GALLERY
Category: FUNGI
Orange peel fungus (Aleuria aurantia)
Where and when encountered: Rothiemurchus Estate on 31 August 2024
About: Orange peel fungus – named for the similarity of the species to discarded pieces of a particular fruit skin – may be encountered on woodland tracks and in other microhabitats from the far north to the far south of Great Britain.
Editor's note: I am reasonably confident of the species identification of the fungus photographed.
Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria)
Where and when encountered: Nethy Bridge on 4 September 2021
About: Fly agaric grows in woodland and heathland across Great Britain, where it forms mycorrhizal associations with birches and other species of tree.
Yellow fieldcap (Bolbitius titubans)
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 11 June 2025
About: Yellow fieldcap grows in a variety of microhabitats, such as manured grass and rotting straw, and can be found in most corners of Great Britain.
Penny bun (Boletus edulis)
Where and when encountered: Abernethy Forest on 24 May 2024
About: Penny bun mushrooms can be found in woodland from the far north to the far south of Great Britain. They get their vernacular name from the resemblance of their caps, at least in certain conditions, to a bread roll; the caps can reach a diameter of 25 centimetres.
Yellow stagshorn (Calocera viscosa)
Where and when encountered: Abernethy Forest on 28 October 2021
About: The bright branching fruits of yellow stagshorn draw sustenance from the rotting wood of coniferous trees, including Scots pine. The species can be found across the length and breadth of Great Britain.
Downy conecap (Conocybe subpubescens)
Where and when encountered: Abernethy Forest on 28 October 2021
About: This species of fungus grows on dung, compost, and similar materials and, while not frequently encountered, can be found in various corners of Great Britain.
Hoof fungus (Fomes fomentarius)
Where and when encountered: Lynmore Woods on 7 November 2021
About: Named on account of the similarity of the fruiting body to a horse's hoof, this fungus is typically associated with birch trees and more commonly encountered in the north of Great Britain than in the south.
False morel (Gyromitra esculenta)
Where and when encountered: Abernethy Forest on 7 April 2023
About: False morels occur in sandy soil, typically beneath pine trees. They are highly poisonous to humans, especially if eaten uncooked.
Elfin saddle (Helvella lacunosa)
Where and when encountered: Ellan Wood on 2 September 2022
About: Elfin saddle can be encountered in numerous corners of Great Britain growing in woodlands of varied kind, often in association with burnt ground in clearings.
Devil's tooth/Mealy tooth (Hydnellum peckii/ferrugineum)
Where and when encountered: Glenmore Forest Park on 28 July 2023
About: Devil's tooth and mealy tooth fungi, in Great Britain, are almost entirely restricted to the Scottish Highlands. The fungi form mycorrhizal relationships with a variety of coniferous trees, including Scots pine.
Editor's note: Splitting this pair of possible species in the field would have required tasting some of the fungus's flesh, and it looked far too beautiful to spoil in this way.
Brown birch bolete (Leccinum scabrum)
Where and when encountered: Sluggan (Carrbridge) on 6 September 2022
About: Brown birch boletes can be found in various corners of Great Britain. The fungi forms mycorrhizal relationships with birch trees.
Common puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum)
Where and when encountered: Rothiemurchus Estate on 30 October 2021
About: This species of fungus occurs throughout Great Britain and is found in both woodland and grassland habitats.
Bog beacon (Mitrula paludosa)
Where and when encountered: Abernethy Forest on 12 April 2024
About: Bob beacon has a scattered distribution in Great Britain and is not often encountered. This fungus breaks down plant litter and is typically found in or around seepages.
Editor's note: Spores are released from the yellow head of the fruiting body.
Scarletina bolete (Neoboletus praestigiator)
Where and when encountered: Anagach Woods on 7 September 2022
About: Scarletina boletes can be found in several corners of Great Britain, including the Cairngorms. The fungi favour acidic soils.
Petticoat mottlegill (Panaeolus papilionaceus)
Where and when encountered: Abernethy Forest on 28 October 2021
About: This dung-loving species of fungus occurs across Great Britain.
Bay cup (Peziza badia)
Where and when encountered: Glenmore Forest Park on 4 November 2021
About: This species of fungus can be found in most corners of Great Britain and typically grows in small groups, on the woodland floor, favouring sandy soils and bare ground.
Editor's note: I am not one hundred per cent certain, but this seems the most likely identification of the species photographed.
Blistered cup (Peziza vesiculosa)
Where and when encountered: Abernethy Forest on 30 May 2022
About: These fungi are found up and down Great Britain, although less commonly in Scotland than elsewhere. They get their vernacular name from the supposedly blister-like form of their clustered cups. The cups can be found on straw, manure, and compost.
Editor's note: I am reasonably, but not fully, confident that this species has been identified correctly. The substrate here is cattle dung.
Aspen bracket fungus (Phellinus tremulae)
Where and when encountered: Insh Marshes on 22 April 2023
About: Aspen bracket fungus is restricted in Great Britain to the Scottish Highlands and is found principally in the eastern part of this area.
Angel's wings (Pleurocybella porrigens)
Where and when encountered: Uath Lochans on 4 September 2023
About: The angel's wings fungus can be found growing in overlapping clusters on rotting woody debris in coniferous woodland, including Caledonian pine forest. In Great Britain, this fungus is mostly restricted to the Scottish Highlands.
Sycamore tarspot (Rhytisma acerinum)
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 25 August 2022
About: This fungus can be found growing on the leaves of sycamore and closely related tree species across the length and breadth of Great Britain.
Slippery jack (Suillus luteus)
Where and when encountered: Abernethy Forest on 4 August 2023
About: Slippery jack is named for the sliminess of the cap in damp conditions. The fungus grows in coniferous woodland, including Caledonian pine forest, and is present across much of Great Britain.
Candlesnuff (Xylaria hypoxylon)
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 5 November 2021
About: Candlesnuff fungus draws sustenance from dead wood and typically thrives late in the rotting cycle, after a suite of other species have worked to break down the material. This species occurs throughout Great Britain.
Selected galleries
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