Seasonal Purple

Trichaptum abietinum, Purplepore Bracket, on dead Scots Pine.  Keston Common, 10 October 2014.

Here are some purple, or purplish, fungi.  The first photo is the underside of small brackets that grow on dead conifer wood.  That's usually Scots Pine in this area.  Like many fungus undersides, this Purplepore Bracket is rather beautiful.  This group is a couple of inches across.

Chondrostereum purpureum, Silverleaf Fungus.  Hayes, 18 November 2014.

This looks similar, but is from a different family, grows on deciduous wood, and does not have visible pores on its underside.  Several of these little Silverleaf Fungus rosettes seemed to be growing from the ground, but were actually attached to tree stumps that had been cut off at ground level.  This doesn't look very leaf-like, or indeed very silvery, until you see the underside.

Ascocoryne species, Purple Jellydisc.   Keston Common, 19 November 2014.

This one looks like miniature intestines.  It could be one of two very similar species, but the name Purple Jellydisc is usually applied to whatever looks like this.  Lie the other two, it is growing on dead wood.

Russula species, probably R. fragilis, Fragile Brittlegill.  Keston Common, 9 November 2014.

At last, a more traditional toadstool!  There are a few pink species of Russula but I think this is probably the Fragile Brittlegill.  That last name is well deserved.  In fact, the gills of nearly all Russulas break up easily if you brush them with your finger.