Nature features

For the fourth feature in the Natural History of Suffolk series I visited Thornham Walks for their annual Fungi Forage. Lying just to the west of the A140, a few miles south of Eye, Thornham Walks forms part of a large working estate made up of woodland, parkland and wet meadows, as well as farmland. Situated at its heart is the Field Centre from which a varied programme of countryside and wildlife-related activities is run throughout the year.

The Fungi Forage was led by Geoff Heathcote and he began the event at the Field Centre by giving the 12 participants some important background information about the biology of fungi, how to identify them and how to collect them.

There are about 4,000 species of fungi to be found in Suffolk, hundreds of which can be encountered growing in our countryside as what we would tend to think of as mushrooms and toadstools. Although the sandy soil areas of the coast and Breckland tend to be more productive, we still found about 30 species of fungi in a relatively small part of Thornham Walks between the Field Centre and the Walled Garden. We collected single specimens of most of them in order to have a more detailed look at them back at the Field Centre after lunch.

There is no scientific difference between a mushroom and a toadstool; an edible fungus is usually referred to as a mushroom, whereas an inedible one is usually referred to as a toadstool. As with so many aspects of the study of these amazing organisms, however, even this is not always the case.

How they grow

Unlike plants, fungi do not convert sunlight into energy by photosynthesis: they obtain their nourishment from the things that they grow on, like underground tree roots. This is achieved through a network of tiny filaments, called hyphae (pronounced "hi-fee"), which infiltrate whatever it is that the fungus is growing on. The entire network of hyphae - through which the fungus derives its nourishment - is called the mycelium (pronounced "my-see-lee-um").

Birch Polypore by Louise Baker

Another difference from plants is that the cell walls of fungi are not made of cellulose. In fact, in some respects, the cell walls are similar to those of insects.

When we see a toadstool growing in the wild the visible part - the stem and the cap - is its fruiting body, i.e. the part of the fungus that produces the spores. The spores are released into the air and are carried by the breeze to new areas. New fungi will grow from the spores if they land in the right conditions (temperature, humidity and light).

As you might expect, the fact that there are so many species of fungi means that they are not always easy to identify. Having said that, however, don't be put off because many of them are readily identifiable.

Medicinal properties

Some fungi have known medicinal and other properties. The birch polypore, for example (which looks like an omelette which has been well cooked on one side and then stuck on the side of a birch tree) was used in tinder boxes and to stem the flow of blood from wounds. Other species are known only by their scientific names because they have never been given an English name.

Jew's Ear by Louise Baker

Some fungi, such as the field mushroom, are edible. Others, like the fly agaric (with its red cap, often with white spots) are poisonous and can, at the very least, make you very ill. A few species, such as the aptly named death cap, are deadly poisonous and cause death in a protracted and horrible manner. Caution is therefore the order of the day.

It is far safer to enjoy our many fungi and marvel at their delicate beauty and tremendous variety by simply observing them in the wild.

delicate beauty and tremendous variety by simply observing them in the wild.