Wolves Wild

Nestling in the base of one of the trees by a quiet cul de sac, a cluster of common inkcaps. In my experience, there are other inkcap species which are commoner.

The purple berries of a purple beautyberry bush in West Park. The not quite in focus effect in the close-ups comes from me struggling with the macro setting on my mobile phone’s camera.

Growing at the base of two (and probably more) of the tree trunks in West Park, shaggy scalycap mushrooms. Within the trunk, the mycelia (the not exactly roots of the fungus) will be spreading white rot, which will eventually prove fatal.

Reds and yellows in the autumn leaves of a Japanese acer overhanging the bright berries of a purple beautyberry bush. Planted in West Park, presumably, for the colour contrast at this time of year. I’m not convinced it works.

Black club-shaped fungi, growing on a second patch of lawn outside the front of the same flats as the wrinkled club fungi (posted December 2nd). Too far away for a proper inspection.

It’s going to get called a daddy-long-legs, but count how many legs it’s got: eight not six. An arachnid not an insect. Possibly an Oligolophus hansenii, and if so, not particularly common.

They look like tiny white stalks, less than an inch high among the short grass of a front lawn. They are wrinkled club, quite easy to miss.

Bantock Park as most of the leaves were beginning to change colour for the autumn. Bantock House just shows through the trees above, while my shadow intrudes below.

Wood blewits are another of the many mushroom species which grow in association with trees: in their case, a wide variety of deciduous or coniferous trees. When fresh, the caps have a lilac (sometimes pinkish) colour, which has faded on these specimens.

Lone tree in West Park, its leaves turning colour for the autumn, starting at the top and working down.

Mushrooms growing through the tarmac of a pavement, right up against a wooden fence.

A row of ginkgo trees, leaves turning vividly yellow for autumn. No sign yet this year of falling fruits on the one female tree in the row.