The NHBS Guide to UK Grassland Fungi

In the past 75 years, over 90% of western Europe’s grasslands have disappeared. These overlooked and undervalued habitats deliver essential ecosystem services that contribute to the function of the planet – they provide key wildlife habitat, can store large amounts of carbon, and are instrumental in mitigating soil erosion and flood management, which is essential as our landscapes adapt to climate change.  

Grassland fungi – such as those outlined in this identification guide – form a distinctive community in these habitats and are key indicators of ancient meadow and unimproved grassland. These species fruit from late summer until winter, and vary greatly in size, shape, colour and texture, from the pale, spherical Earthball to vibrant, slender coral fungi. 

In this guide, explore a selection of grassland fungi groups, as well as individual species, that are commonly found across Britain, and read about their identifying features, size and distribution.   


Groups 

Waxcaps (Hygrocybe) 

Waxcap fungi by Jo Graeser.
Waxcap fungi by Jo Graeser.

Identification: There are about 150 different species of Hygrocybe (meaning ‘watery head’) in the UK, and these are a very easily identifiable group. They are characterised by their vibrant, smooth waxy caps that come in a range of bright colours, including red, pink, yellow, orange and brown. When present on the fruiting body, gills are thick but evenly coloured and spaced. 

Distribution: Found in nutrient-poor grasslands, such as grazed upland, and often grow alongside other groups including Pinkgills, Corals, Clubs and Earthtongues throughout late summer and autumn. 

Size: 5-7cm      

 

Club and Corals (Clavariaceae) 

Yellow club fungus.
Yellow club fungus by Jo Graeser.

Identification: These distinctive fungi are easily recognisable by their slender, forking branches that are often rooted in buried wood. They have thick, dense finger or club shaped stalks that grow from a central base, often in clusters, and can be bright yellow, pale pink or white. Coral fungi produce yellow spores from the tip of their branches. 

Distribution: Coral fungi predominantly grow on wood, but can also be found in soil, leaf litter or in short grasses and moss from July to November. 

Size: 4-10cm  

 

Wood Pinkgill (Entoloma rhodopolium) 

Brown caps of wood pinkgill mushrooms (Entoloma rhodopolium) in Huntsville State Park. Texas.
Brown caps of wood pinkgill mushrooms (Entoloma rhodopolium) via Texas Mushrooms.

Identification: Often found in large groups, this very common pinkgill mushroom is defined by its convex, rounded fruiting body that flattens at the bottom of the skirt. Juvenile mushrooms have tightly packed white gills, and turn a light shade of pink with maturity. They feature a long, smooth, lightly coloured stem measuring 4-9cm long. 

Distribution: Most commonly found throughout the summer until late autumn in deciduous broadleaf woodlands. 

Size: 3-5cm 

Note: Poisonous 

  

Species 

 

Earthtongue fungi (Geoglossum fallax) 

Earthtongues - Glutinoglossum by Lukas Large, via flickr.
Earthtongues – Glutinoglossum by Lukas Large, via flickr.

Identification: A widespread species found across Britain and Ireland, Earthtongues are characterised by black or dark brown stromata with a single, club-like fruiting body growing from a cylindrical, scaly stem. The head is grooved and makes up a third of the body, and it is covered in fine hairs to protect its fertile spores. 

Distribution: Grows in mossy, unimproved and acidic grassland such as old churchyards from August to November. 

Size: 2-7cm  

 

Common Inkcap (Coprinopsis atramentaria) 

Inkcap Trio by Derek Winterburn, via flickr.
Inkcap Trio by Derek Winterburn, via flickr.

Identification: Starting off as a smooth, egg-shaped ball with scaled central area, the grey or greyish-brown cap later expands into a soft bell shape with a slight curve at its margin. The stem of an inkcap is smooth and reddish-brown in colour, with hundreds of crowded gills that are white at first, but later darken to brown and black before being auto-digested by the fruiting head. 

Distribution: Fruits in small clumps on tree stumps, buried hardwood, woodland footpaths and parkland from May until November. Some solitary specimens have been sighted on occasion. 

