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Fungus Foray, Cropton Forest 14th October 2017

led by Rhona Sutherland

Species lists below

Cropton Forest


Twelve of us met near Black Forest Lodge on the eastern edge of Cropton Forest. We walked into the forest on a fairly short circuit down through pine and birch trees, but as fungal forayers always travel slowly with so much to see, it took us a good two hours. When we got back to the cars we set out examples of our less common finds on a camping table, and added as many identification labels as we could. Then we congratulated ourselves while eating apples and cake, and drinking tea!

Fungi on id table Fungi on id table


Some fungi had to be taken home for further microscopic examination although we were lucky to have Brian Cockerill from Scarborough Naturalists and Melanie Earle with us so many specimens were identified in situ.

One of the highlights for me was finding several Surprising Webcaps - Cortinarius semisanguineus. This is found on damp mossy ground under conifers, particularly Spruce, and sometimes Birch. It has a fairly ordinary pale slightly yellowish brown cap, so when you turn it over and see it has blood red gills, it really IS surprising. The genus Cortinarius has rust coloured spores and a weblike veil (called a Cortina), joining the cap to the stipe in young specimens, and often all you see of this is a rusty smear at the top of the stem where the spores have got caught on the ripped Cortina. It is notoriously difficult to identify Cortinarius species so it is really nice to find one,at least, that is unmistakeable in the field

Surprising webcap Cortinarius semisanguineus
Surprising webcap Cortinarius semisanguineus


Species list

Latin NameCommon Name
Amanita muscaria Fly Agaric
Amanita rubescens The Blusher
Boletus badius Bay Bolete
Boletus edulis Cep
Calocera viscosa Yellow Staghorn
Coleosporium tussilaginis   
Cortinarius flexipes Pine Pelargonium Webcap
Cortinarius semisanguineus Surprise Webcap
Gymnopilus penetrans Common Rustgill
Heterobasidion annosum Conifer Heart Rot
Hypholoma fasciculare Sulphur Tuft
Hypomyces chrysospermus Bolete mould
Laccaria amethystina Amethyst Deceiver
Laccaria laccata Deceiver
Lactarius pubescens Bearded Milkcap
Lactarius tabidus Birch Milkcap
Lactarius glyciomus Coconut Milkcap
Leccinum holopus Ghost Bolete
Leccinum scabrum Brown Birch Bolete
Leccinum variicolor Mottled Bolete
Leotia lubrica Jelly Baby
Mycena arcangeliana Angel’s Bonnet
Paxillus involutus Brown Rollrim
Piptoporus betulinus Birch Bracket
Plicaturopsis crispa Crimped gill
Postia stiptica Bitter Bracket
Rhytisma acerinum Tar Spot
Russula aeruginea Green Brittlegill
Russula betularum Birch Brittlegill
Russula caerulea Humpback Brittlegill
Russula emetica The Sickener
Russula ochroleuca Ochre Brittlegill
Russula sardonia Primrose Brittlegill
Suillus bovinus Bovine Bolete
Trichaptum abietinum Purplepore bracket
Tricholoma fulvum Birch Knight
Trochila ilicina Holly Speckle
Xylaria hypoxylonCandle snuff


© Ryedale Natural History Society 2017, Photos © Gill Smith, Rhona Sutherland (Cortinarius) 2017 Back to the Home page