FUNGUS FORAY, DUNWICH FOREST lOth October, 1970 F . W . SIMPSON, F.L.S. D U N W I C H Forest now extends to over 1 , 0 0 0 acres of former poor arable, pasture, and heathland. The first plantings were in 1929. Some of the original flora has survived along the open sunny rides and we saw Euphrasia nemorosa, Trifolium arvense and the rare Gnaphalium sylvaticum in unusual abundance. Ulex minor was flowering along roadside margins. Where the trees have been established for a number of years and there is good shade and leaf-mould the fern Dryopteris dilatata was very common: D. filix-mas being a less frequent species.
Fungi were not very abundant and several usually common species were absent. About fifty kinds were identified. The majority of populär books on "Mushrooms and Toadstools" describe and illustrate only a very limited selection and correct determination is often therefore impossible, except in the cases of common and distinctive kinds. Illustrations are also sometimes very misleading and colours incorrect. Fungi vary very considerably in their shapes, sizes, and colours, according to age and other circumstances of growth. In the grounds of St. Helena we were shown by Mrs. Pardoe good examples of Gymnopilus junonius on a large tree stump. A short walk took the party to the Forest rides. Armillaria mellea, Honey Fungus, was plentiful in some areas and Hypholoma fasciculare, Sulphur Tuft, growing on almost every old stump. Some very fine specimens of Coprinus comatus, Lawyer's Wig, were greatly admired. We also saw other species of this genus: C. atromentarius and C. micaceus. Only one specimen of the poisonous Amanita muscaria, Fly Agaric, was located, but there were several Amanita rubescens, The Blusher. The stems and basal "bulbs" of every specimen of this species we examined were found to be infested with Diptera grubs. The most attractive blue and green Stropharia aeruginosa was discovered among grass and bracken. This is a doubtful species and said to be poisonous. Lactarius hepatica, one of the few species of this genus with yellowish-cream coloured milk when broken was later identified by Mr. L. Green. This species, although said to be frequent in coniferous woods, is not described in the majority of books. A very attractive red Russula was named Russula queletii. It is said to be inedible and very similar to Russula emetica. Russula ochroleuca was fairly frequent.
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"Bun Fungi" (Boletus) were quite common and those definitely identified were Boletus bovinus, B. chrysenteron, and B. subtomentosus. A fungus which puzzled members was finally named as TJngulina (Fomes) annosa: this species causes heart rot in conifers. Peziza aurantia, Orange-peel Fungus, was common among herbage and logs in one damp glade. Two Puff-balls were identified as Lycoperdon molle and L. ericetorum. Other Toadstools in the Forest were Paxillus involutus, Paxillus atrotomentosus, Pluteus cervinus, Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca, Collybia maculata, Laccaria laccata, Tricholomopsis rutilans, Omphalina ericetorum," and Psathyrella (Lacrymaria) lacrymabunda. F. W. Simpson, F.L.S., 40 Ruskin Road, Ipswich, Suffolk.