FUNGI , BRYOPHYTES & LICHENS
Help needed with this page! If anyone with fungi or lichen knowledge can properly identify the photographed species/ fill in/ correct areas of this page accurately, please contact falklands.southatlantic@gmail.com and I will acknowledge your work.
Poorly studied, there was little fieldwork and recording of fungi before the 1980s when Tom (and Megan) Eggeling moved to the islands as an environmental planner and did a huge amount of work surveying for fungi across the islands and collecting samples. In the 1990's Leo Janlink and Marijke Nauta began collecting and adding fungi to the Falkland Island list. Falklands Conservation says that 350 fungi have been recorded in the islands and the number is likely to be far higher.
Many species, particularly some of the coprophilous (dung loving fungi) have been introduced to the islands along with livestock, trees and shrubs, and are common to North America and Europe, some are also found in South America, and a few are cold climate species. However, some are probably native to areas and other endemic species are probably confined to a limited number of genera including Marasmius, Mycena and Omphalina (Watling 2000).
Bryophtes are non- vascular land plants, the three groups included being liverworts, hornworts and mosses. They are characteristically small and although they like moisture can grow where vascular plants cannot as they do not depend on roots or soil nutrients and survive on bare soil and rocks. In Falklands Conservation magazine May 2016, Dafydd Crabtree says there are 750 types of native bryophytes and lichens recorded in the islands, they play an important role in the Falklands' ecosystem, in peat and soil formation, water and nutrient cycling, retaining moisture to prevent erosion and carbon storage.
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Shaggy Ink-Cap (Lawyer's wig) Coprinus cornatus
In the Falklands this fungi is locally common on waste land, grows in isolated patches in grassland and wasteland appearing during late autumn. (edible). The initial white, elongated, egg shaped cap develops to form a bell with rust red patches which very quickly turns black into a sticky mass of spores which drop to the ground.
Abroad this this species is common in Europe, the Mediterranean and North America suggesting it arrived via livestock and trees when the islands were populated. |
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Orange Peel Fungus Aleuria aurantia
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Dung-loving fungi Coprophilous
Dung-loving fungi was introduced to the Falklands with stock. |
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False Chanterelle Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca
This fungus develops a funnel shape cap with a distinctive lip which curves upwards and outwards. Introduced to the islands, possibly with stock, as it is found in Britain, Europe and North America.
This is a saprobic fungi, and fairly common in the Falklands. It is usually found growing on acid grasslands (whitegrass heath).
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Puff Ball |
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Mushrooms |
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Haemotomma? |
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Bryophtes/ Lichens |
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Lichens |
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Sources include: Fungi from the Falkland Islands- R Watling & M J Richardson, The Fungi of the Falkland Islands- Tom and Megan Eggeling (Falkland Islands Conservation magazine) A treasure trove of new records and species, Dafydd Crabtree, Falkland Islands Wildlife Conservation magazine May 2016
Photographic credits: Header: Robert Maddocks. others Robert Maddocks.
Can you add/ correct any information or supply any photographs, past or present? Contact: falklands.southatlantic@gmail.com |
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