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How to Find Fungi

Getting out and looking for fungi can be a great way to connect with nature and discover more about this amazing kingdom.

Here our Specialist Botanical Advisor, Sarah Shuttleworth, gives her top tips for finding fungi! 

Shaggy Inkcaps

If like us, you love fungi – getting out and discovering all of the magnificent mushrooms you can find can be a really fun activity, and a great way to connect with nature!

Fungi don’t need to be scary, in fact, they can be just as fascinating for children as they are for adults. *Disclaimer: Picking a fungus can be done to help with identification. Never pick more than you need to, and avoid picking any rare or uncommon species. Looking for fungi can be a really fun activity, but make sure you know the rules of the sites you are visiting and always get permission for collecting from nature reserves or protected areas.

Whether you are brand new to the fungi kingdom and want some top tips to start your search, or maybe you have discovered our Waxcap Watch survey and want to know where to find grassland fungi to take part.

Below are some top tips of where to look and what you might find.

How to Find Fungi in Woodlands

Woodlands are a great place to start your fungi interest as a huge proportion of fungi species are found in places with lots of trees. All the leaf litter, rotting wood and fallen branches are perfect places for fungi. When walking through a woodland look for any dead wood, fallen trees and stumps.

Dead wood sits on a forest floor, covered by lots of tiny mushrooms

These areas are sure to have some fungi, maybe types of bracket fungi or clusters of yellow Sulphur Tufts or tiny little mushrooms peeping out from the moss. Sometimes under patches of bramble you can find little species hiding away or even on the rotting bramble stalks themselves. The best 4 trees to look under, whether in a woodland or a parkland, are:

  1. Oak
  2. Beech
  3. Pine
  4. Birch

These trees have many mycorrhizal associations with fungi, so often a good place to start looking.

How to Find Fungi in Grasslands

If you are looking for a good selection of grassland species, especially the brightly coloured waxcaps and corals, then older, less intensively managed grasslands are the place to start.

Churchyards can be a good starting point, depending on how the grass has been managed over time, if it has lots of moss in the grass and doesn’t look too lush, then it might be quite old grassland.

Fields and lawns near big old houses can be good, again grasslands that don’t look too lush, like there is only one type of grass across the whole field and its very shiny looking grass (this might indicate that the grassland was ploughed and reseeded and then regularly fertilised, which waxcaps do not like).

Fairy Ring Champignon creates rings of mushrooms, which can be seen even when the fungi are not fruiting as the ring creates a different look to the grass. This is shown in the image. A large expanse of grass can be seen with parked cars and trees in the background. In the foreground the beginnings of a 'fairy ring' can be seen.

Grassland, like that of playing fields, that is mown very regularly and the cuttings are left on the surface are not likely to be good for waxcaps, however you can still find fungi like Fairy Ring Champignon, which creates rings of mushrooms, which can be seen even when the fungi are not fruiting as the ring creates a different look to the grass. There will be other tiny little bonnets or bell fungi too, hard to identify, but fun to look at.

Shorter grass is also going to be more fruitful than areas with long tussocks that haven’t been cut or grazed for a year or more. Look for anthills, mossy patches, away from shading caused by trees or hedges. Sometimes you need to really look closely and move the grass out of the way to find them hiding in there.

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Learn more about Fungi

Ten wild, wacky and wonderful facts about the world of fungi
Collection of Magpie Inkcaps

Ten wild, wacky and wonderful facts about the world of fungi

Here we delve into this mind-boggling realm to discover ten of weirdest, wackiest and most wonderful facts from the world of fungi!

A rare find: The Bluetooth Fungus
Blue Tooth Fungus

A rare find: The Bluetooth Fungus

Our specialist botanical advisor Sarah Shuttleworth revisits her favourite fungi find – the rare Blue Tooth fungus.

Take part in Waxcap Watch
A close up of a pretty pink Ballerina Waxcap in grassland, showcasing the gills on the underside

Take part in Waxcap Watch

Britain is home to some of the most important waxcap grasslands in the world. However many species are becoming rare and declining; they need identifying and protecting.

How many fungus species are there?

Recent studies have revealed that there’s so much fungi out there that we don’t know about.

But how do we know this? Plantlife’s Rachel Inhester, from our science team, tells us why.

 

Fly Agaric

“More than 90% of fungal species remain unknown to science”

This incredible fact from the Kew report, ‘State of the World’s Plants and Fungi 2023’, highlights just how much there is to learn when it comes to fungi. That was certainly my first thought when I read this statement. It’s exciting to think of all the discoveries we have yet to make, and it gives an indication as to the huge amount of work ahead of us, to find and classify such a large number of unknown species. The report goes on to estimate that there are between 2-3 million species of fungi in the world, and as of yet, only 155,000 of those species have been formally named!

Shaggy Inkcaps

Why are fungi hard to find and identify?

Fungi can be difficult to detect for a number of reasons:

  • Some species are very similar and can often be confused as being the same as one another.
  • Fungi spend a lot of their lifecycle hidden away under the soil. The mushrooms, that we are familiar with, are only one small part of the organism. They are known as the fruiting body and grow to release spores so that the fungus can reproduce, but for a large part of the year, fungi exist as a network of very fine threads underground, out of sight.
  • So many species have yet to be discovered and remain, for now, unknown to science. This means, that they have yet to be formally discovered and identified as new species.

 

As I was contemplating just how little we know about these extraordinary organisms; another thought came to mind. How can we estimate that 90% of fungal species are unknown to science? How did we come up with that number? In other words, how can we know what we don’t know?

What can be done?

Well, it turns out, that to arrive at such an estimate, you first need a team of fungal specialists, known as mycologists, and then you need the time and capacity to critically evaluate all the current knowledge on the topic so far. It was certainly no simple undertaking!

Photo shows a number of clear test tubes resting in a yellow tray. There is a plant in a vase behind the test tubes.

Past methods of calculating the number of fungal species, were not without issue, so the team of experts definitely had their work cut out for them. Previous estimates couldn’t be completely relied upon on their own. Sampling techniques varied and some fungal groups were not considered in certain studies. Some reports were simply outdated due to the discoveries that have been made since they were first published.

