Herefordshire Fungus Survey Group

Fungi Survey
Churchyard at Letton

May to December 2003

Summary

Over 50 species were recorded in this small churchyard during 2003. Predictably, most were micro-fungi during the spring and summer months, the larger fungi only making a very late appearance in this exceptionally dry year. The micro-fungi consisted largely of rusts, smuts and powdery mildews along with other colonisers of living, moribund and dead leaves both on the native vegetation and on the various introduced plants (roses, honesty, honeysuckle etc).

All the larger fungi which appeared eventually in November were saprophytes, assisting in the breakdown of vegetable matter.

Some, like the blewitts and Lepiota serena, occurred in deep leaf litter or compost, while others, eg Vascellum, Agaricus campestris and the Mycenas (one additional species M. flavoalba was recorded in December), grow in the turf which is kept short near the church and gate.

One fungus was recorded on a lichen growing on the Robinia and another on the beech mast fallen from an overhanging tree.

All the fungi recorded were typical of their habitat and none is thought to be scarce or rare - in other words a good representative selection in a year that was disastrous for fungi throughout the British Isles.

This churchyard is likely to support a more diverse mycoflora than was present in 2003, in particular in the areas of short turf where the moss Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus is locally abundant.

(This is not to suggest that a larger area should be kept mown as the un-mown sections support a good range ofvascular plants encouraged by a late cut and clear strategy.)

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Take Part

If you would like to take part, or would like to support this project, please email godsacre@lettonvillage.com for more details.