough termswith landowners, but he may well have instigated the proposalthat the BMS hold a foray in Shropshire. The Foray report saysthat over 194 species were collected and "this satisfactory resultwas entirely due to the excellent arrangements that our fellow-member Mr. W. B. Allen had made". However, the fungi werelisted without provenance, so these records cannot be allottedwith certainty to any specific site.

In our car-dependant and traffic-ravaged times it is salutary tothink that on the very early Shropshire forays travelling to siteswas probably by train, Shrewsbury lying at the hub of a radiatingnetwork of lines. Moreover they were not averse to walkingdistances from railway to site which some of us today mightgrumble at. With the exception of the line to Bayston Hill, all theold railway-lines to their foraying sites disappeared long agoeither through bankruptcy or under the Beeching axe, and apartfrom the occasional map legend "dismantled railway", leave onlytraces today of their former existence.

During the initial Shropshire foray they first travelled to Linleystation that lies in the Severn Valley between Bridgnorth andCoalport. There they alighted for Caughley Wood, a name nolonger found on the map, but identified as Bradley's Coppice onmodern Ordnance maps. Caughley Wood was obviously wellknown to William Allen who is mentioned in several reports asoffering "to conduct them through Caughley Wood", and this sitecrops up as the provenance in a number of old records. On thesame day they visited Tickwood, close to Allen's home, whereone might reasonably guess that Allen was on good terms withthe Lord of the Manor. Tickwood is some miles further north andwas accessed then from Buildwas Junction Station, next stopalong from the now world-renowned Ironbridge. Clearly theyspent time at one site before travelling by later train to the next.

The following day they went to Longden Manor "for Lincroft Pooland Oak Hill Wood". These sites are close to the present dayShropshire Wildlife Trust's reserve of Earl's Hill, Lincroft Pooland Longden Manor being about a mile east of Pontesbury thatwas at that time on a branch line ending at Minsterly. At the footof Earl's Hill named on modern maps is 'Oaks Wood' which isthe 'Oak Hill Wood' referred to above, still a prime foraying site.On the third day Bayston Hill station was the destination forBomere and Shomere Pools where the surrounding woodsyielded a large crop of Agarics, and on the final day they forayedat "Haughmond Abbey and adjoining woods", which if they wentby train must have been a fair step from the nearest railway haltsomewhere along the Wellington line. The report ends withthanks being expressed "to the Caradoc Society for placing theirClub Room and microscopes at our disposal".

Three years later the BMS made another excursion intoShropshire, this time on the occasion of the 1912 Spring Foraybased at Worcester. The Severn Valley railway was againutilised, and "on their arrival at Linley Station at 11-21 am, Mr WB Allen.....at once led them to the adjoining Caughley Wood".This time fungi are listed according to the site from whichcollections were made, and Caughley Wood produced about 80fungi and 10 Myxomycetes, a creditable score for a spring foray.It is interesting to note from this Foray Report the dedicatedinterest of the wife of the Society's Secretary and Treasurer: theaccount mentions that 1368 original paintings by Mrs CarltonRea were exhibited at this meeting and displayed in theWorcester Art gallery, "the result of twenty-four years' study".Amongst these certain species were stated as "new to Science"including Tricholoma horribile (T. orirubens); Chlorospora eyrei(Melanophyllum eyrei) and Leptonia serrulata (Entolomaserrulatum) and "new aditions to the British Fungus Flora"included Hebeloma sacchariolens and Psaliota xanthoderma(Agaricus x.)

Only another five years were to elapse before the BMS were inShropshire again, this time in the autumn, based onShrewsbury, for the twenty-first annual foray on 24th-29thSeptember 1917. There seems little doubt that William Allen'sinfluence was still at work as they were again quartered in TheGeorge, "where a room was reserved for the exclusive use ofthe Society" (apparently, no dependence on the Caradoc Clubthis time) and they visited many of the previous sites. We aregiven a sober reminder of First World War times by a notesaying "pressure of war work prevented Mr. A. D. Cotton2 fromsupplying us with this paper", a paper on fungicides whichCotton had earlier agreed to do.