Size: 3-7cm 

Note: Poisonous  

 

Petticoat Mottlegill (Panaeolus papilionaceus) 

Petticoat Mottlegill by Jo Graeser.
Petticoat Mottlegill by Jo Graeser.

Identification: Petticoat Mottlegills are recognisable by their smooth bell caps with a serrated edge, and can be pale brown, greyish-brown or pallid grey, with a darker centre. The fused-together gills are a pale, greyish brown with white edges that turn dark brown and black with maturity, and the thin, cylindrical stem is covered in a fine white powder. 

Distribution: Commonly located in groups on rotted dung from June to November. 

Size: 6-12cm  

 

Common Earthball (Scleroderma citrinum) 

Common earthball (Scleroderma citrinum).
Common earthball (Scleroderma citrinum) by Jo Graeser.

Identification: Ranging from light ochre to mid-brown or green, with a yellow tinge on its upper surface, the Earthballs rounded, fruiting body is attached to the ground with white mycelial threads and is stemless. It has tough, thick skin covered in coarse scales that vary in size and shape, which rupture as the head matures to allow the wind and rain to disperse its spores – which are white when young, and darken to brown or purple with age. These empty shells often remain in sheltered woodland hollows for many months before decaying. 

Distribution: Acidic, well-drained soil near forest paths or on shady banks from July to early December. 

Size: 4-10cm  

 

Common Parasol (Macrolepiota procera) 

Parasol Fungi by Bernard Spragg, via flickr.
Parasol Fungi by Bernard Spragg, via flickr.

Identification: This edible species of mushroom is round in shape with a pale brown, spherical cap that darkens as it nears the crown. The cap breaks into a scaly texture that features a darker brown, central bump called an umbo. The broad, crowded gills of Common Parasol mushrooms are white or pale cream, and the cap has a white flesh when cut into. The tough, fibrous stem is surrounded by a smooth, white double-edged ring decorated with small brown scales that are comparable to snakeskin. 

Distribution: Commonly found on verges, neglected grassland or cliffs, with multiple mushrooms growing in a slightly wavy line, from July to November. 

Size: 10-25cm 

The NHBS Guide to UK Bracket Fungi

Bracket fungi (basidiomycetes), also known as shelf or polypore fungi, can grow on both dead or living trees and cause widespread heartwood decay deep inside its host. These fungal bodies appear year-round depending on the species and produce bracket-shaped fruit on the trunk, roots or branches of the host tree that can span up to 70cm in diameter. 

There are over 1,000 species of bracket fungi worldwide, and here you can explore a selection of bracket fungi found in Britain, detailing their identifying features, when and where they can be found. 


Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus) also known as Sulphur polypore’ 

Chicken-of-the-woods - Laetiporus sulphureus.
Image by Björn S via flickr.

Identification: This easy to spot, sulphur-yellow fungus can grow up to 40cm in diameter and features numerous thick, soft, overlapping brackets. When young, they have a velvety texture and orange bands across yellow flesh, which fades to light cream with age. Each bracket is fan-shaped with an undulating margin, while the underside has small pores and produces a yellow liquid when squeezed. 

Distribution: June to November. Mainly grows on oak tree trunks, but can also be found on Yew, cherry, chestnut and willows. 

Size: 10-40cm  

 

Hen-of-the-Woods (Grifola frondosa) 

Hen of the woods, Grifola frondosa
Image by Van Waffle via flickr.

Identification: This large, very distinctive fungus features many flat, interlocking lobes growing from a dense centre attached to the foot of a tree. The underside of the fronds are cream in colour, their top side can vary from brown to grey, and the flesh is pale cream. It’s very common for multiple growths to emerge from one host, and fully grown hen-of-the-woods can weigh several kilograms. 

Distribution: August to November. Predominantly around the base of mature oak trees but they do occasionally grow on other deciduous species. 

Size: Up to 70cm 

 

Turkeytail (Trametes versicolor) 

Turkeytail Fungi (Trametes versicolor) by Jo Graeser.
Turkeytail Fungi (Trametes versicolor) by Jo Graeser.

