The last days of summer are now behind us, and the first crisp mornings signal the inevitable arrival of Autumn. While many of us mourn the end of the warm season, I find this to be one of the most exciting times of the year. Called to action by the Autumn rain, strange lifeforms are stirring all around us. For the majority of the year they remain hidden; beneath the ground, amongst the leaf litter, within living and dead trees, and almost everywhere else you can imagine. However, when the temperature and humidity are just right they seize the opportunity to reveal their presence, decorating their habitats with a spectacular display of mind-bogglingly diverse living structures.

I am talking, of course, about fungi. This fascinating and mysterious Kingdom is often described as ‘strange’ or ‘alien’, and their stark dissimilarity to human beings has caused many cultures to develop a negative or mycophobic (fear of mushrooms) view of them. Britain is undoubtedly amongst these; mushrooms are associated with such things as witchcraft, poison and Halloween, and many people perceive them as dangerous or in an otherwise negative light. The reality is that as recently-evolved organisms we are far more alien to the planet than fungi are. Compared to humans, fungi are almost inconceivably ancient- the earliest fossils containing recognisable mycelium are dated at 700 to 800 million years old, making the 300 thousand years since modern humans first appeared seem like the blink of an evolutionary eye. To put this in perspective, these fossils pre-date the evolution of many other ancient organisms including trees, sharks, and horseshoe crabs by at least 350 million years. It’s hardly surprising that fungi form a crucial component of almost every terrestrial ecosystem in the world!

Recording Fungi 

Given the astounding importance of fungi and the fact that they are literally everywhere, they are shockingly understudied- though in fairness they don’t make it particularly easy for us. The fruiting bodies are only visible for a very short time each year, and outside of the ‘mushroom season’ it is very difficult to collect species records without absurdly expensive laboratory equipment. To make things even more awkward, fruiting is triggered by extremely specific environmental conditions which vary widely between species, and are themselves difficult to predict. However, the way I see it, this only makes accurate records of fungi even more valuable, and opens the door for amateur mycologists (scientists who specialize in the study of fungi) to make a really impactful contribution to conservation.

Though it may sound daunting, you really don’t need any experience to start collecting and submitting records of fungi- if you’ve got curiosity and a camera, the experts at your local biological records centre can usually do the rest! That said, it’s important to capture some specific features of any fruiting bodies that you find, and these are not always obvious to the casual observer. All too often, records submitted by well-meaning contributors are lacking vital information that would make an accurate species-level identification possible, and this is why I have put together the following guide on how to submit gold-star mushroom records. 

Top Sighting Tips

Context

The wider habitat in which a mushroom is growing gives us vital clues, so photos of the specimen in context are always appreciated. Using these photos, the verifiers at your local records centre can gather details including the habitat type, moisture levels and even soil acidity.

Many species of fungi also associate with specific trees as mutualistic partners, parasites or decomposers. If your specimen is growing on or near a tree, make sure to note down what species of tree it is if you can!

Whole fruiting body

A clear picture of the entire mushroom is very important for matching cap shapes and colours, which can often be make-or-break when it comes to identification. Including a ruler or even a coin in the photo can also be a great help to give an idea of scale. If you’re feeling brave, many mushrooms can also be identified by their smell- the cedarwood waxcap and coconut milk-cap are good examples of this, but be warned- so is the aptly-named stinkhorn!

The stem (or stipe) of a mushroom often holds subtle details that can tell us a great deal about the organism. For example, many species have a delicate veil that protects the gills until they are ready to drop spores, and in some species this leaves behind a distinctive ring which remains attached to the stipe.

Fungi identification books will often prompt you to investigate other properties of the mushroom- is the stipe hollow or solid? Is it brittle, bendy or ‘chalky’? Does it have a ‘root’? Does it change colour when cut or bruised? Many of these properties are diagnostic for particular species, so are always worth investigating.

Spore-bearing structures

While many species of ‘cap and stem’ mushrooms have gills, some fungi such as polypores and boletes have hundreds of tiny tubes. Others like the jelly ear and morel have smooth surfaces covered in minute structures that actively fire their spores into the air! Either way, a clear photo of the underside of the mushroom is always a good idea.

If your specimen has gills, a photo showing the arrangement, spacing and colour of these structures is essential. It’s also important to record how the gills attach to the stem, though this is often difficult to do without disturbance. If you (sensibly) prefer not to touch unknown wild fungi, a dentist’s mirror is the perfect tool for photographing gill attachments without handling!

Responsible recording

Handling wild mushrooms is something that many people have concerns about, and for various good reasons. Just like plants, some species are extremely poisonous, so if you suspect you have found one of these it is always a good idea to avoid touching it. That said, mushroom toxins are only dangerous if ingested- they will not leap up and attack, so you can safely get up close to take photos!

It is also important to always remain mindful of disturbance to fungi and their habitats. Of course, the best option is to cause as little disturbance as possible, but in some cases picking a specimen is necessary to properly identify it. Since the mushroom itself is the expendable fruiting body of a much larger organism, picking one will not cause damage, though it is best practice to avoid picking a mushroom if it is alone or in a small group to help ensure that spore dispersal is not disrupted. 

I hope that this guide has inspired you to explore the mysterious world of fungi, and to start sending in your sightings to your local records centre. Your records are incredibly important for conservation, and given the lack of data on fungi it’s entirely possible that you could make a novel discovery for your area or maybe even the country! So next time the end-of-Summer blues appear, remember that the mushroom season is just around the corner. The more people that submit records, the more we can protect these ancient custodians of our precious ecosystems. Get out there and discover our phenomenal fungi!

Submit Sightings Here