On the first evening while the party were assembling, Miss ElsieWakefield3 "placed out on exhibition some eggs of a rarephalloid .... collected at Chiswick ..... we should refer them toLysurus australiensis4", probably what today is called Lysuruscruciatus, and "Mr. A. A. Pearson5 brought from Wimbledon aspecimen that he referred to Galera antipus (Conocybeantipus)".

On the first foraying day "the members assembled at the railwaystation and booked the 10.05 am train to Plowden, via theCraven Arms". Reference to "the Craven Arms" is significant.When the railways arrived at this formerly important junction thestation was named from the existing inn, hence "the CravenArms", the inn itself being named from the Earls of Craven,major Shropshire landowners. The lowly branch line to Plowdenthat terminated at Bishops Castle was closed in 1935 havingnever paid a dividend and only traces of it remain on the groundtoday, part of the track-bed forming the delightful Onny Trailfootpath. It is said that train journeys progressed so slowly andintermittently that passengers could leap from their carriages topick mushrooms and easily catch up the train. At Plowden theywere met by Mr R. Parry who led them first across the bridgeover the river Onny, then through Plowden Woods, and acrossfields in the direction of Plowden Hall. The grassland "yieldedmany specimens" amongst which were noted Ecciliagriseorubella (Entoloma griseorubidum), Geoglossumophioglossoides and Clavaria fumosa. After "luncheon" the walkcontinued through the woods towards the road to BishopsCastle during which "Lepiota fulvella Rea (new to science6) andBoletus porphyrosporus (Porphyrellus pseudoscaber) werecollected. Miss Wakefield subsequently reported the finding ofPolyporus stipticus (Posta stiptica) which is an addition to theBritish list".

The account continues: "It was past four o'clock when thehighway was reached and over two miles of this had to betraversed before they could rejoin the other members who hadaccompanied the President7 and Mr Parry to Walcot Park. Here

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they were most hospitably entertained to tea by the Earl andCountess of Powis and great regret was expressed that the timedid not allow for the investigation of Walcot Woods. The returntrain was taken from Plowden station at 5.55 p.m. and atHorderley [the next stop up the line] Miss Lister8 rejoined theparty having, after luncheon, accompanied Messrs W.B. Allenand W.N. Cheesman9 in a walk through the woods bordering theOnny valley."

At 9 o'clock that evening the Annual General Meeting was held,(note this, an AGM of practising field mycologists fresh from aday's field mycology) the President taking the chair, at whichofficers for the ensuing year were elected. The Hon. Treasurer[Carlton Rea10] reported "they now numbered one hundred andforty four members and had enrolled ten new members sincethe New Forest foray" and "the credit balance at the post officesaving's bank showed a balance of twenty one pounds andeight shillings". (The value of the pound then was probablyworth about 50 times today's value).

The morning of the next day was devoted to placing onexhibition the less common species collected the previous day,but "at noon the members drove from the headquarters toHaughmond Abbey". This implies they did not go by train andalthough a horse-drawn vehicle cannot be ruled out it seemslikely motorised transport was used, and one wonders if theprevious visit to Haughmond in 1909 involved too great adistance to be walked in a limited time. From here theyprogressed though the woods to the village of Uffington fromwhich "the return drive was taken to Shrewsbury". In theevening, at 9 o'clock, the President, Miss A. Lorrain Smith,delivered her presidential address entitled Relation of FungusHyphae to other Organisms.

William Allen met the members about noon next day at BuildwasJunction station and led them across the fields to the woods ofTickwood, on the way collecting amongst other findsTichoglossum hirsutum and Clitopilus cretatus (C. scyphoides).Many species were found in the woods, the party eventuallyarriving at Tickwood Hall about 4.30 p.m. where "Mrs. Heywoodwelcomed them to a dainty tea". That evening there were morepapers read, firstly by Mr. Cheesman on The BritishTremellinae, followed by Miss Wakefield with Observations onsome Sand-Dune Fungi. Next day the party took the 11.15 a.m.bus to Baystone Hill, walking from there across the fields toBomere woods and pool, the woods proving too overgrown anddry, with the exception of the lower portions adjoining the water"which yielded an abundant crop of Mycetozoa" [Myxomycetes}.The party returned to headquarters about 6 o'clock, and thepaper that evening was read by Mr Pearson on Two SporedBasidia

On the final day, William Allen led them through CaughleyWood, near Linley station where "many scarce fungi werecollected".