It’s important that we try to speed up this process so that we can understand the fascinating world of fungi around us. Fungi are interconnected with nearly all life on earth. They can improve nutrient uptake of plants, improve the immunity of their plant hosts against pathogens, they are biomass decomposers, and some species are used to make medicines [1].

The team of specialists decided to focus on 4 key academic areas to better estimate the number of expected species. These research areas were scaling laws, fungus to plant ratios, actual vs previously known species and DNA based studies.

  • 1. Scaling Laws

    Organisms are classified into 8 main levels or ‘taxa’. From highest to lowest, these taxa are: Domain – Kingdom – Phylum – Class – Order – Family – Genus – Species. This is a way of organising organisms into groups which become more inclusive with every level. Let’s use the Fly Agaric fungi as an example. At species level we simply have Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria). The Fly Agaric is an individual species, but individual species can belong to a larger group, or genus, in this case the genus Amanita. A genus is a grouping of similar species which all share a common ancestor. The groupings, or taxa, get progressively larger as you move up each level until you reach the levels of Kingdom and Domain. The Fly Agaric is part of the Fungi Kingdom which includes all other fungal species.

    Scaling law studies aim to predict species diversity by looking at patterns in the numbers of ‘higher taxa’ and the number of known species in each.

    In this case, information from the level of phylum (the third taxa) to genus (the seventh taxa) was used. Patterns in the numbers of these ‘higher taxa’ were compiled to predict fungal species diversity. Previous studies were assessed by the fungal experts, who adjusted the estimates to include recent discoveries and accurate numbers of known species.

  • 2. Fungus: Plant Ratios

    Fungus to plant ratios have been estimated in multiple studies over the years and for a variety of habitats. Therefore, if we know the number of plant species, we can make a pretty good estimate as to the number of fungal species.

    However, the fungal experts were still faced with challenges when examining previous research. Studies varied in how they calculated the ratios to begin with. Some only considered fungi with a known association to plants and other studies were much broader. Coupled with the fact that lots of fungi can be difficult to detect and may have no association with plants whatsoever, a lot of the predictions were considered an underestimate. On evaluating earlier research, the specialists felt that a ratio of 5:1, of fungi to plant species, in temperate areas and 4:1 in tropical locations, was more accurate than previous estimates.

  • 3. Actual vs previously known species

    Some species of fungi can be difficult to differentiate. This can cause an underestimation of species numbers as multiple species are occasionally classified as one and the same. The fungal experts examined a study which had investigated this in detail where they concluded that there were 11 times as many actual species compared with previously known species. Varying definitions of exactly what a species is, creates difficulty with this method of estimation.

  • 4. DNA Studies

    DNA based methods have been an incredibly powerful tool in documenting fungal diversity around the world. A single sample can allow scientists to sequence the DNA of whole communities of fungi. These samples can come from a variety of places, including soil and deadwood. The samples are then analysed and any DNA within the sample is extracted and sequenced.

    This DNA gives us a list of all the fungal species found in a sample, including species which we can’t even see, providing us with a more accurate representation of fungal species numbers.

    For Kew’s report, it provided the final piece of the puzzle in answering the question of ‘how many species of fungi do we think there are globally?’.

Scarlet Elfcup

What does this tell us?

Using all the information and research available to them, the fungal experts refined their predictions and came up with an estimate of 2.5 million species of fungi worldwide! [2]

So there really was a lot of work that went into this seemingly impossible estimation. As it stands, this estimate reveals how many species we have yet to discover.

At this time, around 2,500 new species of fungi are identified and described each year. And if the above estimate is accurate, that would mean waiting 750-1000 years for us to find and describe the rest. [2]

As we discover more species, we shall hopefully uncover more benefits of the fungi around us, as well as conserving as many species as possible before we potentially lose them forever.

  • References

    1. Niskanen, T., et al. (2023). Pushing the frontiers of biodiversity research: Unveiling the global diversity, distribution and conservation of fungi. Annual Review of Environment and Resources. DOI: https://doi.org//10.1146/annurev-environ-112621-090937 –  
    2. Antonelli, A., et al. (2023). State of the World’s Plants and Fungi 2023. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. DOI: https://doi.org/10.34885/wnwn-6s63 

Learn more about Fungi

Ten wild, wacky and wonderful facts about the world of fungi
Collection of Magpie Inkcaps

Ten wild, wacky and wonderful facts about the world of fungi

Here we delve into this mind-boggling realm to discover ten of weirdest, wackiest and most wonderful facts from the world of fungi!

A rare find: The Bluetooth Fungus
Blue Tooth Fungus

A rare find: The Bluetooth Fungus

Our specialist botanical advisor Sarah Shuttleworth revisits her favourite fungi find – the rare Blue Tooth fungus.

Take part in Waxcap Watch
A close up of a pretty pink Ballerina Waxcap in grassland, showcasing the gills on the underside

Take part in Waxcap Watch

Britain is home to some of the most important waxcap grasslands in the world. However many species are becoming rare and declining; they need identifying and protecting.

Fungi in Folklore

Here we delve into fantastic fungus folklore, to explore some of our favourite stories from fairy rings to Witches Butter!

A collection of Fly Agaric on a moss covered forest floor. The Fly Agaric is red with white spots and a white stem. It is a stark contrast to the vibrant green of the mosses. The photo looks like a scene from a fairytale.

Humans have had a connection to fungi for thousands of years, in more ways than one – we actually share a distant ancestor going back around 1.3 billion years. So it’s not surprising that our folklore, myths and legends contain mentions of these amazing organisms.

We’re exploring some of our favourite folklore tales. And if you’re inspired to learn more about the wonderful world of fungi, visit our Learn About Fungi page here.

Beautifully detailed photograph showing a purple coloured mushroom poking up from the forest floor

Fungi are Folklore!

Did you know that even the creation of fungi is shrouded in legend? The details differ from culture to culture, but there’s a few stories that remain the same.

