The 2012 survey of funghi on Garway Hill Common took place on 18th October.
Regular readers will know that the reasons for undertaking the annual survey are twofold: it acts as an indicator of the effectiveness of the Commoners’ Association’s environmental management scheme and it provides a good walk on the hill in the company of an experienced naturalist. This year, mycologist Sheila Spence of Marches Funghi once again led the walk. After a long wet summer the autumn weather was continuing the theme and the days prior to the walk had been wet enough for the occasion to be called off, but on the day we got a dryish but overcast day. It was decided that the 2012 walk would concentrate on the western slopes of the hill
The following species of funghi were observed:
| Bovista plumbea | Grey Puffball |
| Calvatia (Handkea) utriformis | Mosaic Puffball |
| Clavaria fragilis | White Spindles |
| Clavulina corniculata | Meadow Coral |
| Clavulinopsis helvola | Yellow Club |
| Clavulinopsis luteoalba | Apricot Club |
| Clytocybe clavipes | Club Foot |
| Clytocybe vibecina | Mealy Funnel |
| Collybia fusipes | Spindle Toughshank |
| Coprobia granulata | Cow Pat fungus |
| Hygrocybe chlorophana | Golden Waxcap |
| Hygrocybe glutinipes | Glutinous Waxcap |
| Hygrocybe insipida | Spangle Waxcap |
| Hygrocybe pratensis | Meadow Waxcap |
| Hygrocybe reidii | Honey Waxcap |
| Lactarius quietus | Oakbug Milkcap |
| Lycoperdon nigrescens | Dusky Puffball |
| Lycoperdon perlatum | Common Puffball |
| Macrolepiota procera | The Parasol |
| Mycena flavoalba |
Ivory Bonnet |
| Mycena galericulata | Common Bonnet |
| Mycena pura | Lilac Bonnet |
| Rickenella swartzii | Collared Mosscap |
| Mycena epipterygia | Yellowleg Bonnet |
| Russula heterophylla | Greasy Green Brittlegill |
| Vascellum pratense | Meadow Puffball |
The different environment on the western side of the hill resulted in several new species being observed. Generally, the numbers of funghi were fewer than in previous years. Whether this was due to the exceptionally wet and cool weather which had characterised 2012 from April onwards, or whether it was due to the earlier timing of the walk (2011’s walk was in November) is hard to say.
However, there was a delicious bonus for two of the participants – two large parasols made good eating later in the day.
(A word of caution – very few of the funghi to be found on Garway Hill are edible, so do not be tempted to eat anything you find unless you are certain about what you are doing. Some will make you feel very ill, many just taste horrible.)
ghca online 