Foray Reports

NFG Foray at Budby South Forest SSSI  15th November 2025

15 members and friends attended this foray on a sunny fresh morning at this important site, presently managed by the RSPB. Essentially it is sandy lowland heath, but which has become overgrown in parts by planted conifers, gradually being removed. The section we forayed in had been largely cleared and is dominated by birch and oak or is grass-heather heath at its highest point. By the end of the morning we had recorded 90 species, an excellent total of mostly common fungi, but with some interesting species among them, which are mentioned below.

Early on, Hayley Sears found some white clubs of Clavaria argyllacea (Moor Club) in the sandy soil – it typically grows, as its English name suggests, in this kind of acid heath setting. The Chalciporus piperatus (Peppery Bolete) under birch was collected by Bernard Featherstone and Matthe Sawyer. It is not uncommon but its peppery (but not toxic) taste makes it a bit special among boletes. Matthew also found Cordyceps militaris whose English name Scarlet Caterpillarclub tells us that it arises from parasitized larvae in the soil. Matthew also collected the only 1st Notts record this morning in grassy sand and heather, a fairly large Cortinarius with birch: Cortinarius bovinus, and generally uncommon. It is a difficult genus, but this one was not too hard to identify. Hayley found a small but striking cluster of Grifola frondosa (Hen of the Woods) at the start of the foray in soil near the base of an oak, its favoured host, from whose roots it arises. The cluster consisted of tightly packed brown fans with bright white margins.

Agnieszka Kiely noticed a bracket on a stump, identified by Di Mears as Lenzites betulinus (Birch Mazegill). Although the stump did not seem to be birch, the favoured host, it will grow less commonly on other broad-leaf stumps or fallen branches. Another poroid bracket on a log found by Agnieszka was the thick, white, rather rubbery Tyromyces chioneus (White Cheese Polypore), whose English name describes it well when fresh. It later becomes hard and chalky. Agnieszka also found the only Red Data List species seen today, Melanoleuca stridula, in heather with birch and oak. It is a 5th Notts record, not common. Its much commoner relation, Melanleuca polioleuca (Common Knight) was recorded by Ann Ward.

Of the 5 Mycena species recorded, one seen by Craig Levy was Mycena pseudocorticola, a 3rd Notts record growing on the base of a mossy oak trunk. Supposedly common, it is very small and must be often overlooked. Of the 4 Lactarius species recorded, Ann identified one of the brightest in colour, Lactarius  fulvissimus (Tawny Milkcap), whose white milk becomes yellowish on a handkerchief. It is a bright orange.

Most of us are familiar with Psathyrella piluliformis (Common Stump Brittlegill), but there is the very similar Psathyrella laevissimus, much less common, which Bernard showed me. Somehow it looked a little different from its common counterpart, later confirmed by microscopy. We have recorded it previously in Notts, but not often.

On this foray, we split (not intentionally) into two groups about halfway through: Ann’s rapid advance unit and my rearguard. United back at the carpark, we all agreed it had been a really satisfying foray in pleasant sunlit surroundings.

Howard Williams