Collared earth stars belong to a genus of fungi which spread their spores through a hole in the top of the fruiting body. The spores get their energy from raindrops falling on the fungus.
Collared earth stars are uncommon: other types of earth star are even less common.
These two were the largest and most accessible of a group which were growing near the former Compton station on the Smestow Valley Railway Walk.
Sweet chestnut with its showing through its spiky outer covering, lying where it fell among the leaf litter in the woods at Northycote Farm.
The downstream of the two pools the Penk flows through as it heads across the Perton estate.
Mushrooms growing through a thick carpet of moss which was covering a fallen tree trunk.
Candlesnuff fungus, also called stagshorn, is a common fungus found on dead wood including tree stumps from autumn and through to winter.
These were growing at the edge of the Railway Walk as it passed through Compton.
Three views of a large cluster of small puffballs which were growing in the churchyard in Donington, Shropshire.
The church tower is just visible, out of focus, in the first picture.
