Diario de billyfullwood

'Seek and you will find'

I have continued to learn more about this fascinating species of fungi. One incredibly useful source of information has come from the Ecology of Hypocreopsis rhododendri by Katherine C. Grundy. I would definitely recommend giving it a read if you want to know more:

https://eu03.alma.exlibrisgroup.com/view/delivery/44ABE_INST/12153000170005941

I have been having great success in finding Hypocreopsis rhododendri in blackthorn scrub, which is an incredibly uncommon way to find this species. The blackthorn scrub is dense and very hard to traverse through. I will try to find more of this species in the blackthorn scrub, and I will also document the lichen species found there, as the blackthorn is dripping with many species.

I have spent most of my lockdown time exploring old agricultural fields looking for this BAP fungus. From the reading I have done on this species (unfortunately there is very little research done on this species, so little of it's ecology is known) it only exists in areas with ecological continuity. This means that it normally occurs in areas that have had old coppiced Hazel. It is also believed to be parasitic on the Glue-crust fungus, a fungus that 'glues' the limbs of affected trees together, meaning that potential 'host' trees are easily found.

I have found multiple trees that haven't appeared to have had any sort of coppicing, due to their age and the position of the tree (it was in a hard to reach location). Could this potentially change the ecology of this species? (Probably not, but very little research has been conducted on this species and it's ecology).

I will continue to search for more individuals of this species.