Agaricus xanthodermus (The Yellow Stainer)
This one can cause serious tummy upsets. People can confuse it with the common edible mushroom (apparently this happens a lot in Australia). But it is easily distinguished; - when bruised or even just handled, the white cap turns bright yellow.
Lepista flaccida (Tawny Funnel)
Although it is funnel-shaped this is one of the Blewits. The cap frequently has a spout at one 'corner' like a jug. They often grow in large fairy rings in woodland.
Lepista nuda (Wood Blewit)
This species is a lovely violet or lilac colour when new but the top fades to buff leaving only the stalk and underside bluish.
Macrolepiota procera (Parasol mushroom)
It starts off as a ball on a stick, opens into a perfect parasol shape, and then flattens out, as in Simon's photograph, except for the bump in the middle. The cap and the stalks carry pale brown scales on a white background.
All photos taken by Simon Harding in Filnore Woods on 25th November
"Mushrooms vary greatly in both size and color However, there are some features common to this diverse species
ReplyDeletethat set them apart from other lifeforms on Earth, such as their caps,
their growth, and how they reproduce. On the same note, some mushrooms look similar enough to trick humans
into thinking they are safe for consumption, while, really, they contain deadly toxin."