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| Black Nightshade |
There
were 9 of us to investigate the mysteries of this rolling, old woodland in the
north of the Forest that seems to have defied precise path-mapping. Oak, beech
and silver birch predominate with a few sweet chestnut and conifers and an
under layer of holly, bracken, bramble and short wild bilberry. The only other
plants of note today were Black Nightshade, Honeysuckle, Wavy Bittercress and
tiny Yellow Pimpernel. The autumn lack of flowers and cool, dull day curtailed
butterfly sightings to a few Speckled Wood. Birds were scarce too with only Robin,
Blackbird, Long-tailed and Great Tits seen, Chaffinch and Nuthatch heard.
It was overcast
and gloomy as we entered the dense edge of Bramshaw
Inclosure
from Nomansland Green and picked our way through to a more open narrow path
behind the forest cottage. As we descended the side of a small valley, we
spotted several ghostly green-white, False Deathcap (Amanita citrina) in the rough grass and bunches of Sulphur Tuft (Hypholoma fasciculare) on fallen logs.
Other Amanita species were in fewer numbers (A.
excelsa, fulva, muscaria).
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| Orange Birch Bolete |
Our
route took us along a wide ride then across the valley floor to the dry bed of
a narrow stream and into Bramshaw Wood. Here we branched right then right again
to start the trudge uphill that led eventually to Pipers Wait, the highest
point in the Forest at a dizzying 430ft. On the way we came across several
clumps of Shaggy Scalycap (Pholiota
squarrosa) poised spectacularly way above our heads on Beech trees in
neatly callused holes left by fallen branches. The glistening, white caps of
Porcelain Fungus (Oudemansiella mucida)
covered a fallen log and sizeable Southern Bracket (Ganoderma australe) and Birch Polypore (Piptoporus betulinus) were evident. On the way up we crossed a
deep gully, sometimes hard to ford in winter after rain when the forest animals
have churned up the steep, muddy banks on their way through.
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| Fuzzy Polypore or Dyer's Mazegill |
Other fungi
found were Honey Fungus (Armillaria
mellea), Green Elfcup (Chlorociboria
aeruginascens), Spectacular Rustgill (Gymnopilus
junonius), Saffron Milkcap (Lactarius
deliciosus), Orange Birch Bolete (Leccinum
versipelle), Fuzzy Polypore or Dyer’s Mazegill (Phaeolus schweinitzii), several Russula spp. (R.aeruginea,
claroflava, cyanoxantha, mairie) and Red Cracking Bolete (Xerocomellus chrysenteron).
At the
top we bobbed out onto the edge of Black Bush Plain before retracing our steps
a little way, passing a large, deep depression filled with Beech trees, before
continuing downhill and branching left back to Nomansland. Thanks to Angela and Richard for the species list. MW/SP
Photos © Richard Coomber