For example, in ancient Egypt, they believed mushrooms were a gift from Set, the god of the desert, disorder, violence and the master of storms – springing when his lightning bolts hit the earth. Because of this, it is said that only the pharaohs were allowed to eat mushrooms!

In ancient Greece, there was a similar story, where mushrooms would appear after Zeus had hurled lightning from the sky. And it turns out that folk tale, might have more fact behind it than fiction! Research suggests that lightning could actually increase mushroom crops. In some cases, lightning hitting logs seeded with spores, has doubled how many mushrooms appear.

Fungi and Fairies

We (as humans) have a shared connection with fungi, so it should come as no surprise that fairy folk do too!
Tales from all over the UK suggest that fairies have a fondness for fungi. In Wales, there’s stories of fairies using Parasol Mushrooms as umbrellas, to shield them from the rain, while in Scotland, it’s believed they actually use the flat fungi as dining tables for their feasts.

And of course, we couldn’t mention fairies, without discussing fairy rings! There’s countless tales of mysterious rings of toadstools that pop up overnight and they symbolise different things for different cultures. In Austria they are said to mark the places where dragons once breathed their fire. While there are lots of different explanations, one popular belief is that these rings are a portal into the fairy realm, and if you step inside them you will be transported.

While it might seem like a fun experience, the consequences are often extreme. Some suggest that stepping inside a fairy ring means you will die young, while others say that humans can’t enter the fairy realm so instead they become trapped in between worlds and invisible to both!

Photo showing a Yellow Brain fungus on a piece of dead wood on the forest floor. The bright yellow of the fungus stands out against the dark wood and leaf covered floor.

Magic and Mushrooms

With mushrooms looking like everything from a human ear (Jelly Ear), to a tiny birds nest filled with eggs (Bird’s Nest Fungus), and with names from Witches Butter to Scarlet Elfcup, it’s not hard to see why mushrooms have long been associated with magic.

But the connection runs much deeper than that. There are many fungus species that have been linked with witches, for example often to a curse. It was once believed that fungi which caused negative effects such as moulding crops, were the result of a witches curse. And it was said to be likely that a witch had cursed you if an unsightly Stinkhorn appeared in your garden. Indeed, the fungus first appears in an egg shape and in this form it’s commonly known as Witches Egg.

But perhaps one of the best known tales is of the Yellow Brain (also known as Witches Butter). This wrinkled fungus would sometimes spring up on the threshold of a property. It was said that if it did, a witch had placed a spell on whoever lived inside. There was however one way to break it. Whoever lived in the property had to stick pins into the Yellow Brain – and when it disappeared, the spell was broken.

Fungi and the Afterlife

Fungi have long been associated with death, the afterlife and spirituality. They appear from underground, help to decay dead trees and leaves and even have names associated with the macabre. Take Dead Man’s Fingers, which looks just as creepy as it sounds – appearing like a dead hand reaching out of the ground. Then there’s Horn of Plenty, which is also known as Trumpet of the Dead – so called because it appears around the same time as Halloween, the time when the veil between the living and the dead is supposedly lifted. It is said that these black horn-shaped mushrooms are used to play music by the spirits of those who have passed.

Mushrooms have even been connected to the god of the dead in Lithunania, where it was believed that mushrooms are the fingers of Velnias, who tries to reach out of the underworld below, to feed the people.

Scarlet Elfcup

Mythical Creatures and Mushrooms

We’ve touched on some mythical creatures, such as fairies and dragons above, but there’s more creatures with fungus connections. Scarlet Elfcup for example, which takes it’s name from the folklore that woodland elves were said to drink or bathe in water collected in the cups of the fungus. Then there’s Elfin Saddles, which are said to be sat on by elves as they ride around.

More on fungi

How Fungi Find Love on the Wood Wide Web

How Fungi Find Love on the Wood Wide Web

Join Senior Ecologist Sarah Shuttleworth for a deadwood date, as she shares what gets fungi swiping right on the wood wide web.

Rare Fungus spotted at Kenfig National Nature Reserve
Brown topped fungus with yellow gills in a green grassy area.

Rare Fungus spotted at Kenfig National Nature Reserve

Chris Jones, the Warden of Kenfig National Nature Reserve, recently found the very rare fungus, during a routine survey.

Half-term Idea: Family Fungi Fun
Girl looking at fungi

Half-term Idea: Family Fungi Fun

Fungi are one of our most fascinating creations, and best of all, they are right under our noses – perfect for children to spot.

Ten wild, wacky and wonderful facts about the world of fungi

Here we delve into this mind-boggling realm to discover ten of weirdest, wackiest and most wonderful facts from the world of fungi! 

Photo showing a Yellow Brain fungus on a piece of dead wood on the forest floor. The bright yellow of the fungus stands out against the dark wood and leaf covered floor.

There at least five kingdoms in our living world, including; animals, plants, fungi, protists, and the prokaryotes (which includes bacteria). While the animal and plant kingdoms are well known, fungi are often overlooked – but the world of fungi is fascinating! And they’re all around us. A network of fungi runs through the earth in every continent and can even be found in our seas.  

Here we explore more of this incredible kingdom to share our passion for all things fungi. From a distant ancestral connection to how some fungi can survive on radioactive sites – read on for 10 wild, wacky and wonderful facts about the world of fungi!

1. The largest organism in the world is a fungus

Known as the Humungous Fungus, a single Armillaria organism, found in Oregon, is approximately 931 square hectares or around 70 football pitches! 

The fungus is measured including its network of mycelium that run underground, so much of the mass cannot be seen. While it’s unlikely you’ll come across anything of quite that size, there are some pretty big fungi you might find on your doorstep.

An illustration of a cream coloured Giant Puffball sat on a grass moundFor instance, another fungus species, the Giant Puffball Calvatia gigantea (shown in the illustration below) produces large, round fruiting bodies that can be seen above ground. They’re certainly hard to miss, as they can grow up to 80cms in diameter (outside of the UK, they have been known to grow as big as 1.5m). They can grow to such a size that on occasion, people have mistaken them for sheep in a field!

