First things first - I love fungi. Their variety is astonishing, as are the unique parts they play in ecosystems. Some fungi (like the one below) are saprobic - which means they spread through and colonize dead wood and other organic material, like leaf litter.
These tiny blue saucers are the fruiting bodies of Green Elfcup
(scientific name Chlorociboria aeruginascens - bit of a mouthful).
Running through this piece of wood is a network of hyphae (basically fungal roots), with most of the fungus existing below the surface.
(scientific name Chlorociboria aeruginascens - bit of a mouthful).
Running through this piece of wood is a network of hyphae (basically fungal roots), with most of the fungus existing below the surface.
What makes this mushroom so special is that it produces a pigment called Xylindein, which stains the wood a blue/green colour. The stained wood is much more common to see than the cups themselves.
The first photo is from Gutteridge Woods, December 2019; the second is from Hampstead Heath Extension, September 2020.
(I'm totally obsessed with this fungus - there are going to be lots more photos in the future).
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