Fifteen years were to pass before the BMS next visitedShropshire, the venue being in the south of the county atLudlow. This was the Spring Foray of May 1932, where theheadquarters were The Angel Hotel in Broad Street, now nolonger a hotel but converted to shops and flats. The recordshows they found the hotel comfortable and convenient and "agood room was available for meetings and the display ofspecimens".

The weekend started wet, but on the Saturday morning, despitethe rain, a party of fifteen "travelled in a special omnibus" toBurwarton between Ludlow and Bridgnorth, in the shadow of theBrown Clee Hill, alighting at the Boyne Arms. There they weremet by the head keeper of the Burwarton estate "who conductedthem safely past forbidden preserves and left them to wander atwill on the slopes of the Brown Clee Hill". The rain ceased bymidday, and while owing to the cold spring the larger fungi were

scarce, members spent a happy and interesting time amongstplenty of fallen wood on the slopes of the hill, the resupinateBasidiomycetes being fairly well represented. Melampsorellasymphyti on Symphytum x uplandicum was found in a field andit is worth a special mention that this was the first recordworldwide of telia of this rust being found. Tea at the BoyneArms was followed by a visit to the church where mycologycontinued and Puccinia mirabilissma (Cumminsiella m.) wascollected on Mahonia aquifolium.

On Sunday, after a morning kept free for working on materialalready collected, the party walked the half-mile or so from theAngel Hotel across the River Teme to Whitcliffe Woods. But dryconditions seemed to have resulted in little of interest beingnoted except that "Mr Petch11 secured specimens of Stromatiniabaccarum (Monilinia b.) on old fruits of Vaccinium myrtillis".

Next day "the party travelled by motor to a point not far fromRichard's Castle and worked up into Haye Park Woods finishingin Mary Knoll Valley". These sites are in fact just over the countyboundary in Herefordshire but even today continue to be goodforaying grounds. The oak woods were reported to be "not sogood as those at Burwarton" but the weather was perfect andthe walk through the woods compensated for any dearth ofspecimens. "Along the roadside on the way back to Ludlow, Mr.Ramsbottom12 collected several rusts and other microfungiwhich helped to swell the list for the day". During the weekend,various members contributed additional records from thegrounds of Ludlow castle, a mere two minutes walk from theAngel Hotel. A notable absence is that of William Allen, whosadly had died in 1922.

The fourth Shropshire BMS Foray took place in September 1937when the Society again assembled in Ludlow for the 45thAutumn Foray. The Angel Hotel was again its headquarters,where "an excellent display room was placed at the disposal ofthe Society".

For the initial excursion a "large party left by car" for Haye ParkWood and Mary Knoll Valley where species of Entomophthora,Anthostoma dryophilum and Colpoma quercinum receivedparticular mention in the report.

On the following day most of the party walked to WhitcliffeWoods where amongst other finds "Mr. Pearson collectedFlammula limulata (Flammulaster limulatoides)" and during thelate afternoon "Mr Ramsbottom conducted a party to wherePhyllactinia corylea (Ph. guttata), Erysiphe tortilis, and UncinulaAceris (U. bicornis) were extremely abundant. Certain UniversityDepartments 'laid in' a considerable stock of material as aresult". The next day the party travelled to Boyne Park,Burwarton, a site already familiar to some from a previous visit.Here "many members looked forward to high-class collecting.The hot weather was rather against this but thephytopathologists spent a profitable time in the kitchen andflower gardens" where Puccina Pruni-spinosa (Tranzscheliapruni-spinosa) and Puccinia mirabilissma (Cumminsiella m.)were collected. At 4.30 pm at the end of "a pleasant but notparticularly productive excursion" everyone adjourned for awelcome tea at the Boyne Arms. It appears from the list thatseveral Agaric records were from a nearby hamlet of HoptonCangeford, perhaps a diversionary sally from the main route.

The third day took them to Kinlet Park near Cleobury Mortimerin the south-east of the county where in the morning "finespecimens of Hypoxylon howeanum were collected on Corylusbut little else of interest was observed" (a surprising assertion!)although "good specimens of Trametes mollis (Datronia mollis)were obtained" in the afternoon along the stream draining HighWood.

