1. (Poisonous) Sulphur tuft - Hyphloma fasciculare

I have found this particular species of mushroom on numerous occasions, simply due to how common it can be found in Kentish coniferous and dedicious woodland. The most common place of appearance, to what I know of distribution wise of this mushroom in Kent, is around the woodlands of Harrietsham. One thing I can clearly point out about finding this mushroom (to any newbie of mycology), is that they are always found in clusters, share an yellowy/orange cap, have a yellow scaley stem, and have pale-yellow/olive-green gills.

On a number of occasions, I have set my eyes on what I primarily would think is a Sulphur tuft; but there are three catches to this:

1. This (other species of) mushroom is found in single specimens, rather than in clusters, often only having one mushroom per dedicious/coniferous stump/tree.
2. This (other species of) mushroom does not share the pale-yellow/olive-green gills, instead, having near enough pure-white gills.
3. In relation to point 2. - DO NOT let the view of the top part of the cap alone decieve you. The colouration of the cap is very similar to that of a Sulphur tuft. If you were to judge the identification of a specimen based on the cap alone, it can come up less of a clear distinguishment between the two species.

I found out that this mushroom, that shares the same substrate as the Suphur tuft, is in fact a Common Yellow Russula, also known as the Ochre Brittlegill. This mushroom is in the Russula genus, as explained, and has the latin transaltion of Russula ochroleuca.



Here is a link to the Russula I am currently talking about:

http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/russula-ochroleuca.php

^In note of the link displayed above, you may come to realise that the coloration of this Russula's cap is alot less saturated than those of Sulphur tufts - This could bring some ease to identification from the unaware human eye, but close mycological inspection is always the best way to go - Mushroom identification can be very-tricky business.

The first photo I am going to show you, is my most recent photograph of a cluster of Sulphur tufts:



(27/09/2015) (Poisonous) Sulphur Tufts (Hyphloma fasciculare) 4.1: Welsummer, Harrietsham, Maidstone district - Kent; usually in large fruiting displays on trunks and stumps; mature rounded cap is bright sulphur-yellow with darker orange tones at the centre. Remnants of pale-yellow veil often cover the margin; fibrous stem usually curved; stem is similar colour to the cap, but it sometimes is greenish, with a dark ring zone. It becomes darker-brown towards the base, and is often fused with other stems; the young gills are greenish-yellow, and are a good identification marker; they eventually mature to dark-brown. Dimensions (according to guide)- Cap: 2-7cm, Stem: 4.5-10 x 0.5-1cm; spore print: Dark purple-brown; found around a dedicious stump substrate, in woodland.

 

^This is an example of a larger cluster I have found, with not that bigger-sized specimens for the species - I am planning to get this particular photo made into a canvas print.

 

Whilst on a walk not too long before then, I found a much smaller, and very mature cluster of Sulphur tufts - Apologies for not-so-good quality photos, as I took these off of my camera phone:
 

(20/09/2015) (Poisonous) Sulphur Tufts (Hyphloma fasciculare) 3.1-2: Mote Park, Maidstone - Kent. - Kent; usually in large fruiting displays on trunks and stumps; mature rounded cap is bright sulphur-yellow with darker orange tones at the centre. Remnants of pale-yellow veil often cover the margin; fibrous stem usually curved; stem is similar colour to the cap, but it sometimes is greenish, with a dark ring zone. It becomes darker-brown towards the base, and is often fused with other stems; the young gills are greenish-yellow, and are a good identification marker; they eventually mature to dark-brown. Dimensions (according to guide)- Cap: 2-7cm, Stem: 4.5-10 x 0.5-1cm; spore print: Dark purple-brown; found on live tree substrate, in grassland area.
 

Here are some more Sulphur tufts, that I found a month before:

(22/08/2015) (Poisonous) Sulphur tufts (Hypholoma fasciculare) 2.1-4: Eliza's woodland, Harrietsham, Maidstone district - Kent; usually in large fruiting displays on trunks and stumps; mature rounded cap is bright sulphur-yellow with darker orange tones at the centre. Remnants of pale-yellow veil often cover the margin; fibrous stem usually curved; stem is similar colour to the cap, but it sometim...es is greenish, with a dark ring zone. It becomes darker-brown towards the base, and is often fused with other stems; the young gills are greenish-yellow, and are a good identification marker; they eventually mature to dark-brown. Dimensions (according to guide)- Cap: 2-7cm, Stem: 4.5-10 x 0.5-1cm; spore print: Dark purple-brown; found around dedicious stump, in mossy woodland substrate.




 

 Only one death has been recorded by consumption of this species of mushroom, but the victim had also consumed other poisonous/deadly fungal species, so we cannot be sure of the fatality being in direct connection to the Sulphur tuft species.


I will continue to edit this blog post as I get more photos, and am able to upload them without trouble; so for now, goodbye.