Archived Reports - Flora -2006

31st December: A very late Hedgehog Mushroom Hydnum repandum seen at Denny Lodge Inclosure in the New Forest.

31st December: 14 flowers and shrubs in bloom on a 'Winter Wildflower Walk' at Southampton Old Cemetery as well as 8 species of fungi. The latter included the uncommon, and deadly poisonous, Lepiota josserandii under cypresses.

29th December: First Hazel seen in bloom (unless anybody has seen any even earlier) at Sainsbury's, Hedge End.

28th December: On bare ground north of Calshot Power Station large numbers of the uncommon moss Aloina aloides seen. This species is usually associated with the chalk. 28 species of lichen seen at Keyhaven to Lower Pennington in a recee for a Field Meeting on 14th January.

27th December: Late Michaelmas Daisy Aster x versicolor in flower in some quantity along the railway footpath at Freemantle.

26th December: Another new site for Hairy Garlic Allium subhirsutum in Southampton. This time at Weston Common, close to Imber Way. The Naples Garlic Allium neapolitanum at Donkey Common has spread to two more sites along the Bursledon Road. In the woods at Donkey Common a Bergenia that was not in bloom appears to be B x schmidtii.

24th December: Orange-peel Fungus Aleuria aurantiaca was seen in flowerbeds at West End Road, Bitterne.

23rd December: There are still Chanterelles Cantharellus cibarius at Sowley Brooms, east of Lymington. Also The Goblet Toadstool Pseudoclitocybe cyathiformis is up here.

21st December: There are still Oyster Mushrooms at Horns Drove Wood, Rownhams. Also seen here were some interesting trees, Guelder Rose Viburnum opulus and Cherry Plum Prunus cerasifera were probably new records here. Three species of bird-sown Cotoneasters were identified as C. rehderi, C.bullatus and C.sternianus.

20th December: A large colony (about 50+ ) Giant Earthstar Geastrum triplex under hawthorns along a footpath by Worthy Down Camp at South Wonston.

12th December: One specimen of the Daisy Earthstar Geastrum floriforme was seen at Eastleigh Cemetery under cypresses; more had been reported earlier in the season – this is a particularly rare species. Also a toadstool which smells of putty i.e. Macrocystidea cucumis seen here and there has been an increase in Sowerbyella.

8th December: A Red Data Book Ascomycete fungus Sowerbyella radiculata found under cypresses at Eastleigh Cemetery. This is a distinctive mustard yellow coloured cup fungus with a dark ‘tap-root’. Also two species of Earthstar Geastrum coronatum and G.striatum present here.

4th December: A tree survey was carried out at Hum Hole, Bitterne and one self-sown Late Cotoneaster Cotoneaster lacteus as well as about ten self-sown Portugal Laurel Prunus lusitanicus were found.

27th November: The small Mycena flavoalba is the only toadstool to appear on a garden lawn at 488 Bitterne Road East so far.

24th November: It has not been a very good year for Hygrocybe but there were 10 H.calyptriformis (Pink Pixie Cap) in Anns Hill Cemetery, Gosport. Also the Scarlet Caterpillar club Cordyceps militaris seen here. This latter species has been scarce in 2006. 18 Stinkhorn Phallus impudicus found in an unusual habitat – the leaf litter under London Planes at Gosport Park.

22nd November: A small plant of Spurge Laurel Daphne laureolum found on the western side of Tanglewood Pond at Rownhams. The barberry Berberis thunbergii and Himalayan Honeysuckle Leycesteria formosa bird sown at nearby Fernyhurst Lake, Rownhams.

15th November: Ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia growing as a weed in a garden at Seymour Avenue, Upper Shirley.

15th November: A moss that specialises on pony dung, Sphlacnum ampullaceum, seen at two locations in Wilverley Bog.

15th November: Cotoneaster congestus, first reported by Paul Bowman in 1988, still present at Mogshade Hill and there are three more recent bird sown specimens there. There is also a large patch of the closely related Cotoneater sherifii nearby.

13th November: Two bushes of Chinese Barberry Berberis julianae(first recorded in 2000) still present at High Corner in the west of the New Forest.

12th November: Seven species of fungi recorded as new species at a foray at Kite's Croft. These included the Parasitic Bolete Xerocomus parasiticus and an interesting bracket fungus on birch, Hapalopilus nidulans.

11th November: Another new site found for Yellow-flowered Strawberry Duchesnea indica – this time at Botany Bay, Sholing south of Bunny Hill.

11th November: 45 species of fungi found at Mayfield Park, including the on the recee of 9th November. The highlight today was Panther Cap Amanita pantherina north of the children’s playground. This latter is apparently the first record within Southampton city boundary. Also an unusual, almost scale-less Honey Fungus in the formal gardens identified as Armillaria cepistipes.

9th November: A new site for Tinder (=Hoof) Fungus Fomes fomentarius found on beech west of the obelisk at Mayfield Park.

6th November: Six species of fungi, including Pholiota squarrosa, recorded at Watt’s Park in central Southampton.

