Vacation Photos 2001: Scotland & France

We try to plan our vacations during mushroom season. Why travel to distant places when there are no mushrooms!?! In the fall of 2001 my wife, Jane Wardzinska, and I visited Jane's father in the West Lothian area of Scotland and our good friend and avid mushroomer, Jack Aldridge, in the Puy de-Dôme district of France.

No microscope was available, so all of these fungi were identified by macroscopic features using these three field guides:

Courtecuisse, Régis & Bernard Duhem. 1995. Mushrooms and Toadstools of Britain and Europe. London: Harper Collins. 480 p.
Courtecuisse, Régis. 1999. Mushrooms of Britain and Europe. London: Harper Collins. 904 p.
Phillips, Roger. 1981. Mushrooms and other Fungi of Britain and Europe. London: Pan Books. 288 p.

All photographs © Michael Wood. Click on the species name to see the photo. Most photos also have a higher resolution version available by clicking on the "Hi Res Photo" icon.

Scotland

Aleuria
This beautiful ascomycete keys to Aleuria aurantia in the European field guides. It is significantly more orange than the typical Aleuria aurantia in the Western United States. The common name for this fungus is "orange peel" or "orange cup".
CAF description
Calocera viscosa
Calocera viscosa
This is a jelly fungus, related to Dacrymyces. It can be differentiated from its coral fungi look-alikes by a greasy and viscid feel.
Chalciporus piperatus
This pored mushroom has often been placed in the genus Boletus. Modern molecular work supports the morphological evidence that it does belong in a segregate genus. Chalciporus piperatus is often called the "Peppery Bolete" because of its peppery taste.
CAF description
Coprinellus micaceus
Known as the "Mica Cap".
CAF description
Cystoderma sp.
Growing on rotting wood. The ID is very tentative.
Hygrocybe
Hygrocybes typically grow in forests in California, especially redwood forests. In Europe, Hygrocybe is mainly a grasslands species. Many of the same species are found both in California and Europe, but the difference in habitat is an interesting puzzle. The Hygrocybe in the photograph was in the lawn of the birthplace of Robert Burns, in Ayr, Scotland.
Hypholoma marginatum
Hypholoma marginatum
I was unable to get a name on this mushroom while in Scotland. Candidates were Psathyrella, Stropharia, and Hypholoma. I have had several persons suggest Hypholoma marginatum and that seems to be a good macroscopic match.
Inocybe geophylla var. lilicina
Inocybe geophylla var. lilicina
Note both the lilac and white versions are growing together in the first photograph!
CAF description
Lactarius deterrimus
Lactarius deterrimus
Our common Lactarius with orange latex is Lactarius deliciosus. It grows in California in association with pine trees. Lactarius deterrimus grows in association with spruce. Both species are edible, but L. deliciosus is generally considered superior in flavor.
Phallus impudicus
Phallus impudicus
Phallus impudicus
Phallus impudicus
Phallus impudicus
Phallus impudicus
This stinkhorn was removed from its natural forest habitat in its immature "egg" stage and planted in my father-in-law's back yard. It "fruited" a couple of days later. The spores are in the stinking gelatinous substance on the head of the mature fungus. The aroma of rotting carrion attracts flies, who then spread the spores. There is nothing left for the fly in the last three photos!
Piptoporus betulinus
Piptoporus betulinus
Piptoporus betulinus
Piptoporus betulinus
This polypore is very common where ever Birch is found. Birch is not native to California, but it is conceivable that the "Birch Polypore" will be found growing on some of the many birches that are planted in urban areas of California.
Ramaria abietina
This looks just like the Ramaria abietina that is common locally here in coastal California, especially under Cypress.
CAF description
Scutellinia scutellata
Scutellinia scutellata
This is known as the "eyelash" cup fungus.
CAF description
Sparassis crispa
This is a delicious edible mushroom. Unfortunately, this was found the day before we were returning home, so it remained uneaten, at least by us!
CAF description
Xylaria hypoxylon
The "Candlesnuff Fungus" is very common on dead hardwoods in both North America and Europe.
CAF description

France

Amanita muscaria
Probably the most common large mushroom in the area of France where we were staying.
CAF description
Amanita rubescens
Amanita rubescens
Amanita rubescens
This edible Amanita is known as the "Blusher" because the white flesh becomes red where handled. Our California species, Amanita novinupta, was long mis-known as Amanita rubescens, but the differences are distinct.
Ascocoryne sarcoides
This ascomycete is also uncommonly found in California. It primarily grows on hardwoods.
Boletus edulis
I could not see any significant differences between the Boletus edulis that we find under pines along the coast of California with the Boletus edulis we found under Beech in France and Scotland.
CAF description
Boletus erythropus
Boletus erythropus
Boletus erythropus
Boletus erythropus
You have to love a mushroom that breaks the "rules"! This red pored, blue staining, Boletus is a delicious edible. A similar mushroom, that goes by the same name, is uncommonly found in California. I think they are probably different species.
Fomitopsis pinicola
Fomitopsis pinicola
Although Fomitopsis pinicola typically grows on conifers, especially pine, it occasionally will be found on hardwoods. The specimens photographed were growing on Beech (Fagus).
CAF description
Hypholoma sublateritium
Commonly called "Brick Caps", this mushroom is generally considered edible. We did not try it.
"Mushrooms"
We found these large "mushrooms" growing in the Rhone Valley, just south of the Cote-Rotie vinyards.