Verpa conica. Thimble morel.
I found two of these poking out of the grass in our field, the slugs were enjoying an early morning munch and had caused some damage. I thought they looked like some sort of false morel and got the books out when I got home. This one is said to be 'rare' so I was unsure. Thankfully I was in the company of David Harries later in the day who suggested that it could well be verpa conica so I was delighted! I have a piece awaiting some spores to fall but fingers crossed.
Cant work out how to take a pic with the microscope but can confirm the spores are what the book says!
ReplyDeleteYou have done the important bit ---- well done. I have seen this just twice, April 1977 near the old Farriers Arms, Stradey, Llanelli and May 1977 from Penybedd (part of Pembrey forest). That year there was 'an exceptional abundance' of Verpa finds reported to Kew. In that spring K was notified of 26 collections compared to just 12 over the previous 36years. One find in 1977 was from a flower pot on a roof-garden in central London. What factors might induce fruiting in this manner --- does it have an internal 'clock'?
ReplyDeleteAnd you kindly drove over to llangennech to show me one of the specimens!
ReplyDeleteLooking at some of the Facebook sites people seem to be finding it all over so yes there must be something going on, it would be amazing to know what it is that's made it come out this year...
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