5th November: Still plenty of fungi at Itchen Valley Country Park but there were a lot of eyes looking. The highlight was probably the third Hampshire record for Pholiota flammans, also known as Flaming Scaly-cap. This was found in the conifer plantation section NE of Highwood Barn as were other species of interest such as Jelly Tongue Pseudohydnum gelatinosum and the Rancid Greyling Tephrocybe rancida.

5th November: An interesting Amanita known as Amanita franchetii found at Round Coppice, Whiteley. This species resembles the Blusher Amanita rubescens but has bright yellow velar remains on the cap, a yellow ring and no pink flushing. Other fungi of interest here included Panther Cap Amanita pantherina, ‘Pick-a-back Toadstool’ Nyctalis parasticus and Tricholoma sejunctum.

5th November: Stink Aster Dittrichia graveolens found at another site on the M27. This time it was found on the roundabout over junction 9 at Whiteley.

26th October (latest news): Found the Tomatillo (a Mexican relative of Chinese Lantern with yellow flowers) Physalis ixiocarpa at Beaulieu Motor Museum car park. This has since been re-determined as Physalis philadelphicus.

31st October: Green Alkanet Pentaglottis sempervirens coming to bloom again in some places and Cross-leaved Heath Erica tetralix in flower at EastEnd.

31st October: A good crop of the rare Cortinarius violaceus reported at a known site at Mark Ash Wood in the New Forest and both Cortinarius trivialis and Hericium cirrhatum seen nearby. North of Millyford Bridge the Boletus junquilleus had gone over but the rare Pick-a-back Toadstool Nyctalis parasiticus seen on Russula densifolia and two other fungi of interest were Amanita inaurata and Boletus calopus.

29th October: A good selection of fungi seen in parts of the central parks in Southampton, at least where there are native tree species. Species of particular interest included Xerocomus pulverulentus, Xerocomus rubellus, Clitocybe inodora and Collybia erythropa. There was also some Giant Polypore Meripilus giganteus at the base of a London Plane and the bracket Ganoderma resinaceum on Common Lime.

29th October: In one of the flowerbeds at Andrew's (= East) Park, Southampton several flowering plants of what appeared to the alien spurge Euphorbia maculata seen.

27th October: The rare Broad-leaved cotton-grass Eriphorum latifolium found to be still present at Stony Moors, near to Homesley.

26th October: Some interesting fungi seen in a second survey at Beaulieu Motor Museum car park. These included Russula violeipes, Lactarius mitissimus, Leccinum aurantiacum and Boletus queletii (yet again). Also Death Cap Amanita phalliodesstill present here. A 'massive' amount of fungi found in the woodland and abandoned marl pits at Norley Wood, East End. Species of particular interest here included Boletus pseudoregius, Tricholoma sejunctum, Cortinarius trivialis, Cortinarius bolaris, Lactarius lacunarum and Phellidon melaleuca.

26th October: Found the Tomatillo (a Mexican relative of Chinese Lantern with yellow flowers) Physalis ixiocarpa at Beaulieu Motor Museum car park. Also growing there was abundantly naturalised Argentinian Vervain Verbena bonariensis.

24th October: Yet another record of the normally scarce Bolete Boletus queletii - this time at Freemantle Baptist Church car park in Southampton, under a birch tree.

23rd October: The unusual mushroom Agaricus lanipes recorded at Ann's Hill Cemetery, Gosport.

22nd October: 54 species of fungi recorded at the foray at Micheldever Wood - this was about the same number as the people who turned up i.e. one each! Particularly interesting fungi seen included Cortinarius croceocaeruleus, Lactarius volemus, Micromphale foetidum, Mycena crocata and Rugosomyces (=Calocybe) ionides.

19th October: A fungi foray in the Culverley / Stubbs Wood area of the SE New Forest revealed huge numbers of Amanita including the scarce Amanita porphyria. Other fungi of interest here included Cortinarius uliginosus, Russula violeipes, Hebeloma edurum, Pholiota apicrea, Magpie Inkcap Coprinus picaceus (uncommon in the forest) and Nail Fungus Poronia punctata.

18th October: Another huge hauls of fungi - this time at Micheldever Wood north of Winchester. Too many to mention really but the scarce Lepiota hystrix was of particular interest as were the Bolete Xerocomus pulverulentus and, on Beech stumps, Lentinus torulosus.

17th October: The Hampshire Purslane Ludwigia palustris north of the Ornamental Lake on Southampton Common confirmed and it appears to be spreading. Pokeweed Phyllotaca acinos found growing with nettles at College Road, Winchester and Garden Thyme Thymnus vulgaris still persisting on the eastern wall of Wovesley Castle.

16th October: Fungi survey in the cemeteries of Gosport but most of the Hygrocybe's here not showing yet apart from Hygrocybe chlorophana in Ann's Hill Cemetery and Hygrocybe glutinipes at Clayhall Military Cemetery. Other fungi of particular interest at Clayhall Military Cemetery included Boletus queletii, Deathcap Amanita phalloides, Agaricus cupreobrunneus, Leucopaxillus paradoxus and Leucoagaricus macrorhizus.

15th October: Some naturalised autumn-flowering crocus Crocus speciosus found at the base of an oak tree at Chestnut Avenue,Eastleigh.