2. Fungi and humans share a distant ancestor

Fungi is a kingdom all of its own, so we don’t want to mistake it for being a plant or animal. That said, while you might expect that these interesting organisms are more closely related to plants – the opposite is true. Fungi share a common ancestor with the animal kingdom, which includes humans, dating back around 1 billion years. [1]

While that may seem an incomprehensible length of time, it might not be in the world of fungi. We don’t have conclusive evidence of how old fungi can be. Research suggests that some of the fungi on our planet today, have been alive for thousands of years. 

The ‘Humungous Fungus’ is estimated to be between 1,900 and 8,650 years old! [2] Which means there could be living fungi that were present when the Vikings landed in the UK, when the Romans ruled and even when Stonehenge was erected. 

3. Fungi can be found all around your kitchen 

Fungi might be a common feature on your breakfast plate, or in a bowl of pasta – but there are many other foods that contain fungi, which might surprise you. 

Did you know that bread, beer, wine and some cheeses all include types of fungi? Yeast-forming fungi are an essential ingredient in the processes to make them and there are many different species, the most common of which is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, used in brewing and making bread.  

As far as we know today there are more than 2,000 species of edible fungi in the world. [3] These range from the popular Button and Chestnut Mushrooms Agaricus bisporus to the mycoprotein that makes up the meat substitute Quorn. And they are becoming even more popular with Lion’s Mane Hericium erinaceus being added to some coffees and fungi being used to help ferment cacao beans to make chocolate!  

Photo shows a number of clear test tubes resting in a yellow tray. There is a plant in a vase behind the test tubes.

4. Fungi are friends not (just) food

That’s right, fungi aren’t just contained to your kitchen, you can probably find them all around house from your wardrobe to your medicine cabinet and even your beauty bag. 

One common example of fungi used in medicine is Penicillin, the first antibiotic, which was derived from Penicillium mould. Other fungi produce compounds that are used to treat diseases like cancer, high cholesterol and even organ transplant rejection. 

In the beauty industry mushrooms are becoming a common feature of skincare products as many have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. They have even been trialled as a renewable replacement for dyes in cosmetics. 

Fungal enzymes are also used in the processing and production of a variety of products including paper, leather, cotton and biofuels – and generally they replace harsher chemicals in these processes. 

5. Fungi are helping our planet – in more ways than one

Fungi are essential for the nutrient cycles of the planet by acting as natural decomposers for organic matter. This means that as plants die, fungi help to break them down. In fact fungi are the only group of organisms that can break down plant cell walls. 

But research suggests that fungi could also break down other substances, in a process which could be used to clean our planet. Mycoremediation, is a process that uses fungi to break down substances that cause pollution. 

This process can be seen in action in places like the Amazon rainforest where local landowners are using these techniques to rid the ground of crude oil contamination. 

Currently researchers are also using fungi to create filters to clean water. They’ve even found a species called Aspergillus tubingensis, which can break down plastics! [4]

And five years after the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, the fungi Cryptococcus neoformans, was found feeding on radiation. [5] Scientists are now exploring the possibilities of this incredible fungus, looking at whether its abilities could help protect astronauts from radiation in space. 

Photo shows lots of of Sulphur Tuft mushrooms on the bottom of a tree. The photo is taken in the day and shows the beige or tan colouring of the small umbrella-shaped mushrooms.

6. There are fungi that can glow in the dark

Bioluminescence is a phenomenon where a living organism is able to produce and emit light. You might have seen this trait in fireflies in the sky or algae in the water, but more than 70 types of fungi can also glow in the dark. [6]

Some of these fascinating fungi that can be found around the world include Sulphur Tuft Hypholoma fasciculare (pictured on the right, in the daytime), Jack-O’Lantern Mushroom Omphalotus olearius, and Little Ping-Pong Bats Panellus pusillus. 

You can even find some of these luminescent fungi in the UK – though they are rarer and weaker here than in other parts of the world. 

Photograph shows a fallen, decaying tree of the forest floor, covered in hundreds of mushrooms.

7. Fungi store carbon

While plants have long been heralded for their ability to store carbon, they are not the only organisms capable of doing so. 

Fungi help break down organic material, using the carbon recycled by plants, and store this carbon as mycelium underground. This process helps lock atmospheric carbon in the soil, as well as releasing other nutrients into the soil which can help plants grow.  

Scientists estimate that fungi could be storing up to 13.12 billion metric tons of carbon annually! [7]

8. People have been using fungi for thousands of years

We might still be finding new and exciting ways to benefit from fungi today, but our ancestors paved the way.  

Most notably, a number of harvested fungi were found in the bag of Otzi ‘The Iceman’. Otzi’s mummified remains were discovered on the Italian-Austrian border in 1991. He had different species of fungi with him, though the intended uses of these cannot be known. Otzi is estimated to have been alive between 3350 and 3105 BC, meaning humans have been connected to fungi for at least 5,000 years!

Photograph shows a few Jelly Ear Fungi on tree, that is also covered in moss. The fungi are a dark brown in colour and almost perfectly resemble the shape of a human ear.

9. Fungi come in all shapes and sizes

While we tend to think of fungi in that stereotypical umbrella form, they can come in a variety of different sizes and shapes – including some pretty impressive lookalikes! 

Take the Jelly Ear Fungus Auricularia auricula – a common fungus that you can often find on decaying or dead Elder. This odd fungus gets its name because it looks and feels, almost completely like a human ear! 

Then there’s Dead Man’s Fingers Xylaria polymorpha! Just about as creepy visually as it sounds. The fruiting bodies are long and club shaped, and could easily be mistaken for a hand poking up out of the soil. 

Finally, a much less scary lookalike, is the Bird’s Nest Fungus Crucibulum laeve – named because it’s fruiting body almost perfectly resembles a tiny bird’s nest filled with eggs! When it rains, drops splash into the nest shape and knock out one of the little discs, which contain the spores, helping them to spread. 

