Snowdrops

Snowdrops, Galanthus nivalis,  in my back garden in Hayes.

I planted some of these a few years ago, and they are the first flowers of the new year in my garden.  There are places in this area where they grow wild in profusion.  I saw this at Knockholt last year in mid-February.  Perhaps these are a little earlier because it is always a little warmer in conurbations.

The Velvet Shank

Velvet Shank, Flammulina velutipes, in snow on a tree stump in Hayes.  24 January 2013.

Most gilled fungi disappear in the snow.  They are tender, and are frosted off just like the shoots of our green plants. This one, the Velvet Shank, is an exception.  Snow doesn't seem to affect it at all.  This one has been covered up and is now partly exposed by a slight thaw.

Behind the caps and gills ypou can see what gives it its common name.  The dark brown, slightly reddish stipe is covered with velvety hairs.

Tree Slugs

A group of Tree Slugs, Lehmannia marginata.  Hayes Common, 1 January 2013.

There is not much activity in the wild at the moment, from my point of view, though no doubt the bird fans are having a good time.  Also, I have been busy for a week or so revamping the Orpington Field Club's website, which I have taken over.  So there's not much activity here either.  But this was something I hadn't seen before.

These slugs live on lichens, algae and fungi, all of which they can easily find on the trees where they live.  But I don't know why half a dozen of them should have been making their way downwards in a group. 

They are quite well disguised, but they glisten, which drew my attention.

Fungus on Holm Oak

A concentric fungus infection on Holm Oak (Quercus ilex).  High Elms, 29 December 2012.  Reflected light.

A concentric fungus infection on Holm Oak (Quercus ilex).  High Elms, 29 December 2012.  Transmitted light.

I don't know what fungus caused this, but it was too interesting to ignore.

Holm Oaks are our only evergreen oaks.  They are not native to the UK, but are naturalised and well established.  Only the saplings have spiky leaves like this, which protect them from grazing.  Leaves on mature trees have a single point at the end.

High Elms Fungi, December 2012

Panellus stipticus (Bitter Oysterling).  High Elms, 29 December 2012.

Here are some fungi from High Elms, seen on an Orpington Field Club walk at the end of December.   I have shown some of these species before, but that doesn't stop me liking these photos.

The Bitter Oysterling is indeed bitter to the taste, I have been assured by someone who has tried it.  It is also supposed to be able to stop the flow of blood from a cut, hence the name "stipticus" - but I don't know anyone who has tested that.  The scurfy appearance of the caps makes this one easy to spot.

Auricularia auricula-judae (Jelly Ear).  High Elms, 29 December 2012.

This one grows on dead Elder stems.  Elder grows fast and dies fast, so there are always plenty of these around.   It has a soft jelly texture and is supposedly edible.  I know one person who has tried it, and she does not recommend it.  But at least it is not actively poisonous.

Hypoxylon multiforme (Birch Woodwart).  High Elms, 29 December 2012.

There are several species of Woodwart, growing on different types of tree.  This one was not on a Birch, its normal home; I think this was a Chestnut.  But its appearance is typical, with those many small bumps with holes from which the spores escape.

Ascocoryne sarcoides (Purple Jellydisc).  High Elms, 29 December 2012.

This was on the same fallen tree.  It is supposed to resemble rotting meat, which it more or less does;  the appearance is at least quite unmistakeable.  

There seems to be another flush of fungi at the moment; not so much on the ground, but lots on dead wood.  The warm and exceptionally wet weather probably accounts for that.  The ground is too wet, but dead trees are just right.

Common Cordgrass

Common Cordgrass, Spartina anglica.  Riverside Country Park, 10 August 2012.

Not much is happening at the moment except lichens and fungi (OK, birds too, but I am not a bird photographer).  So here is one from the seaside, earlier in the year.

Common Cordgrass is a new species, resulting from cross-pollination of two related species.  One parent, Spartina maritima, is native to the UK, and the other, Spartina alterniflora, was introduced from America.  Most hybrids are sterile, but some plants can overcome this by multiplying their chromosomes.  That happened quite naturally in this case, and it is now able to reproduce itself.  This species did not exist before the late 19th century.  I find that remarkable.

Common Cordgrass, Spartina anglica.  Riverside Country Park, 10 August 2012.
The inset shows the stipule.

Pratt's Bottom

Greater Periwinkle, Vinca major.  Pratt's Bottom.  1 December 2012.

Here are just a few photos from an Orpington Field Club walk on the fringe of Pratt's Bottom at the start of December.  This little place has a very unfortunate name for modern sensibilities.  It happens to be a village in a hollow.  There are woods and fields nearby ...

It was a frosty morning.  This Periwinkle is a common garden plant, great for ground cover in shaded areas, and this one was in a hedgerow opposite houses.  The frosted edges look delightful.

Viburnum tinus, Laurustinus. Pratt's Bottom.  1 December 2012.

In the same hedgerow was this evergreen Viburnum with the horticultural name Laurustinus.  It's another common garden plant, and it flowers happily through the winter.  It seems likely that someone has added a few garden plants to this particular hedgerow.

Coprinellus micaceus (Glistening Inkcap).  In the woods by Pratt's Bottom, 1 December 2012.

At first the woods seemed rather bare of growth, but in the end we found several colourful fungi.  This one is usually covered with glistening spicules, but they must have been washed off this clump by the recent rain.

Phellinus species.  In the woods by Pratt's Bottom.  1 December 2012.

These strange furry bumps on a Birch branch are probably a fungus called Cinnamon Crust, but there are a couple of similar species and you can't be certain which one you have without a microscope.  It starts out like this and ends up covering the whole surface of the branch.

Stereum subtomentosum (Yellowing Curtain Crust).  In the woods by Pratt's Bottom, 1 December 2012.

This is probably the most colourful one we saw.  It's similar to several others, but its size and lack of pores on the underside mark it out.  It grows on dead wood, which you can just see under those leaves.

It's a pleasant area, quite near a main road, but the low rolling hills and the woods make it quiet and very countrified.

View over the fields near Pratt's Bottom.   1 December 2012.