Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush walk, 4 May 2022

Every year I promise myself to spend more time on the opposite east facing side of the valley but, never seem to get there. Today I did finally spend some time over there however, because I have to walk down the west side first there are a reasonable number of fungi from here.

Scarlet roundhead (Leratiomyces ceres) on wood mulch in the fernery.

A roundhead [Psathyrella sp.] – Roundheads are a regular feature of woodchip mulch, found in the fernery.

Scarlet pouch (Leratiomyces erythrocephalus) on wood mulch in the beds and on the paths in the fernery.

Cloudy funnelcap (Clitocybe nebularis) growing along the track to the waterfall.

Bush parasol (Macrolepiota clelandii) growing in the lead litter on the side of the track leading to the waterfall.

The steps leading down to the waterfall at Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush.

Artist’s porebracket (Ganoderma sp.) growing from the end of a long dead fallen tree trunk on the Circular track by the Kaiwharawhara stream.

A helmet (Mycena sp.) growing from a tree stump on the Circular track by the Kaiwharawhara stream.

Olive honeycap (Armillaria novae-zelandae)  growing from a tree stump, next to the helmet above, on the Circular track by the Kaiwharawhara stream.

Walking up the Red track on the western slope I stopped to look at the litter under some tree ferns and found this little face staring back at me – ruru or morepork (Ninox novaeseelandiae)

Halfway up the Red track is the Flax Clearing, a grassy opening in the forest with some planted trees; in this case pōhutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa). I stopped to look at this to see if it had any myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii) – it didn’t.

Still on the Red track Sociable inkcap (Coprinellus “disseminates”) growing on wood. The astute will have noticed that the one dollar coin disappears from the photo beyond this point. I lost it.

More cloudy funnelcap (Clitocybe nebularis) growing in tawa litter at the highest part of the Red track.

Orange poreconch (Favolaschia calocera) on a stump on the Red track. A recent paper has been published in which it is proposed to change this species to Favolaschia claudopus – there is still some discussion as whether or not to accept this change.

Nippled logger (Galerina patagonica) on a fallen trunk on the Red track – sorry a bit fuzzy.

The common puffball (Lycopodium sp.) growing on the side of the Red track. It has yet to develop its ostiole or hole through which the spore will blown.

Heading back to the car park and just below the bowling green Te tawaka, tree swordbelt (Cyclocybe parasitica) growing from the living of tawa (Beilschmeidia tawa)