Scientists say a fungi with a strange, manlike appearance found in Cockley Cley 15 years ago was in fact a new species
By Dan Hyde
6:57PM BST 29 Mar 2015
A new type of mushroom shaped like a fisherman has been discovered in Norfolk – just don't try to eat it.
The fungi, first spotted in the remote Cockley Cley, almost 15 years ago has been confirmed by scientists as a completely new species.
Its appearance has been compared to a fisherman because it has a little round head that could be a seafaring hat and two protrusions that look somewhat like arms inside a Mackintosh.
The fungi have been given the name Geastrum britannicum, recognising that, so far, they have only been found in Britain.
Tony Leech, fungi recorder for Norfolk, said: "For us, it's like a bird watcher spotting a rare bird and this is not just a new species of fungus for Norfolk or for Britain, it is new to science."
The fungus was first spotted by on a roadside verge under some pine trees in 2000 by Jonathan Revett, one of Mr Leech's fellow members at the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalist’s Society.
At the time, experts at Kew Gardens and in Holland thought it was merely a variant of the extremely rare Rayed Earthstar, which is only slightly different in appearance.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment
You only need to enter your comment once! Comments will appear once they have been moderated. This is so as to stop the would-be comedian who has been spamming the comments here with inane and often offensive remarks. You know who you are!