10. Fungi might be able to make their own ‘weather’

OK, it’s all relative – you’re not going to find a mushroom that brings out the blue skies or creates a thunderstorm over your town. But there is research to suggest that some species, including Shitake Lentinula edodes and Oyster Mushrooms Pleurotus ostreatus could create their own mini weather systems. [8]

The science behind this phenomenon is evaporative cooling. Mushrooms release water, which evaporates in the warm air, turning into water vapour. The water vapour then cools the air, which sinks and the warm air in turn rises. As the air moves it creates a small breeze, probably not one that we would notice – but it’s enough for the fungi. 

Even a whisper of a breeze can help to disperse the tiny spores and spread them over a larger distance. This trick is especially helpful on hot days where there isn’t any wind to assist.

  • References

    1. Read more about animals distant connection to fungi in this report. 
    2. Read more about the ‘Humongous Fungus’ in this report. 
    3. Read more about edible fungi in this report. 
    4. Read more about how fungi can help clean water and break down plastics here. 
    5. Read about how fungi have been surviving in radiation here. 
    6. Learn about glowing fungi here.  
    7. Read more about how fungi store carbon here. 
    8. Read more about fungi’s own weather systems here. 

Read more

Rare Fungus spotted at Kenfig National Nature Reserve
Brown topped fungus with yellow gills in a green grassy area.

Rare Fungus spotted at Kenfig National Nature Reserve

Chris Jones, the Warden of Kenfig National Nature Reserve, recently found the very rare fungus, during a routine survey.

Half-term Idea: Family Fungi Fun
Girl looking at fungi

Half-term Idea: Family Fungi Fun

Fungi are one of our most fascinating creations, and best of all, they are right under our noses – perfect for children to spot.

Protecting Waxcaps: All the Losses We Cannot See…

Protecting Waxcaps: All the Losses We Cannot See…

Britain’s waxcap grasslands are considered to be the best in Europe. Discover the pressures these colourful fungi and their habitats face…

How to ID plants through DNA barcoding

It’s not just humans and animals that have DNA in their cells, plants and fungi do too.

In fact, DNA barcoding can be used to identify plants, detect invasive species and help conservation work, as our Senior Ecological Advisor Sarah Shuttleworth explains.

Photo shows a number of clear test tubes resting in a yellow tray. There is a plant in a vase behind the test tubes.

Like all living organisms, plants and fungi have DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) in their cells. DNA is the genetic code, which is the blueprint for genes, which gives an organism its specific characteristics. Different species will have a different DNA blueprint (with small variations within that as well) and these can help us tell species apart and see which ones are closely related.

I was recently offered a place on an exciting course to learn all about DNA barcoding and how it can help my work as a botanist.

Sarah Shuttleworth at DNA barcoding course

So, what is a DNA barcode?

Put simply, we can compare different DNA blueprints by comparing just a small section of the DNA sequence. This small section is referred to as the DNA barcode. There is a reference library which contains information about many species with their corresponding barcode.

In order to compare DNA barcodes of different species, the shortened sequence (region) needs to be the same region of the comparison species. However, which region you select to shorten and use for comparison is different depending on which type of organism you have. For example, all organisms within the animal kingdom are identified using the same specific DNA region, whilst all plants are identified using a different region.

 

The DNA region used for barcoding differs between kingdoms:

  • In fungi, the most commonly used DNA barcode is the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. This is the specific part of the DNA sequence used for fungi.
  • There are several candidates for DNA barcoding in plants. The two gene targets recommended are maturase K (matK) and ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase (rbcL).

DNA barcoding relies on a region of DNA that varies significantly between different species to allow the different species to be identified.

Attendees at DNA barcoding course

How do you extract the DNA and barcode it?

First, we need to collect a tiny bit of plant and/or fungi samples for our study. We don’t need much, just a small amount to get the DNA. To get the DNA out, we cut really tiny pieces from the samples. Then, we put these pieces in a tube with a special liquid solution and smush them with a small tool to break the cells apart and release the DNA.

Next, we need to make lots of copies of the DNA which we do by using a special mix of certain chemicals (there are different special mixes for plants and fungi).

To check if we’ve done it right, we use a method called gel electrophoresis. This method is used to separate mixtures of DNA, RNA, or proteins to molecular size (you will see a nice clear line in the gel if it has been successful.) This helps us see if the DNA we extracted is good and whether we can send it to the lab. The lab will then send us the DNA sequence so it can be compared it to other sequences in a big database.

How can DNA barcoding help with plant conservation?

Using these DNA barcoding skills can help us in many ways, including identifying single species or a community of species.

  • Single species barcoding – is when you collect a sample from a plant, fungus or animal, extract DNA from the sample, amplify the DNA barcode and send the DNA barcode for sequencing. This can help us record species accurately and identify species we have on our reserves that are difficult to identify. (The International Barcode of Life (iBOL) project seeks to make DNA barcoding globally accessible for the discovery and identification of all multicellular life on Earth.)
  • Community barcoding or metabarcoding – is when a sample contains a mixture of species, so DNA is extracted, amplified and sequenced from all the species in the mix that are targeted by the DNA barcode used. An example of metabarcoding is identifying the fungal diversity in a soil sample.
  • Detection of invasive species – DNA sampled from the environment (eDNA) can be barcoded to monitor the presence of invasive species of concern.

It is quite a technical process but as local groups (mainly fungi recording organisations) are starting to invest in the kit, more people should be able to get involved in DNA barcoding.

Sarah Shuttleworth on a DNA barcoding course

I hadn’t had a chance to do anything like this since my first year at university and I was surprised about how much came flooding back to me. The course was a great opportunity to learn and refresh my skills, as well as meet other people with an interest in species identification and conservation.

After more practicing, we hope to use these skills to add to the genomic database and assist our own species recording accuracy.

In the future, perhaps Plantlife can utilise these skill sets for looking at species assemblages on our reserves or places we are hoping to maximise conservation efforts.

Volunteer biological recording group RoAM (Recorders of the Avalon Marshes) at Somerset Wetlands NNR (National Nature Reserve) organised the DNA barcoding course with funding from Natural England through the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment Programme. I was offered a spot on this exciting course due to my work and contacts in a voluntary capacity with the North Somerset and Bristol Fungi Group.

