Creolophus (= Hericium) cirrhatus, Hericium erinaceus and H. coralloides in England (ENRR492)

Creolophus (=Hericium) cirrhatus, Hericium erinaceus and H. coralloides are all included in the provisional Red Data List of British Fungi (Ing 1992), but only, H. erinaceus is a UK BAP priority species, being one of four fungal species on Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. To assess the status of these fungi the British Mycological Society database and the Hampshire data set were analysed. All surveys are based on fruit body occurrence rather than presence of fungal mycelia. Since fruit body production is erratic and dependent on a wide variety of abiotic factors as well as intrinsic factors associated with age, size and physiological state of the mycelium, monitoring them alone does not give the full picture. However, to survey mycelia within wood is impracticable. Thus, it is difficult to judge the true status of these fungi.