Identified by the Hampshire Fungus Recording Group. 28 October 2023 Millyford Bridge, New Forest, Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. Common Name Eye-lash fungus Fruiting Body Disc shaped, upper surface smooth, orange to bright scarlet, with short black hairs at the margin, hence the common name, to about 1cm across Flesh Red, firm Smell Indistinct Taste Unknown Season Spring to autumn Distribution Common Habitat On damp rotten wood, organic debris and soil Microscopic Features Spores ellipsoidal, warty/roughened, with oil drops (17-20) x (11-12) µm2. Paraphyses septate, cylindrical, club shaped at the tips. Some hairs longer than 1000 µm. Edibility Inedible Notes This species cannot be recognised without the use of a microscope. According to some authorities the specimens shown could be S. crinita however DNA studies suggest that it is not a distinct species. 
Spores in Lactophenol Cotton Blue viewed with a 100X immersion objective. 28 October 2023 Millyford Bridge, New Forest, Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
Asci and paraphyses in Melzer's solution viewed with a 10X objective. 28 October 2023 Millyford Bridge, New Forest, Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
Hairs in Congo Red solution viewed with a 10X objective. 28 October 2023 Millyford Bridge, New Forest, Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. |