Natural England: EDNA (Environmental DNA) approaches to environmental monitoring are incredibly valuable to Natural England’s work, but recognise their limitations, not least that some groups of fungi, lichen and invertebrates are poorly represented in genomic databases. By helping to train our highly skilled taxonomic recorders with DNA barcoding means better records and more effective eDNA outputs.

 

Wildflower meadows, a staple of the British countryside, are a buzz of activity, especially in the spring and summer. It’s not just the wildflowers and fungi that rely on their diverse vegetation, in fact, a range of wildlife can call these habitats home. By growing a meadow, you can also create a home or hunting ground for bees, butterflies, invertebrates, birds, mammals and reptiles.

Here are some of the animals you might spot in a meadow:

Invertebrates

A Flower Beetle resting on a large Oxeye Daisy, image by Pip Gray
  • Creating a meadow can really make a buzz and life in the centre can be like rush hour for insects
  • You can see everything, from ants to grasshoppers and huge armies of beetles and bugs
  • For many invertebrates, the stems, roots and leaves of meadow grasses and flowers provide food and shelter
  • The Cockchafer Beetle, commonly known as the May Bug, relies on grassy areas to lay their eggs
  • The common Bird’s-foot-Trefoil alone is a food plant for 130 different species of invertebrates

Our friends at Buglife can tell you more

Bees

Buff tailed bumblebee feeding on Knapweed
  • Pollinators, such as bees, commute to meadows every day to feast on nectar and pollen
  • Managing a meadow appropriately will increase the number of wildflowers that it supports, thus increasing the foraging habitat for bumblebees and other foragers
  • Red-tailed Bumblebees, found across the UK, rely on a plentiful supply of wild plants including dandelions and red clovers to supply them with nectar and pollen
  • If you’re in a meadow, look out for bumblebees, burrowing bees, flower bees, carder bees and honeybees
  • There are about 270 species of bee in Britain

Buzz over to the Bumblebee Trust here.

Butterflies and Moths

A butterfly on a blue Scabious Flower
  • Even in a small meadow, wildflowers can be a magnet for butterflies and moths
  • When you’re planting for butterflies it’s good to have a constant procession of flowering plants throughout the summer – something that is in flower for as long as possible – ideally from March to November
  • This means local populations of butterflies and moths will not have to travel too far to find food
  • The Meadow Brown butterfly is one of the most common species found in grasslands
  • While the brightly coloured Cinnabar Moth relies entirely on one of the sunniest wildflowers – the yellow Common Ragwort. The tiger-striped caterpillars munch on the plant before pupating underground over the winter, ready to emerge as moths the next year

Flutter over to Butterfly Conservation for a bit more

Birds

  • The many insects that call meadows home also support other wildlife like swallows, skylarks and yellow wagtails
  • Goldfinches and linnets feast on the abundant seed heads
  • While lapwings, curlew and starling search the ground for insects from early autumn to spring

Fly over to the RSPB for a bit more

 

Mammals

Brown hare
  • Meadows provide a place for wild animals to forage, breed and nest – and if the grasses are tall enough, they can provide shelter
  • A large number of small mammals can call meadows home – including mice, voles and shrews
  • They also attract birds of prey to meadows, especially owls and kestrels
  • Other mammals you might spot in a meadow include moles, rabbits, hares, badgers and grazing deer
    • And we can’t forget bats – who can be seen in the summer months flying low over grassland

Meander over to the Mammal Society to find out more

Reptiles and Amphibians

  • Allowing lawns or green spaces to develop into meadows can provide a great habitat for amphibians, reptiles and their prey – unlike closely-mown lawns
  • The tall grasses and flowers (vegetation) provide these animals with cover
  • Reptiles and amphibians also prefer native plant species and minimal use of pesticides as they mainly feed on invertebrates, other amphibians and small mammals

Slither over to Amphibian and Reptile Conservation to find out more

Hazel Gloves Fungus’ common name comes from the finger-like projections of the stromata, cushion-like plate of solid mycelium. Found on Hazel trees in Britain, it is actually parasitic on the Glue Crust fungus Hymenochaete corrugate, and not the Hazel tree itself.

It was incredibly exciting to find Hazel Glove fungus. I knew about its importance as a rainforest indicator species and also its rarity status. I had seen many photos of it and so when I turned to take a second look at something I saw in the corner of my eye, I knew at once what it was.

I couldn’t share my unbridled joy at my discovery with anyone else in that moment, unless you include telling the singing Dipper I had just spotted or indeed talking to myself about it as I walked back along the trail. However, I was able to capture that moment on camera to relive again.

What does finding Hazel Gloves Fungus tell us?

Hazel Glove fungus is an indicator of good air quality and temperate rainforest conditions, making it a flagship species for this threatened habitat. Temperate rainforests are found in areas that are influenced by the sea, with high rainfall and humidity and damp climate.

They are home to some intriguing and sometimes rare bryophytes, plants and fungi. Plantlife are working in many ways to protect and restore this globally threatened habitat. 

Fungi need you to find them!

I have since sent in my record to the county fungi recorder with a 10 figure grid reference, only to discover that this species has not been officially recorded in that area before, which only heightened my sense of achievement.

Recording fungi and sending your finds to local wildlife recorders creates a more accurate picture of the wild and wonderful world around us – and helps people like us know where to target conservation efforts.

It’s estimated that more than 90% of fungi are unknown to science, and only 0.4% of the fungi we know about have enough data to be assessed for global conservation status – letting us know if they’re critically endangered or not.

Learn more about fungi

How to Find Fungi
Shaggy Inkcaps

How to Find Fungi

Getting out and looking for fungi can be a great way to connect with nature and discover more about this amazing kingdom. Here our Specialist Botanical Advisor, Sarah Shuttleworth, gives her top tips for finding fungi! 

How many fungus species are there?
Fly Agaric

How many fungus species are there?

Recent studies have revealed that there's so much fungi out there that we don't know about. But how do we know this? Rachel Inhester, from our science team, tells us why.

Fungi in Folklore
A collection of Fly Agaric on a moss covered forest floor. The Fly Agaric is red with white spots and a white stem. It is a stark contrast to the vibrant green of the mosses. The photo looks like a scene from a fairytale.

