While mowing the Front Meadow last month I noticed several patches of this eye catching fungus in amongst the grass. On looking it up I think it is the Yellow Stagshorn fungus (Calocera viscosa). The upright prongs are basidiocarps and so contain the spores presumably. They have a slightly slimy and gelatinous feel as it is a “Jelly” fungus, also known as the Jelly Antler fungus.
The tips should be branched into two like a tuning fork – some are, though a lot of them don’t seem to be. This made me wonder if it was the Small Stagshorn fungus instead. But that is apparently a lot smaller. I think what may have happened is I have unknowingly mown the tips off with the lawnmower, so the branching has gone!
The Yellow Stagshorn is widespread and common, usually growing on decaying conifer wood or root. There is no obvious wood, nor any conifers nearby but maybe there are the remains of one that was removed years ago, buried just below the turf?
It is regarded as not poisonous, but not worth eating through lack of flavour (I would never be brave enough to eat wild fungi anyway). We have had a lot of rain here in September and October following on from the summer drought so there are plenty of fungi popping up. I do like seeing them in the meadows and even the lawns as I believe it shows a healthy, biodiverse soil that might, with luck, also have orchid-supporting fungi!
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