Fungi of Ebernoe

By Kerry Williams

Communications Officer - Conservation

I heard Ebernoe Common was a fantastic place to see fungi in Sussex, so I rocked up for a September stomp. I was not disappointed. With towering ancient trees, layers of leafy understory dispersed with moss splattered deadwood, and pockets of sun-dappled glade, Ebernoe reminds you of what England should look like.

Fungi are neither plant nor animal, but a group of their own. This kingdom comprises a mighty 15,000 species. They are vital players in our ecosystem, forming intricate underground connections with tree roots through tiny threads called mycelium. These vast mycorrhizal networks are sharing chains for water, nutrients, and astonishingly, information. The up-top result is the fruit of this subterranean labour; mushrooms.

Examples of these incredible organisms sprout at Ebernoe’s every turn; head out this autumn to spot them.

Amethyst Deceiver 

A flash of purple identifies the Amethyst Deceiver (pictured above) in the early stages of growth. The deception begins as the toadstool ages, changing colour to buff, making it harder to recognise.

Wrinkled Peach

A companion of the Elm tree, the Wrinkled Peach is now less common in the UK due to Dutch Elm disease. This makes this sighting, complete with oozing goo, particularly special.

Saffrondrop Bonnet

A dainty toadstool, so-named due to the splashes of dark yellow which form on the cap. This characteristic helps to distinguish it from the many in the Bonnet, or Mycenas, group.

Smooth Puffball

The Puffballs, or Lycoperdons, are named after the way they create and release their spores. Matured inside the bulbous ball, spores are liberated on impact – in a puff!

Beefsteak

Look up! Usually found on the trunks or stumps of oak trees, the Beefsteak lives up to its namesake, even dripping a blood-like substance when cut.

A note on foraging

Some fungi are edible, many are toxic and some can be fatal. It’s really difficult to identify fungi and even the experts are cautious, so it’s vitally important never to eat anything you find.

When out looking for mushrooms, please leave them where you find them so that they can complete their life cycle (as fruiting bodies, their function is to produce and disperse spores for reproduction) and so that others can enjoy seeing them. Picking for ID purposes should be kept to an absolute minimum.

We ask that you do not forage for fungi on our nature reserves. For further guidance, the British Mycological Society has produced a useful code of conduct britmycolsoc.org.uk/field_mycology/conservation/code-conduct