A group of Velvet Shank fungi growing out of the side of a tree stump. The gloss and colour depth of the caps caught my eye from some distance away as they contrasted with the dark browns, greens and black of the stump and surrounding vegetation.
It is also known as the 'Winter Mushroom' as it is one of the few mushrooms that can be seen throughout the winter months, right into early spring.
With its glossy, golden-orange caps, the velvet shank is quite commonly seen growing in clusters on stumps of decaying hard wood.
The Latin name, Flammulina, refers to the bright orange, flame-like colour of the cap.
The Velvet Shank relies on dead wood, but the importance of this habitat for wildlife is often overlooked. To keep a place 'neat', mature and ageing trees may be removed and fallen dead wood cleared away. But by keeping dead wood in your garden, you can encourage all kinds of fungi to grow, in turn, attracting the wildlife that depends upon it.
Location: Great Ayton, North Yorkshire.UK
