With another dreadful forecast emitted from the Met Office, 8 resilient members of the Nature Walks group met up at Salcombe Regis NT car park, having driven through thick fog and a fine drizzle for a fungi foray.

I gave them chance to stay in where it was dry but no they all turned up and I was told afterwards to inform the stay-at-homes that they had missed a lovely foray with the mist amongst the trees making it look like fairyland. If elves and fairies had come out to greet us I wouldn’t have been surprised.

We saw an eclectic variety of fungi the smallest being probably no bigger that 2-3mm the Oak Pin Cudoniella acicularis. We needed a lens to see it properly. Others were thankfully larger.

• Sulpher Tuft, Hypholoma fasciculare
• Candlesnuff Fungus, Xylaria hypoxylon
• Stinkhorn (egg), Phallus impudicus
• Brittlegills, Russula sanguinaria
• Earthball, Scleraderma citrinum
• Common Puffball, Lycoperdon perlatum
• Pestle Puffball, Handkea excipuliformis
• Cloudy Clitocybe/Clouded Agaric, Clitocybe nebularis
• Witches Butter (?), Tremella mesenterica
• Netted Crust, Byssomerulius corium
• White Saddle, Helvela Crispa
• Birch Polypore or Razorstrop Fungus, Piptoporus betulinus
• Artist’s Bracket, Ganoderma applanatum
• Variable Oysterling, Crepidotus variabilis (on a twig)
• Spectacular Rustgill, Gymnopilus junonius (from my recce) and
• Plums and Custard, Tricholomopsis decora (in Elizabeth’s garden after she invited back for coffee).

Janet Fernley