Fungi in Folklore

Here we delve into fantastic fungi folklore, to explore some of our favourite stories!

The autumn spectacle of multicoloured waxcaps is an important indicator of ancient grasslands that have been unploughed for decades, and which are rich in carbon and soil biodiversity.  

Unfortunately, many of these irreplaceable grassland fungi sites continue to disappear under tree planting, new houses, intensive farming, transport infrastructure and more. It is certain that many more are also lost unseen, because of a series of interlinked issues that place the conservation of fungi far behind that of other taxa like mammals and birds. 

What issues do grassland fungi face?

The first, and perhaps most important, is the shortage of skilled field surveyors able to identify and record fungi (known as mycologists). Fortunately, there does seem to be an increasing interest in fungi amongst the public. The 1,500 members of Plantlife’s #WaxcapWatch Facebook page is a reflection of this, and is very encouraging.

However, the number of people working professionally as field surveyors remains very low. Most ecological consultancies, who undertake survey work to protect wildlife during development, don’t employ mycologists. 

This lack of expert recorders and recording means that we still have very little data describing the distribution of fungal species across large parts of the country, especially compared to other taxa.

What happens when there is no data?

There is huge pressure on land use today. We need land for farming, for tree planting, for renewable power generation, for housing: the list goes on. Our ability to deliver nature’s recovery depends on us making good decisions when planning these activities. That in turn ensures that nature is protected, and actually restored, in line with government targets and policies. 

However, picture this: plans are afoot to build a large new housing estate on formerly sheep-grazed agricultural land. Ecological surveys are required. However, a search of databases doesn’t reveal any fungal records, because no field mycologists have ever visited the land.

The ecological consultancy visits the site in summer, because that’s when plants, birds and mammals are best surveyed. They don’t employ a mycologist. The plants in the fields aren’t that interesting- and so the proposal gets the go ahead. In fact, the fields are incredibly rich in waxcaps, but nobody knows, and nobody looks. The site is lost without ever being recognised for its biodiversity. 

The impact of development on our hidden fungi

This is a very real problem that Plantlife is currently observing in multiple cases across Wales at present. Fungal surveys are difficult to do, and often considered unreasonably burdensome for developers, even for large projects. As a result, we are losing precious ancient grasslands before we’ve even been able to recognise them for what they are. You can’t compensate for an impact on something you never knew was there. 

It’s also likely to be an increasing problem in the coming years with large infrastructure projects being planned. For example, in Wales there is a huge amount of work scheduled to reinforce our electricity supply grid, with new cabling going in across the country. Julie James MS, the Minister for Climate Change in Wales, said in 2023 the presumption will be that new cables will be underground, to reduce the visual impact. Will the impact on fungi be adequately identified and mitigated? At present, that seems unlikely. 

What can we do to help grassland fungi?

All is not lost, and there are many things we can do to address this problem. 

  • We need government, local authority planners, and developers, to recognise that current systems regularly fail to identify sites that are important for fungi, and make sure that the impacts on our internationally important ancient grasslands are better addressed.
  • We need better legal protection for fungi. For example, there are presently only 27 species protected under Section 7 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016, compared to 51 birds and 188 invertebrates.
  • We need more investment in surveying fungi before committing to land use change. That means training and employing more field mycologists, but also making more and better use of new techniques such as eDNA surveys. These surveys can identify fungi present in the soil, and help to reduce our dependence on surveys during the autumn fungal fruiting season.
  • We need more data. We can all help with that, by recording fungi when we see them. Even if you aren’t an expert, you can take part in our Waxcap Watch, which only asks for the colours of grassland fungi you see. This helps to identify sites of potential value. When the value of a site is understood and recorded, it makes it easier to fight to defend that value.

More ways we’re saving wild plants and fungi

Our Asks for First 100 Days of Government
Restore Nature Now signs

Our Asks for First 100 Days of Government

As the UK’s new government ministers settle into their new departments, we are calling for action to preserve and restore nature for wildlife, people and the climate.

Give plants and fungi a vote at the general election
A group of protestors holding a banner which reads 'A world rich in plants and fungi'

Give plants and fungi a vote at the general election

We depend on Plants and Fungi, however their future depends on what elected politicians do for nature. Use your vote to give plants and fungi a voice at the 2024 general election.

No Mow May: Can your Garden be a Carbon Store?  
Garden meadow by pond (c) Shuttleworth

No Mow May: Can your Garden be a Carbon Store?  

It’s not just trees that capture and store carbon – our meadows and grasslands can play an important role too.

Fancy a half-term adventure for the whole family, that gets the kids outside and interested in nature? Well, the answer is on your doorstep…fungi hunting.  

Fungi are one of our most fascinating creations, and best of all, they are right under our noses – perfect for children to spot. You don’t even need to go to a nature reserve, the hunt for fungi can begin in your back garden or local greenspace.  

With autumn well and truly here, I have found myself delving into the weird and wonderful world of fungi – very much aided by my children’s interest. The questions about what is this strange looking mushroom, what are these neon blobs, or gelatinous goo on the log – prompted my own interest in jolly-well finding out.

As it turns out, fungi are as diverse and complicated a group as one might expect. And it’s quite astonishing how brilliant children are at spotting them. (I suppose being that much closer to the ground and having 20:20 vision is probably a large amount to do with it!)

Girl looking at fungi on a tree trunk

Where to find Fungi?

You can find fungi in so many places, here are just a few:  

  • Among grasses in gardens or green spaces  
  • The forest floor 
  • Under leaf litter or on fallen logs  
  • At the base and on trunks of trees  

What to bring ?

  • A notepad and pencils 
  • Phone or camera  
  • Some snacks for those hungry fungi-hunters  
  • A hand lens is helpful, but not essential  
Child looking at fungi on a tree trunk

On our first trip out, we found more than 30 species in just one hour, ranging from the colourful circus like fungi, to the downright weird freak show of stinkhorns and slime moulds. We have been to woods in the Blackdowns, Dead woman’s ditch in the Quantocks and even round the corner at Thurlbear. All of these places gave us a range of fascinating finds, just by stepping off the path and looking around. Even if you don’t know the species, a few quick photos from different angles and a social media post, will soon increase your knowledge.

