A Ranger writes: fungi

Our Countryside Rangers have a wealth of knowledge on the places, plants and species that call East Lothian home. Ranger Richard English offers some insights into fungi.

Autumn is very definitely with us now. The geese are back, the leaves are colouring up and robins are singing, staking their claims for winter territories. Another sign of autumn is the number of fungi appearing around the countryside. Fungi can be seen all year round but now is a great time to look out for them.

Fungi are often mistakenly grouped in with plants, probably on the basis that many of them grow in soil and have root-like structures. In fact, they occupy a separate group and are more closely related to us animals than they are to plants. There are over a million species worldwide (probably many, many more) including moulds, yeasts, rusts and the mushrooms familiar to us all. The main body of a fungus consists of the mycelium – a network of thread-like structures called hyphae. These grow into, and extract nutrients from the soil, dead wood, or whatever medium the fungus lives on. Some fungi will also produce fruiting bodies which grow out of the mycelium and release spores, some of which will grow into new fungi. It is these fruiting bodies which we refer to as mushrooms (or toadstools – there’s no real difference).

Cup fungi belong to a group called the ascomycetes, although they’re also known as “spore-shooters”, which is a bit easier to remember. They get this name because rather than simply releasing their spores into the air they fire them from specially adapted cells, occasionally reaching distances of 30cm. The wonderfully named Scarlet Elf Cup is a species found growing on leaf litter on the woodland floor and along the banks of burns/ditches. Like many fungi it plays an important role in recycling, by decomposing dead wood, especially hawthorn, willow and elm. They are said to make a tiny puffing sound as they release their spores, although if you get close enough to hear it you may end up with an ear full of spores.

The Stinkhorn is another common woodland fungus, which as the name suggests is a bit on the whiffy side, having a smell that resembles that of rotting meat. This attracts flies to the jelly-like olive green coating on the cap. The jelly (or gleba to get technical) contains the fungal spores, which then stick to the flies and are distributed around the surrounding area. Stinkhorns can be difficult to see – they often lurk in the undergrowth and may only be visible above ground for a few hours. However, if you’re wandering in the woods this month and are suddenly assaulted by a foul stench, then there’s a fair chance that there’s a stinkhorn nearby (or a dead fox). They are a very distinctive shape – the scientific name for this species is Phallus impudicus, which kind of tells you everything you need to know.

Fungi are not only important recyclers, they also play other important roles. Many form symbiotic (i.e. mutually beneficial) relationships with plants, without which those plants could not survive. They’re also vital to the production of bread and alcohol – and that’s got to be a good thing.

Keep up to date

Keep up to date with all things Countryside Ranger on the service’s facebook or Instagram pages. You’ll find news and information to help you make the most of your time in our coast and countryside spaces as well as beautiful photography of the species that live here.

Facebook: @ELCrangers

Instagram: @elcrangers