Herons Wood – Some sort of fungus!

It’s a Russula. Hard to tell much more with such small images. Try to make them at least 800 x 600. Its hard to see the cap colour.

Does it have a hot or mild taste (spit it out after)?

Does the cap cuticle peel to the centre?

Does it discolour on handling?

Does it have a smell?

Spores should be mounted in Melzers, I’m not sure what you have mounted them in but they look out of focus and somehow wrong? Melzers is one of the most important chemical reagents for fungi, along with either 5-10% potassium hydroxide or 10% ammonia (available from Homebase) and congo red.

This page is worth a read as it has some useful background.

Cheers, Adam

There are a number of possibilities, was there any colour on the stipe, even just a flush of lavender?

The key in Kibby also needs a spore print. The colour can vary from pure white to almost ochre.

The last part of the key needs a look at the dermatocystidia, but this is a bit tricky unless you have a sulphovanillin kit or cresyl blue.

Possibilities are the Charcoal Burner R.cyanoxantha (very common and variable in cap colour) or R.grisea.

I can’t go further than this, I’m afraid, without more details.

I would recommend getting the Kibby book http://summerfieldbooks.com/the-genus-russula-in-great-britain%3A-with-synoptic-keys-to-species~3221” class=”bbcode_url”>http://summerfieldbooks.com/the-genus-russula-in-great-britain%3A-with-synoptic-keys-to-species~3221

As far as spores are concerned, the advice was good, if unsure always mount in water first, but to observe the ornamentation in Russulas/Lactarius, as the warts and spines are amyloid, they will show up better in melzers. From the pattern on the spores, you can see a partial reticulum (net) on a few spores along with some isolated warts (black dots)

eg

Check your email

There is a lot to learn, you have to put in the effort, and I would never learned as much as I have without the help of the people here (when we were on WAB)

Been doing it for 3 years, 2 with a microscope and I’m getting confident at looking at most parts of the fungus now (agarics anyway)

Have you joined your local group? – perhaps http://www.westwealdfungi.co.uk/” class=”bbcode_url”>http://www.westwealdfungi.co.uk/

I would recommend it, I think maybe somone could take a look a your scope and make sure it’s set up properly etc.

Regarding spore sizes, as your photo is not in sharp focus, I wouldn’t trust the accuracy of the measurements, the spore edge should be a solid line. Also, how many spores did you measure? I do mine by hand (eyepiece graticule) which is a pain, but I measure at least 10 spores (when spore size is a critical feature like with Psathyrella, I would do 20.)

I can understand Chris’ view of Russula, but I think they are quite good for beginners to “break their teeth on,” for a number of reasons.

They are quite easy to spot as a genus. They are big and solid and survive handling quite well. You don’t have to worry about damaging stem cystidia, or looking for basal disks, rooting or signs of a veil.

There are only two elements of microscopy needed, cap cuticle and spores.

There are some chemical tests that can be useful and are fun.

Taste and smell are factors but none are deadly poisonous.

They are quite commonly encountered, so plenty of practice material.

I don’t find much daunting but that is because I have perseverance in abundance I like a challenge !

**edit – none of the above means they are easy, but I think there are worse things, eg Clitocybe, Peziza or Agaricus

**edit again – I have great respect for Chris, Roy and others who have 20-30+ years of experience each.