FIRST QUARTER 2017

Velvet Shank

Flammulina velutipes

Often seen during January and February, normally appearing on deadwood after frosty weather. This fungus has orange-brown caps that measure 40-120mm across. The dark stipe is velvety at the base and grows up to 100mm long.

#

Glistening Inkcap

Coprinellus micaceus

This fungus appears in large groups on deciduous stumps, trunks and buried wood. The caps are covered in fine scales that often seem to glisten. The smooth stipe and gills are white when young but with age they blacken as the mushrooms deliquesce.

#

Poplar Bell

Schizophyllum amplum

This fungus is mostly associated with growing on Poplar trees during wet spells, often seen after high winds when small branches have fallen from trees. It has no gills and dehydrates quickly and can vanish quite fast.

#

Willow Bracket

Phellinus igniarius

Very tough fungus associated with willow trees. Seen all year round on lower trunks of older trees. It grows in concentrically ridged layers; with a fresh layer forming each year. The new layers are light-brown and feel like velvet. Older layers turn grey, then blacken and often develop cracks. The largest ones at Hainault Forest are about 20cm across.

#

Oyster Mushroom

Pleurotus ostreatus

Oyster Mushrooms are shell-shaped mushrooms with little or no stems. The cap flattens with age often becoming split or wavy at the edge. Caps come in various shades of grey or brown, sometimes very pale, sometimes dark. They measure up to 150mm across. They grow in groups on fallen trunks and stumps of deciduous trees.

#

Hairy Bracket

Trametes hirsuta

The brackets of this fungus are 40-100mm across when fully grown. They are initially white or creamy with the upper surface covered in hairs. It develops concentric ridged colour zones. The area near the outer edge usually has brown or ochre coloration. The fruiting bodies gradually turn greyer before decaying.

#

Common Jelly Ear

Dacrymyces stilatus

Found on all kinds of damp and decaying wood. The fruiting bodies are normally orangy-yellow and 2-5mm across. Dries out with maturity becoming darker and marginally tougher.

#

Yellow Brain

Tremella mesenterica

These bright yellow fruiting bodies mainly appear during autumn and winter on fallen deciduous branches. The fruiting body turns hard and orange when dried out.

#

White Brain

Exidia thuretiana

This Jelly fungus is found on rotten hardwood, particularly beech, during autumn and winter. In dry weather the fruiting bodies shrink becoming hard and leaving just a transparent rubbery spot on the host wood.

#

Witch's Butter

Exidia glandulosa

Found on deciduous dead wood during autumn and winter. The fruiting bodies attach to the wood using tiny stems. More noticeable after prolonged wet weather when they become plump and fleshy

#

Jelly Ear

Auricularia auricula-judae

A fungus found on tree trunks and branches all year round, especially during autumn and winter. Initially very soft with a velvet-like texture, becoming smoother with age. Grows on deciduous trees, particularly Elder.

#

Scarlet Elfcup

Sarcoscypha austriaca

Typically appears during winter months on dead twigs, this fungus has a preference for damp shaded locations where it is usually found partially buried in moss.

#

King Alfred's Cakes

Daldinia concentrica

Initially pinkish-brown, this fungus aka 'Crampballs' blackens with age. When cut in half concentric growth rings are revealed, hence 'concentrica' in its Latin name.

#

Snowdrops

Galanthus nivalis

One of the first flowers to appear in damp woods and hedgerows as springtime approaches. Not common in Hainault Forest.

#

Spurge Laurel

Daphne laureola

This evergreen shrub has a preference for chalky soil. It develops greenish flowers early in the year.

#

Barren Strawberry

Potentilla sterilis

Barren Strawberry has a hairy stem and oval leaflets which are toothed, lower leaves are ternate or palmate. The small solitary flowers measure 8-15mm across and have white petals which are slightly notched with gaps in-between.

#

Butcher's Broom

Ruscus aculeatus

An evergreen shrub with flat shoots known as cladodes that look like stiff spine-tipped leaves. During spring tiny flowers appear singly in the middle of the cladodes. The female flowers produce a red berries which birds feed on which assists in distributing seeds. Butcher's Broom also spreads by using rhizomes. Butcher's once made brooms out of this plant to sweep the floor, hence the name. It was also placed at the base of doors because its sharp nature prevented small rodents entering through the gap. This plant grows in Hainault Lodge.

#

Coltsfoot

Tussilago farfara

Coltsfoot has solitary yellow flower-heads that appear on scaly stems. Heart-shaped leaves appear after the flowers. Often found at the end of Hainault Lake and bare ground during spring.

#

Primrose

Primula vulgaris

A low perennial with large, oval leaves, hairy on the underside. Flowers appear from February to May singly on stalks (pedicels) extending from the leaf-rosette. Leaves gradually taper towards the base.

#

Ground Ivy

Glechoma hederacea

Common throughout the woodland and edges. Ground Ivy is a softly haired creeping perennial with square leafy stems. It produces a strong aroma when crushed.

#

Wood Anemone

Anemone nemorosa

A short perennial with unbranched stems. The lobed leaves grow in whorls and the flowers grow singly. The flowers have 5-9 white sepals which are tinged pink on the underside. There are no petals. Not common in Hainault Forest, but a small patch exists along the Headland Path near Peter's Gate.

#

Procumbent Pearlwort

Sagina procumbens

A low creeping perennial that appears in damp, bare locations from May until September. It forms a mat spreading out from the from central leaf rosette and rooting at the nodes. The flowers usually lack petals.

#

Spring Squill

Scilla verna

Found growing on a forest path near Woolhampton Way. This is a plant not normally seen in Hainault Forest and is probably a garden escape. 

#

Daffodil

Wild, but not native

Were these native daffodils on Hog Hill? It was time to contact the experts to confirm or dismiss our find. Botanist, Enid Barrie, visited Hainault Forest: "Although quite a few of the features do match the wild daff, the hypanthium is not twisted and the corolla is lobed." Leading expert and County recorder, Ken Adams said: "Looks as if Redbridge had some spare bulbs from one of their verge planting projects. If you go on the internet there are loads of companies offering ‘Wild Daffodils’. The coronas look very lobed to me and the hypanthium does not appear to be twisted which is critical for the native form but often bred out in the cultivars. You have to be careful using the word ‘wild’ as some people might think it means native."

#

Cap-thread Moss

Orthodontium lineare

A silky, narrow-leaved moss, with leaves that curl in several directions. It froms dense growth on tree trunks. This was introduced from southern hemisphere in early 20th century and has spread.

#

Foliose Lichen

Parmelia subaurifera

An olive-green leafy foliose lichen. Synonym: Melanelia subaurifera.

#

Frutiose Lichen

Usnea subfloridana

Since the 1970's and the reduction in pollution levels this lichen is gradually returning to London. This was found on a branch blown down from the treetops by Storm Doris.

#

Birch Besom

Taphrina betulina

Birch Besom, also known as Witch's Broom, is a deformity caused by the fungus Taphrina betulina affecting Silver Birch trees. It results in a dense growth of shoots from a single point, creating a structure that resembles a witch's broom or a bird's nest. This gall can occur at any time of the year, but it is more noticeable in winter when the trees are leafless.

#

Sunny Days

Views from 2016

Two sunny views from last year.

#

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this Journal.

© hainaultforest.net. All rights reserved.

This website uses necessary cookies. It does not use targeting or advertising cookies.