I like it when a fungus has a feature that is just about unmistakable! A fungus can be so difficult to identify without perhaps picking it, smelling it, taking it home and getting a spore print (leaving the cap on white paper over night and seeing the pattern of the spores on the paper in the morning) and examining the spores under a microscope! From just plain appearances it can be very difficult sometimes for the casual enthusiast to identify species that one finds whilst walking in woodland in autumn.
The key to the Tawney Grisette are those white lines running from the edge of the cap inwards towards the more darker colouring in the middle. Once you see that you've got it!
The Tawney Grisette is a common species in mixed woodland in autumn and since first getting to grips with it last autumn I have found it in three coniferous plantations on heath around the Wareham area so I am pretty sure it is widespread throughout the district. Although it is an Amanita (along with the Death Cap and Destroying Angel) it is actually edible if you really want to give it a try! I'll pass if that's OK ...
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk
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