Identification: Turkeytail fungi produce thin but tough semi-circular caps in tight, overlapping tiers that have a slightly hairy, velvety texture. It has a range of concentrated coloured rings that are a mix of black, brown, grey, yellow, purple and green, however the outer ring along the edge of the bell is pale in colour. Often confused with Stereum ostrea (or False Turkeytail) this species can be correctly identified by its white underside featuring hundreds of visible pores. 

Distribution: Can be found on fallen hardwood trees such as Beech or oak throughout the year, but is most abundant from late spring to autumn. 

Size: 4-10cm  

 

Beefsteak (Fistulina hepatica) 

Beefsteak fungus (WGP).
Image by David Short via flickr.

Identification: This bracket fungus can be  pink, red or brown in colour, with a light underside full of pores that turn red with age. Featuring a slightly inflated edge that flattens as it matures, Beefsteak fungus is moist to the touch and produces smooth, round, pale pink spores. 

Distribution: August to November. Usually found in broadleaved woodlands on oak trees. 

Size: 6-25cm  

 

Birch Polypore (Piptoporus betulinus) – Also known as the Razorstrop fungus 

Birch polypore.
Birch polypore by Trevor King via flickr.

Identification: Birch Polypore is a common bracket fungus that grows exclusively on birch trees. It has a rounded, brown-white cap with a rubber or leather-like texture and white pores on its underside.  

Distribution: It can be found year-round on the lower trunk of birch trees and fallen birch branches. 

Size: 10-20cm  

 

Dryads Saddle (Cerioporus squamosus) 

More Dryad's saddle.
Image by Andrew Hill via flickr.

Identification: This species of fungi grows in overlapping tiers on dead or dying broad-leaved trees, particularly elm, Beech and Sycamore. Recognisable by their distinctly textured, creamy-ochre brackets, these fungiemerge at soil level at the base of the host tree or higher up the trunk. The underside of the fruit features hundreds of honeycomb-shaped pores. 

Distribution: This fungus fruits in the summer and again in autumn, and is most commonly seen from April to September on deciduous trees and fallen wood on the forest floor. 

Size: Up to 70cm 

 

Southern Bracket (Ganoderma australe) 

Southern Bracket fungi.
Image by Ethan Long via flickr.

Identification: Southern Bracket fungi can grow on both living and dying deciduous trees and first appear in the form of solid, white balls. Over a number of years, these develop into large, thick brackets with a flat brownish top and a white underside. As the fungus ages, the smooth top can become ridged and bumpy, and when the underside is scored it produces dark brown marks. This fungus can be easily confused with the Artists Fungi (Ganoderma applanatum), however they can be distinguished by examining their spores under a microscope.

Distribution:  This is the most common species of the Ganoderma genus and fruits on most deciduous trees from April to August. 

Size: Up to 60cm 

 

King Alfred’s Cakes (Daldinia concentrica) 

King Alfred's Cakes (Daldinia concentrica).
Image by Peter O’Connor via flickr.

Identification: These fungi present themselves in the form of hard, round lumps roughly the size of a golf ball and are a matt, pinky-brown colour when young. As they mature, they darken to a coal colour and become shiny in appearance. The outer surface is solid but cracks easily, while the inside of the fruit is easily identified by black and grey concentric rings that are darker than the flesh. King Alfred’s Cakes are also known as coal fungus as they can be used as kindling or firelighters. 

Distribution: Can be found year-round in deciduous woodland, especially on fallen Beech and Ash branches. 

Size: 2-10cm   

 

Horses Hoof (Fomes fomentarius) 

Horse Hoof Fungi, Knole Park, Sevenoaks, Kent.
Image by Nigel Turner via flickr.

Identification: As evident from the name, this species of fungi is typically shaped like a horse’s hoof, with a pointed top and wide bottom. Featuring concentrated ridges across its exterior and with a fleshy, fibrous inside, their blunt, rounded margin is often cream or yellow. Although they can vary from silvery-grey to black in colour, most specimens are shades of brown. Small circular pores under the bell start off cream in colour and darken to brown once the fruit has matured. On occasion, some Horses Hoofs appear in more of a traditional, flat bracket shape. 

Distribution: Can be found growing year-round on weak, living or dead hardwood deciduous trees, particularly Birch. 

Size: 5 to 45cm