Tracking Down Toadstools
Do you know your blusher from your panthercap? Let Polly Pullar point the way.
FUNGI make up the third kingdom of life on earth after animals and plants, and they are equally important. Indeed, many plants depend on them, and they in turn depend totally on the plants – and indeed on animals – in order to thrive; it is a symbiotic relationship.
The association of plants and fungi dates back around 460 million years. This is a vast and fascinating subject, at times extremely complex and hard for the layman to understand fully.
Despite the fact that these extraordinary fruiting bodies are such a common sight, they are little understood and have long been feared and revered in equal measure.
Their association with witchcraft, devilry and evil-doing, poisonings and death has, however, been well documented.
When consumed, many types of fungi can bring on trance-like states, others weird and wonderful dreams, whilst “magic mushrooms” are sought out
as a drug for their psychedelic effects.
Of course, many types of fungi (mushrooms and toadstools) are enjoyed as food. In some areas of rural Europe, children routinely learn from their elders a deep understanding of which are edible and which to avoid, knowledge that is passed from generation to generation.
This is less common in the British Isles, where forays for edible fungi are still viewed with suspicion, though this is beginning to change as more people learn which types are safe to eat.
Some fungi are unsurpassed for flavour. However, many edible and inedible fungi look incredibly similar. Get it wrong and you won’t be around to enjoy them a second time.
Many varieties are deadly poison. Accidental consumption of the wrong species can lead to acute organ failure and almost certain death. Little wonder they are so cautiously viewed.
Unlike plants, fungi have no chlorophyll to convert the sun’s energy into food. Instead, they derive nutrients from plant and animal material. They produce enzymes to dissolve their food source so they can absorb it.
The beautiful part that we see above ground, on rotting timber or on the trunks of trees, is merely the fruiting body.
Like trees, there is a great deal going on beneath the surface. In the case of fungi, a mass of thread-like roots, called hyphae, form a mycelium – a vast, often microscopic, net below ground.
This can survive for hundreds of years, and longer in some cases. Sometimes the hyphae form a mat that can be seen.
As our knowledge grows we’re learning that fungi are a vital part of our ecosystems and as such should be protected and nurtured at all costs.
The fact that some species can literally appear overnight following humid spells adds to their intrigue.
Though you can find various types throughout the year, autumn is the season for a glut of these glorious fruiting bodies.
Some years provide far more suitable conditions than others.
At those times the woods and fields become a treasure trove of extraordinary colour and vibrancy, bizarre shapes and forms, and I rush out with the camera to capture scenes that might only last a few days.
Often the best, most vibrant specimens are deep in the woods where light levels are low. Using flash alters the colours and is not something I want to do.
Long exposures using a tripod bring the best results, but photographing fungi is often difficult, whilst identifying the subjects is a bigger challenge still.
Even the common names of some fungi merely add to the mystery: lion shield, panthercap, weeping widow, wood woollyfoot, russet toughshank, twig parachute, slippery jack, burnt knight and turkey tail.
There are some 15,000 types of fungi in the UK. It is indeed a gargantuan subject and the more I see these glorious creations, the more I realise I have a mountain to climb to truly understand these fascinating specimens. n