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Brown rollrim

Brown roll-rim

A mushroom which used to be eaten in some parts of Europe. More recently it has been realized that it can have worse effects that causing gastric upsets in some of those who eat it: it can occasionally prove fatal.

Presumably the fungus does not have the same effect on whatever small creatures have been nibbling at this specimen.

Brown roll-rim

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The blusher?

The blusher

If this is the blusher, it is a close relative of, and frequently confused with, panther caps.

The blusher

This grouping was within yards of the others posted a couple of days ago which seemed more definitely to be panther caps.

The blusher

The blusher

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Panther cap

Panther cap

Related to the more brightly coloured fly agaric toadstool.

Panther cap

It is even more dangerous to ingest than that species, containing a higher concentration of the same hallucenogenic/poisonous ingredients.

Panther cap

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Spiders on their webs

Spider's web

Autumn is the season of fungi, berries, leaves changing colour, and spiders, many of which become more noticeable at this time of year.

The one above is a cross spider, a common spider in gardens. Below is one of a smaller species which I didn’t manage to identify.

Spider's web

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Shaggy inkcaps

Lawyer's wig

The inkcaps are a family of mushrooms which spread their spores by deliquescing. Their caps are transformed into a black slime, which is indeed the pores.

Lawyer's wig

Another name for this species is lawyers wig. At a certain stage in their decomposition the caps can look very like a barrister’s less than pristine headgear (below and especially above).

Lawyer's wig

The specimens pictured here show the range of stages from newly emerged to almost completely deliquesced.

Lawyer's wig

Lawyer's wig