Chicken of the Woods.

Chicken of the Woods. Photo. John Elliott. Click to enlarge.

 The Chicken of the Woods fungus has again appeared on an old tree stump on the Church Green. There was a considerable demand in the 1990s when it fetched good prices at market. Resembling a chicken breast, a kind of vegetarian pastry. It can be eaten without ill effects - by some people, but there are reports  of dinner party guests falling out of their chairs, retching and gasping for breath, while the host dialed 999. Some people can eat it without ill effects while others suffer mild reactions such as swollen lips and giddiness. Best to try a small bit first.

Another bright yellow fungus, which is highly edible, has recently appeared in the UK, the Golden Oyster.  This very invasive mushroom which has recently been found near the norther cities of Liverpool and  Barnsley has been placed on the high-risk, invasive species list by the UK Government, alongside Japanese knotweed and Grey Squirrels. Escaping from cultivation in the USA, it has now covered some 2 million square kilometres there, damaging much of the native fungi, and could well do much the same here.