Fungi are an enormous and very diverse group of organisms, with a structure broadly comparable to plants except that they lack chlorophyll and are unable to convert carbon compounds into sugars and other nutrients. Instead they draw nourishment through a web or mat of thin hair-like filaments or hyphae, developing in other living or dead matter, from which the fruit-bodies (mushrooms or toadstools) erupt, and are loosely defined as parasitic or saprotrophic, depending upon whether the host plant or animal is living or dead.
Like ferns and mosses, fungi reproduce by means of spores which are microscopic and only visible to the naked eye as a powdery deposit if a ripe fruit-body is left gills or pores down on a sheet of paper for an hour or so.
WARNING
Many fungi are poisonous and can kill or cause serious illness if eaten. Do NOT collect fungi to eat unless the identification has been verified by an expert mycologist.
Collectively some 9000 species of fungi have been recorded in the UK, of which 5,500 are Ascomycetes or ‘spore shooters’ including cup-fungi, morels and truffles, and 3600 Basidiomycetes, ‘spore droppers’, fungi with gills or pores, including puffballs. Here at Potteric Carr at the end of 2011, the species count stood at 322.
Many fungi are mycorrhizal, that is they form a symbiotic relationship with trees and plants through their roots which enables the plant to acquire nutrients, and in exchange provide the fungus with sugars and other carbohydrates to build their fruit-bodies, often the first visual evidence of their existence. Saprotrophic fungi have the power to break down cellulose in dead wood and leaf litter into glucose, as a usable food resource for the fungus before fruiting occurs.
Finally, there are the parasitic fungi which live on and damage their host plant or animal, causing necrosis or rot, and death to the host. Fungi therefore are somewhat like animals in that they have to obtain the organic compounds needed for life, in an easily convertible form, directly from the host.
© Derek Bateson 2012
(A revised list of fungi to the end of January 2012 recorded at Potteric Carr nature reserve, compiled by Derek Bateson).
Below are some examples of the fungi found at Potteric Carr NR.
Allopsalliota geesteranii © Derek Bateson and right, Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus © Ken Woolley.
Left, Scarlet Elf Cup Sarcoscypha austriaca © Allan Parker ARPS and right, Cep (Penny Bun) Boletus edulis © Ken Woolley.
Left, White Dapperling Leucoagaricus leucothites Ken Woolley and right, Clouded Funnel Clitocybe nebularis. © Allan Parker ARPS.
Left, Wood Blewit Lepista nuda © Allan Parker ARPS and right, Velvet Shank Flammulina velutipes © Derek Bateson.
Left Apricot Spindles Clavulinopsis luteoalba © Allan Parker ARPS and right, Common Puffball Lycoperdon perlatum © Derek Bateson.
Left, Stinkhorn Phallus impudicus © Derek Bateson and right, Earth Fan Thelephora terrestris© Allan Parker ARPS.
Left, Artist's Bracket Ganoderma applanatum © Ken Woolley and right, Hoof Fungi Fomes fomentarius © Allan Parker ARPS.
Left, Yellow Brain Tremella mesenterica © Derek Bateson and right, Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria © Allan Parker ARPS.
Left, Fragile Brittlegill Russula fragilis © Derek Bateson and right, Chondrostereum purpureum © Ken Woolley.
Left, Brown Birch Bolete Leccinum scabrum © Allan Parker ARPS and right, Snakeskin Brownie Hypholoma marginatum © Derek Bateson.
Left, Blue Roundhead Stropharia caerulea © Ken Woolley and right, Birch Polypore (Razor Strop Fungus) Piptoporus betulinus © Derek Bateson.
Left Shaggy Parasol Macrolepiota rhacodes © Ken Woolley and right, Morel Morchella conica © Allan Parker ARPS.
Left, Collared Earthstar Geastrum triplex © Derek Bateson and right Stump Puffball Lycoperdon pyriforme © Ken Woolley.
Left, Elfin Saddle Helvella lacunosa and right, Candle Snuff (Stag's Horn) Xylaria hypoxylon © Allan Parker ARPS.
Left, Dead Man's Fingers Xylaria polymorpha and right Wolf's Milk Slime Mould Lycogala terrestris both © Derek Bateson.
Left, Crepidotus epibryus © Ken Woolley and right, Slime Mould Mucilago crustcea © Allan Parker ARPS.