Amazing fungi names

I think the children particularly like the sheer surprise element in fungi finding, you really don’t know what could turn up. Plus, the names are a delight – from the Shaggy Inkcap Coprinus comatus, Scarlet Elfcup Sarcoscypha austriaca, Amethyst Deceiver Laccaria amethystina, Beefsteak fungus Fistulina hepatica and Turkey Tail Trametes versicolor.  Some of them ooze blood like droplets, turn bright blue when sliced, smell like honey or puff magic smokey spores when prodded! There are literally so many reasons for not only kids but the kids in us to be fascinated by this world of mycelial magic in the woods.

Children looking at fungus

Top tips for first-time fungi hunters:  

  • You don’t need to go to a nature reserve, you can often find fungi in your garden or local green space
  • Despite some being poisonous to eat, looking or even touching fungi is not harmful  
  • It’s fine to get close, take photos and examine their incredible beauty – without any worry or danger  
  • It’s always advisable to wash your hands before eating when you’re out exploring nature 

Why not join our Waxcap Watch campaign

This Autumn, we’re also asking for your help to find Britain’s most colourful and important fungi – waxcaps. Click here to take part and find out more about our #WaxcapWatch– and you might even be able to help us find some important species-rich grassland in the process.  

And if you’d like to learn a bit more…

Flowers that Represent Love
Photograph shows a close up on a Sweet Violet flower. The flower head droops slightly towards the ground. It is a beautiful rich purple in colour, shown against green leaves and grasses in the background.

Flowers that Represent Love

Did you know that dreaming of Harebells is said to be a sign of true love, or that Daffodils are used to celebrate a couple's first decade of marriage?

Wonderful wildflowers to spot in the UK this winter
A close up of a few snowdrops. The white flower heads bow with a droplet of water sitting on the main flower. The flowers hard tipped leaves are visible behind the pretty white petals.

Wonderful wildflowers to spot in the UK this winter

Though we typically associate wildflowers with spring and summer, some species thrive in the colder months.

Good News – 10 Positive Ways we’ve Impacted Nature in 2024!
Snowy picture of Ranscombe Nature Reserve

Good News – 10 Positive Ways we've Impacted Nature in 2024!

For a full dose of positivity take a look through our 2024 highlights. Let's revisit the amazing ways we have helped protect nature for the future this year.

A Date Waxcap has been found by the warden

Chris Jones is the warden at Kenfig NNR. He is also a passionate fungus recorder. In 2022 he made an important discovery…  A Date Waxcap, Hygrocybe spadicea! “A gorgeous shade of brown with yellow gills that I have only seen once in 20 years of looking for waxcaps, it was indeed a lucky day!” 

Chris describes how the describes how the discovery came about: 

“Kenfig National Nature Reserve is a magical place for me. It is 1339 acres of sand dune marvels and beauty, some days there is a new species surprise around the corner.” 

“I am fungi obsessed, I loveallthe mycological delights but my favourites by far are the colourful grassland fungi, the waxcaps. About 23 call Kenfig their home.” 

“We found the Date Waxcap on the day the volunteers decided to do a Dune Waxcap Hygrocybe conicoides survey on the frontal dunes – this waxcap is quite common in sand dunes. It is very variable in colour, from a deep red through oranges and yellow. As we talked and walked, in the corner of my eye, I spotted it! The unmistakable colouration of the Date Waxcap.”

The Importance of Welsh Grasslands 

Being a land of grass, here in Wales we see permanent pastures and rough grazing all around us. Most of these are intensively managed for sheep and cattle. However, less intensively farmed grassland can offer very important habitat for grassland fungi. This includes waxcaps, but also other important groups. One of the most stunning examples must surely be the Violet Coral Clavaria zollingeri

Waxcap Fungi 

Waxcaps are named for their shiny, waxy and often brightly coloured caps. They can look like blobs of red, orange, green or yellow wax in the turf.  Here in Wales, we have some beautiful species such as the Pink or Ballerina Waxcap Porpolomopsis calyptriformis, and Scarlet Waxcap Hygrocybe coccinea. In fact, despite our small size, Wales is home to over half the number of waxcap species found in Britain.

It’s not just our farmed grasslands that are good for fungi, either. Other habitats such as old lawns, churchyards and grass in parks and gardens can all be incredibly important. And of course, sand dune grasslands too, just like Kenfig. They just need to be sensitively managed.

Challenges faced by Grassland Fungi

We know many grassland fungi are declining and threatened. They are under-recorded, so their habitat may be destroyed due to a lack of knowledge. Waxcaps are also very sensitive to changes in their environment. Some cannot tolerate the regular ploughing, re-seeding, and fertilising on intensive farms. Consequently, some species, like Date-coloured Waxcap Hygrocybe spadicea are now very rare. 

We are still learning about these beautiful fungi. We have too few fungi experts (mycologists) in Wales. We also have many unanswered questions about their distribution, ecology and conservation needs.  

However, we do also have some amazing places for wildlife, places that we already know are important for grassland fungi. Kenfig NNR is one of these. Kenfig is an Important Plant Area (IPA), and Plantlife has been involved in its management for many years. Most recently this has been through our Green Links project based in Bridgend. 

Waxcap grasslands are an important part of Plantlife Cymru’s work. We are seeking to understand more about their distribution and management. We would also like to see them better protected from both accidental and deliberate damage.

How to get Involved

Would you like to get involved with waxcap recording? You can download a site survey app that helps us find new, important places for grassland fungi. You don’t need to be able to identify species- just their colours! 

Download a free Survey123 app on your smartphone or tablet: 

Google Play (Android) 

Apple Store (iOS) 

Hit this link on your smart device: https://arcg.is/PLT5X   

Select ‘Open in the Survey123 field app’ and then ‘Continue without signing in’. A message will pop up asking for access to your phone’s camera and storage – please click Yes / Allow 

You are ready to go!