Previous Otari-Wilton’s bush forays: 2011, 2012, and 2013. Below are photos and comments on fungi seen over the last two days, 26-27 April.

Porcelain slimecap [Oudemansiella australis] and wood-ear jelly – These species were growing on dead karaka trees, read more here. Most of the dead trees were heavily colonised by the wood-ear jelly but one was largely colonised by porcelain slimecaps.

Olive-stemmed helmet [Mycena olivaceomarginata] – This is a small grassland species.

Red-edged roundhead [Psathyrella corrugis] – No photo but read more about this species here [as Panaeolus sp.].

Grey-gilled chalkcap [Russula inquinata] – This a mycorrhizal species found growing in association with black beech [Nothofagus solandri]. Taste is a useful characteristic to separate Russula species tasting either acrid/hot/peppery or mild. The grey-gilled chalkcap is mild.

Cocoa bolete [Tylopylus brunneus] – The cocoa bolete will, if in good condition blue when bruised or cut (see here).

Sociable inkcap [Coprinellus disseminatus] – Growing on a beech stump.

Smooth parasol [Leucoagaricus leucothites] – This species was growing in a garden mulched with gravel. There are a couple of photos of the smooth parasol I took in Marlborough last year here.

Ruby helmet [Mycena viscidocruenta] – This small red Mycena was growing on woodchips. Young fresh specimens have a clear layer of slime on their stems but this disappears as the mushrooms age or if conditions are dry. The ruby helmet also occurs in Australia and there is an excellent photo, by Heino Lepp, at the Australian Botanic Gardens’ Australian Fungi website (here).

Brown birdsnest [Crucibulum laeve] – Growing on woodchip.

Fluted birdsnest [Cyathus striatus] – This larger birdsnest is easy recognised by the dark brown hairy cup with a shiny fluted interior. This is the first record of this species at Otari-Wilton’s Bush.

Fragrant parasol [Lepiota  cristata] – Growing in woodchip and the first record of this species at Otari-Wilton’s Bush.

A webcap [Cortinarius sp.] – This species took me by surprise by growing in a gravel bed as it is a mycorrhizal genus. A quick look around showed several kanuka trees within a couple of meters.

Scarlet roundhead [Leratiomyces ceres = Stropharia aurantiaca] – Read more about this species here.

A parasol [Lepiota sp.] – One of many species of Lepiota present in New Zealand.

A shanklet [Marasmius sp.] – This was growing on the bark of a living kahikatea [Dacrycarpus dacrydioides] in the podocarp / kauri grove by the information centre.

Garlic shanklet [Mycetinis curraniae] – Read more about this species here.

A parasol [Lepiota sp.] – Another parasol in need of a name.

A mushroom [Agaricus sp.] – we recorded this unnamed Agaricus species for the first time at the 2013 foray. It was growing about 3 meters away, on the opposite side of the board walk from where it was found last year (see here).

Olive honeycap [Armillaria novaezelandae] – The olive honeycap was growing on a moribund tree in the Fernery.

Harefoot inkcap [Coprinopsis lagopus] – growing in wood chip mulch.

Split gill [Schizophyllum commune] – this little wood decay was growing on logs used to edge the paths in the Fernery.

Wood-ear jelly [Auricularia cornea] – Read more about this species here.

Orange poreconch [Favolaschia calocera] – Read more about this species here.

A parasol [Lepiota sp.] – small pure white parasol found in the bush.

Bush shank [Heimiomyces neovelutipes] – I have recorded this species several times over the last two years growing on the same log.

Bluing pouch [Psilocybe weraroa = Weraroa novae-zelandiae] – We have known this little dirty white pouch fungus as a species of Weraroa for about 50 years. recent molecular research has seen this genus disestablished and its member species scattered amongst other genera. The placement of this species in Psilocybes is not surprising given the deep blue bruising that occurs when the cap is damaged as can be seen in the photo.

Native shitake [Lentinellus novae-zelandiae] – This species fruits routinely on a number of logs in the bush between the fernery and the car park.

A parasol [Lepiota sp.] – A dark grey to slate blue capped parasol growing in woodchip in the Fernery.

Common scabbard [Volvariella gloiocephala] – no photo

Still working on this little mushroom. Initially, I tried to shoehorn it into Hydropus ardesiacus but it has a snuff-brown spore print, not a white one so I need to start again. It seemed to be growing on the frass in the centre of this cut stump rather than the wood.

Cloudy funnelcap [Clitocybe nebularis] – The cloudy funnelcap has been seen several times over the last few years at different places in the bush.

Tea chalkcap [Russula novae-zelandiae] – I collected this for the first time a week ago  and is recognised by its yellowish brown cap, its  mild taste, and it’s association with kanaka [Kunzea ericoides]

A doilycap [Pluteus sp.] – I managed to get a very faint but distinctly pinkish/brick spore print from this specimen but not sure what, if any described, species it is.

Parachute conch [Campanella tristis] – growing on a well-decayed branch in the bush.

Addendum 4 May 2014

Rita Urry, who was on the foray, sent me the following photos which she took at Otari the following weekend.

Orange poreconch [Favolaschia calocera]

Icicle tooth [Hericium coralloides]

Skull puffball [Calvatia craniiformis ] – see here for more information.