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I’ve not ‘invested’ in Funga Nordica so it’s interesting that they maintain two species. FRDBI/CBIB follow Arnolds and call it a var. of titubans.

It’s another of the numerous instances where DNA analysis will eventually show if there is more than one species present.

FAN6 says the only definite difference is the cap colour, so I think you have good reason to call this var. olivaceus.

I try and stick to CBIB names although, understandingly, they can lag behind the most recent ideas. Of the new database (due soon to replace the FRDBI) David Harries writes: “The list of fungal names to be used by the new site will come from the Natural History Museum UKSI which is currently being brought into line with the GBCHKLST and IndexFungorum….”.

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In FAN6 (2005), Arnolds regards variicolor as a variety of titubans viz: Bolbitius titubans var. olivaceus.

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Broken base not helpful. Gills look white and free; cap margin striate. How’s about Amanita fulva?

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Hi Mark,

FAN2 keys out cornucopiae as having deeply decurrent gills “… passing into anastomosing ridges on stipe…” and gives a slightly different spores size. The other species have gills “… subdecurrent, not or hardly anastomosing…”.

Stipes for cornuopiae are described as 30-110mm long, “…subcentral to excentric” and for ostreatus, “…absent or short … eccentric to lateral…”.

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This is Pleurotus cornucopiae: the stipe is more central than in ostreatus and, the top left image especially, shows ‘gill ridges’ extending to the base of the stipe.

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Inocybe erubescens found under Beech. Nearly all my records for this species are in June or early July.

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I posted an image of the setae (sclerocystidia) on the cap of Parasola auricoma on page 2 of this ‘string’.

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Here are some more online resources for specific Genera. All with images and keys, they often cover European as well as UK species:

Inocybe – http://www.inocybe.org/

Leccinum – http://www.entoloma.nl/html/leccinum_eng.html

Mycena – http://home.online.no/~araronse/Mycenakey/index.htm

Psathyrella – http://www.vielepilze.de/

Coprinus s.l. – http://www.grzyby.pl/coprinus-site-Kees-Uljee/species/Coprinus.htm

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English Names can be useful when talking to the ‘general public’ (public forays), otherwise I stick to Latin: then everyone knows what you’re talking about. For example what is “Brown Rollrim”? We now have three segragates of Paxillus involutus which may be quite common: ammoniavirescens, obscruisporus & cuprinus. On public forays, ‘in the field’ I would call collections Brown Rollrim or Paxillus involutus but I would be taking a sample home to check which of the 4 species it is. If you say to most field mycologists “I’ve found a Goldleaf Shield” they won’t know what you mean but they will immediately know if you say Pluteus romellii.

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For sure an Entoloma, and in ‘old money’ a Nolanea (now a Sub Genus of Entoloma). The ‘default setting’ is E. conferendum: the most common species of this Sub-Genus found in grassland but also woodland and more or less everywhere. Quite easy to identify with a microscope with it’s distinctive spores. If it’s not that, it’ll be fairly difficult with specialist literature required (as well as a microscope!).

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Most likely E. cetratum which is fairly common in the right places: I recorded it on 23rd May last year from Snowdonia.

E. farinogustus is not recognised as British (although there is one record on FRDBI identified as such).

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Surely S. luteus. It has the typical sepia-brown ring and lower stipe (although the images don’t show the whole length of the stipe).

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Almost certainly Amanita excelsa var. spissa. The veil patches on the cap are easily wiped off and then cap usually become bare and smooth.

It can occur quite early; my first record is 1st June.

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Megacollybia platyphylla (adnate/emarginate gills and should have a white spore print). Pluteus have free gills and pink spore prints.

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Hello Steve

I’ve had another breeze through my keys also! The Hohenbuehelia Section in FAN5 (1995) is by Steen Elborne – I don’t have FN.

According to his descriptions fluxilis (as well as atrocaerulea & mastrucata) have “numerous metuloids on both edge and sides of lamellae…”. The metuloids of fluxilis & atrocaerulea may be “…covered in thick conical cap of crystals…”. It says for mastrucata “…without or with very thin crystal cap…”. Out of these three, phaseoliform spores are only mentioned for atrocaerulea.

I didn’t mention unguicularis as this (and pinacearum) are separated in the key as having “…gills turning grey to black with age or on drying…”; indeed the description of unguicularis says “gills…pale brown to black”. I see Henrici says there are two recent collections from Kew and it is in the Checklist, so it could be this.

I’d say unguicularis or atrocaerulea fit best: the metuloids are up to 52µ in the former and 72µ in the later, so I’d probably go for atrocaerulea although the gill spacing fits unguicularis better!

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