Bedgebury Pinetum, Kent, September 2023
I visited Bedgebury Pinetum in Kent for the first time in early September. It was impressive to see a noticeboard highlighting the Pinetum as one of ‘the best places for fungi in the country’!
Here’s the proof:
![](https://danieljamesgreenwood.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/bp_fungi_sign.jpg?w=1024)
It has 12,000 specimen trees and a ‘world-leading collection of conifers’
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/etrji-3saogfj4zcj7xa5jwpwwjpdo.jpg?w=1000)
Tell you what, though – they were not wrong about the dragonflies. The most impressive sight of the visit was dragonflies swarming on the margins of a field of, erm, monkey puzzles! Here’s the video:
It was dry and rather hot so I don’t think the Pinetum was at its best in the funga stakes, compared with the dragons.
As usual, I wasn’t there to forage, just to photograph. I don’t think Forestry England are fans of foraging on their sites. One of the first sightings of the visit was that common species in this part of the world – sulphur tuft.
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-17.jpg?w=1000)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-18.jpg?w=1000)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-16.jpg?w=1000)
I haven’t seen brick or conifer tuft yet, to my knowledge, so was wondering if this landscape where conifers were so dominant might change that. Looking at the gills and the caps, I don’t think I’m there yet.
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/vagp2-ouzzwkwih56kqpfymrdgur2w.jpg?w=667)
Here’s the nice early stages of a bracket, which I haven’t identified yet. Might be a mazegill.
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-11.jpg?w=1000)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-12.jpg?w=1000)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-21.jpg?w=1000)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-14.jpg?w=1000)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-52.jpg?w=1000)
Tawny grisette is a lovely early Amanita. There were a couple at Bedgebury.
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-39.jpg?w=1000)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-47.jpg?w=1000)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-48.jpg?w=1000)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-31-1.jpg?w=667)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-43-1.jpg?w=1000)
I have cobbled these together, even though they’re in different stages. I think they’re in the Clitocybe group, and are very likely funnels. The habitat and seasons are right, and the features look right (gills). It seems that there has been a taxonomic shake-up with this group, but it’s beyond this blogpost (and author!) to go into detail on that. Please comment if you have any suggestions.
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-67.jpg?w=1000)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-57.jpg?w=1000)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-59.jpg?w=1000)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-68.jpg?w=1000)
It’s easy enough to plop these mushrooms into the ‘dungi’ category, and am confident that they’re mottlegills (Panaeolus). I’m half suspicous that the pale-capped shroom is a yellow fieldcap, rather than a saturated older fruiting body, just hanging out in the dung.
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-79.jpg?w=1000)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-81.jpg?w=1000)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-78.jpg?w=1000)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-76.jpg?w=1000)
![](https://fungifriday.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/bedgebury_2-9-23-77.jpg?w=1000)
I haven’t done much work on trying to identify these yet, but they look like a group I am not familiar with. They were growing under an unusual type of turkey oak, but I don’t think there will be a mycelial connection there. Then again, what do I know.
So was it one of the best places to see fungi in England? I have no idea, but it will definitely be a good place to visit in the autumn months. Bear in mind the car parking fee is about ยฃ14, and I don’t know about public transport links in the area.
Thanks for reading.
This is a version of a previously-published post on my fungi blog.