The Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush trust has a programme of Sunday guided walks offers opportunity to explore the reserve. I have been doing this for about 16 years and recording the results here on the Spores, Moulds and Fungi blog since 2011. This what I saw on our first fungi walk for 2023. These observations are are also recorded in the iNaturalistNZ project Otari Wiltons Bush Fungi project
View across the valley at Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush [photo Geoff Ridley]
Mycologising at Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush, looking at Agaricus sp. [photo Jane Humble]
Crucibulum simile. Growing on wood mulch, in the Plant Collections garden (1 Plants for the home garden). These are immature with the cap still in place. [photo Geoff Ridley] https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157439636
Cyathus striatus. Growing on wood mulch in the plant collection gardens. This distinctive birdsnest fungus with striate / fluted cups was seen but no photo taken. There is a photo of it at at a the 2022 fungal walk here.
Ganoderma sp. Gowing on a southern beech stump in the Fuscospora (Nothofagus) solandri grove. Note the pinkish brown spores under the bracket. [photo Geoff Ridley] https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157440995
Russula sp. A very rotten fruitbody of this ectomycorrhizal fungus was seen in the Fuscospora (Nothofagus) solandri grove. No photo was taken as it fell apart however, a photo can be seen from the 2022 fungal walk here.
Amanita nothofagi. Growing under Fuscospora (Nothofagus) solandri, in the southern beech grove. [photo Geoff Ridley] https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157987297
Echinoderma Cystolepiota sp. Growing in wood mulch, plant collection garden. This gave a white spore print. [photo Geoff Ridley] Note 03.05.2023 see comments at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157444718 as to why this is a Cystolepiota and not an Echinoderma.
Cruentomycena viscidocruenta. Growing on wood mulch in the plant collection gardens. [photo Geoff Ridley] https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157446081
Coprinellus section Disseminatis. Growing on dead woody roots covered in wood mulch, plant collection garden. [photo Geoff Ridley] https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157447195
Mycetinis curraniae. Growing on the bark of a living totara [Podocarpus totara], in the podocarp/kauri grove by the visitors centre. [photo Geoff Ridley] https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157448498
Agaricus sp. Growing in litter in the kauri and podocarp grove. [photo Geoff Ridley] https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157988459
Favolaschia claudopus (aka Favolaschia calocera). Growing on fallen branch, the Fernery. [photo Geoff Ridley] https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157449527
Clavulinopsis sp. Growing in the middle of the mulched path, in the Fernery. These were bright orange. [photo Geoff Ridley] https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157451170
Order Agaricales Gymnopus sp.(this is what we do when we don’t know what it is). On fallen tree fern rachis, the Fernery. They are starting to shrivel. [photo Geoff Ridley] Note 03.04.2023: This appears to be the same fungus that we saw on the April 2019 walk. See also https://inaturalist.nz/observations/24123591 and https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157464678
Clavulinopsis sp. Growing in leaf litter in broadleaf podocarp forest, on the Nature trail (below Fernery). The fruitbodies are yellow, compare to the orange . These were bright orange Clavulinopsis sp. above. [photo Geoff Ridley] https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157465336
Geastrum sp. Growing in leaf litter in broadleaf podocarp forest, on the Nature trail (below Fernery) with the yellow Clavulinopsis sp. [photo Geoff Ridley] https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157466686
Roridomyces austrororidus. Growin on dead, fallen branch, broadleaf podocarp forest. In fresh collections there is a thick, clear jelly coating the stipe but these appear to be old and the jelly on the stems has dried out. [photo Geoff Ridley] https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157990342
Clitocybe nebularis. Large group growing in leaflitter in broadleaf podocarp forest. [photo Geoff Ridley] https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157467750
Cyclocybe parasitica. Growing from the base of a tawa (Beilschmiedia tawa) which produces several crops of mushrooms every year. [photo Geoff Ridley] https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157468490
Mycena mariae. Growing on a wood, at the beginning of the Waterfall Track, Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush. The stem bleeds a brown fluid when broken. [photo Geoff Ridley] https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157473920
Rhizocybe albida. Growing on wood, Waterfall track. Note that there are white rhizomorphs at the base of the stem and these penetrate the wood on which it is growing. [photo Geoff Ridley] https://inaturalist.nz/observations/157476276
A red admiral (Vanessa gonerilla) enjoying the sun at Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush. [photo Geoff Ridley]
Spores, moulds, and fungi 