15th October:- 54 species of fungi, including the Bitter Bolete Tylopilus felleus, seen during the foray at Matley Wood.

14th October: The rare yellow Bolete Boletus junquilleus seen in good numbers near Millyford Bridge carpark in the New Forest. Other interesting fungi in the area included Hare's Ear Otidea onotica, the chanterelle Cantharellus tubiformis var.lutescens and more Panther Cap Amanita pantherina (very abundant this year).

13th October: A flowering plant of Moth Mullein Verbascum blattaria found at Bursledon Road, behind Milbury Crescent.

12th October: A huge number of fungi seen during a foray at Beaulieu. Around the Motor Museum car park species of particular interest included Tricholoma vaccinum and both Deathcap Amanita Phalloides and Panther Cap Amanita pantherina. The Deathcap was also found in Great Goswell Copse along with Russula violeipes, Hebeloma trucatum, Pseudocraterellus sinuosus and Thelephora penicillata.

10th October: Discovery of the American composite flower Melampodium montanum at the centre of Alverstoke village, Gosport - the second British record.

9th October: Deadly Nightshade Atropa belladonna appears to have gone from a known site at Bishopstoke (Chickenhall) Sewage Farm

8th October: The uncommon Zoned Polypore Podoscypha multizonata found under oaks south of the Boating Lake on Southampton Common.

7th October: Boletus pseudoregius confirmed at Hilltop Wood, Beaulieu.

5th October: Considerable numbers of early season and mid season fungi fruiting together in woods in the Beaulieu estate east of the motor museum. There were particularly large numbers of Boletus edulis (Ceps) and one specimen of what was thought to be Boletus pseudoregius. Other fungi of interest included Spiny Puffball Lycoperdon echinatum,
Boletus aereus, Boletus queletii, Panther Cap Amanita pantherina and several interesting species of Russula.

2nd October: Reports of flowering Woody Fleabane Dittrichia graveolens along the A31 westward from the roundabout at the junction of the M27.

2nd October: Colony of the scarce Bird’s-nest Fungus Crucibulum leave on bark mulch under tree plantings in the car park outside Argos at West Quay. Another interesting fungus Leuicoagaricus cinerascens growing on bark mulch nearby.

1st October: Two brackets of Tinder Fungus Fomes fomentarius at Kendall’s Wood, Thornhill Park on a moribund birch tree. This species normally grows on this host in Scotland. There is already a site, known for twenty years, on beech at Mayfield Park.

29th September: A report of the ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia at Havant but later weeded out. There are currently no known sites for this species in Southampton.

24th September: A single plant of Argentinian Vervain Verbena bonariensis growing in a paving stone at Eynham Avenue, Bitterne

23rd September: Some increase in fungi, for example the white parasol Leucoagaricus leucothites seen at Peartree Green.

22nd September: Quite a large increase in the amount of fungi about – species of true mushroom Agaricus particularly common this year. Also Shaggy Parasol Macrolepiota rhacodes at Brookwood Cemetery and the white Leucoagaricus leucothites at Peartree Green.

18th September: A small colony of Corn Marigold Chrysanthemum segetum found by Castle Lane, North Baddesley

15th September: Four specimens of a rare Eathstar Geastrum coronatum found under Cypress trees at Brookwood Cemetery, Eastleigh. About twenty more seen a week later.

12th September: A poisonous species of parasol mushroom called Echinoderma adspersum (or Lepiota acutesquamosa) seen in a flowerbed at 6 Caerleon Avenue, Bitterne amongst heather.

11th September: One clump of Mistletoe Viscum album found on a Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna at Freemantle Common, Bitterne. The destructive bracket fungus Phaeolus schweinitzii found on a dead (but standing) Monterey Pine Pinus radiata at Deep Dene, Bitterne Park.

10th September: Royal Fern Osmunda regalisdiscovered growing in a damp area amongst brambles by the public footpath running north from Green Lane, Old Netley.

10th September: Orange Balsam (= Jewel Weed) Impatiens capensis recorded at a new site by the River Hamble near the Swanwick boatyard.

7th September: First record of Parasitic Bolete Xerocomus parasiticus on earthball fungus in Kendall's Wood, Thornhill.

7th September: Large numbers of Autumn Ladies Tresses Spiranthes spiralis at Priestwood Close, Thornhill Park. It is obviously a very good year for this orchid despite the total destruction of the large colony on the Thornhill Primary School fields.

6th September: A 'new' colony of Autumn Ladies Tresses Spiranthes spiralis on a grassy bank on the NE side of Archery Road, Weston.

5th September: An unusual selection of species along one short and shady section of the Bartley Water in Totton NW of Rumbridge - naturalised species included Woodruff Galium odoratum, Druce's Crane's-bill Geranium x oxonianum and Pickerel Weed Pontaderacordata.

3rd September: 25 species of fungi recorded on the Field Meeting at Shatterford and Denny Wood including the ring-less Honey Fungus Armillaria tabescens and the bracket Ganoderma resinaceum . Flora recorded at this meeting included flowering specimens of Lesser Bladderwort Utricularia minor where one of the footpaths crosses West Denny Bog.