Autumnal Fungi

Having been suffering with a really irritating head cold for some time, a bit of fresh air is needed to aid recovery now the thing is past its infectious stage.

A walk around Tentham Gardens lakeside and we came across this fine sculpture of two deer leaping over a log.

We spotted a Fly Agaric fungus on the lawns.  This is the textbook pixie mushroom stool and one of the UK's few toxic fungi - most are non-toxic or edible, but you need to get the identification right to avoid problems.

Mycena galericulata, the bonnet fungus is common in mixed woodland.

These little fungi look like Honey Fungus.  If so they are common on dead wood and are a known parasite of living trees, causing damage and sometimes killing trees.  It is a dangerous parasite to woodland tree species.

Clitocybe rivulosa grows in rings in the grass and is another toxic fungus.  It may be confused with the fairy ring fungus Marasimus oreades, which is harmless.

The Panther Cap, Amanita panthera is related to the Fly Agaric Amanita Muscaria.  It is also a toxic mushroom which can be confused with the Blusher, a very nice edible fungus.  This fungus is rare, so I was pleased to be able to find one.
It is now the season for many mushrooms and fungi. Most are harmless and some are edible and tasty, but you do need to know what to look for.  A few types are very toxic to humans.