SANDY STILT PUFFBALL - 1998 UPDATE

The main excitement in 1998 concerning this nationally threatened fungus was the discovery of another site for Suffolk, this time by the A12 at Marlesford. Four rather spindly fruiting bodies of Battarraea phalloides were spotted at the foot of a sandy bank under scrub at the end of December by Mr. M. Roseveare when he was sitting in his car at traffic lights. The spores have been checked by Mrs J.P. Ellis, so this increases the number of our extant sites to three. In addition there is always the possibility of a reappearance at Campsea Ashe.

What is possibly only the second site for this fungus in Essex was reported to me in 1998 from Liston, just across the border from Long Melford and the fairly recent site in Norwich again produced over 50 fruiting bodies.

Please keep looking for new sites on dry banks, as I am sure there are more to be found. This species has one big advantage for those seeking it out - it doesn't decompose like most fungi, but instead it becomes dry and thus visible for at least a year, if left undisturbed.

Two small specimens appeared in September on the newly established Roadside Nature Reserve No. 162 at Melton and a maximum of 19 were seen at the same time at Blyford.

I have been told of a couple of early West Suffolk records, and am anxious to find out more. They are - 1860/1869 Bury St Edmunds and 7th March 1931 Brandon. Please can anyone help with literature references or other details? This information is required to further my research into this strange fungus, about which we still know relatively little both in a local and national context.

Peter Lawson,
12 Park Lane, Southwold, IP18 6HL