On the last day some members departed for home but a smallparty travelled to Downton Castle for a final excursion. This was

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another digression into Herefordshire but the uniqueness of thesite is ample excuse for straying across the border. Here,resulting from ice-age glacial diversion, the river Teme has cut adeep cleft between precipitous limestone cliffs, and deciduouswoodland clings to the riversides. Today, Downton Gorge is aNational Nature Reserve, accessible only by permit from EnglishNature [Natural England]. "Members who collected the largerfungi commented on the richness of the area. Cryptosporellahypodermia was collected on elm by the river banks just afterpassing the cave" and fine specimens of Cyathus striatus werecollected on fallen timber.

Lest it be thought from the foregoing they didn't seem to befinding very much it must be said that their list of records for the1937 foray is extensive and runs to over five pages in theTransactions, approximately 750 records.

Bibliography

Brief Biographies of British Mycologists. C. G. Ainsworth.1996, BMS.

TBMS3 (1907-1911) pp131-135. Shrewsbury Foray 28May-1 June 1909. TBMS4 (1912-13) pp11-21. Worcester Foray 24-28 May1912. TBMS6 (1917-1919) pp1-17. Shrewsbury Foray 24-29Sept 1917. TBMS18 (1933) pp1-6. Ludlow Foray 27-31 May 1932. TBMS22 (1938-9) pp211-220. Ludlow Foray 20-25 Sept1937.

References:

1 William Beriah Allen, amateur naturalist, and a Foundermember of the BMS, one of Shropshire's notablepioneering mycologists. As owner of a pottery factory atBenthall, near Ironbridge, he had free time to indulge hisinterests.

2 Arthur Disbrowe Cotton OBE, Keeper of Herbarium andLibrary of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. President 1913,mycologist and plant pathologist. Became the firstmycologist in 1917 to the Board of Agriculture, theforerunner of MAFF, and one of the plant pathologists whofrom that time until the second World War were to beresponsible for many of the activities of the BMS.

3 Miss Elsie Maud Wakefield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew1910-51 succeeded George Massee. Her special interestwas resupinate basidiomycetes. With A. D. Cotton revisedthe British Clavarias. Secretary of BMS for 17 years andPresident 1929.

4 Described by Ramsbottom in Mushrooms & Toadstools(1953) pp188-9.

5 Arthur Anselm Pearson, an amateur mycologist whoattained professional competence in his speciality ofAgaricology on which he became an internationalauthority. BMS Treasurer 1919-46, President 1952 &1931.

6 Carton Rea published a description in 1918 in TBMS6-68.

7 Miss Annie Lorrain Smith, mycologist but bestremembered as a lichenologist; BMS President 1907 and1917.

8 Miss Gulielma Lister, international authority onMyxomycetes, President 1912 and 1932.

9 William Norwood Cheesman FLS, a draper of Selby,Yorkshire, but he devoted much attention to fungi

particularly myxomycetes; Founder member of the BMS,and President 1925.

10 Carlton Rea, a Founder member of the BMS, and forthirty-four years Secretary, Treasurer, and Editor of theTransactions, much of the time simultaneously. BMSPresident 1908 and 1921. A barrister by training, buthaving private means he gave up the profession anddevoted himself to mycology.

11 Tom Petch, a distinguished tropical plant pathologist andauthor of works on entomopathogenic fungi, BMSPresident 1920.

12 John Ramsbottom. He spent most of his working life(1910-50) at the Botany Department of the BritishMuseum, fondly referred to as 'the grand Old Man ofMycology', and probably the best known mycologist of hisgeneration in England. BMS President 1924 and 1946.

I am indebted to Tom Preece for supplementary biographicalinformation and data on Melampsorella symphyti, and to RoyMantle for additional information on Caughley Wood.

Rea: Obit. TBMS XXX.180. MYC3-3, July89 p145 (1861-1946).See BBMS11-2 (Aut77)81-115. His daughter, Violet, aprofessionally trained artist, continued the series of Mrs Rea’spaintings. She married in 1929 becoming Mrs Astley Cooperand died 1977; see BBMS11-2 (Aut77) 85 & 154-7. 11

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Asci of Trichoglossum hirsutum