Beetle

From back in September: carrion beetle Oiceoptoma thoracicum (Coleoptera: Silphidae).

Photos taken below Highcliff, near Guisborough, North Yorkshire, UK, on 2013-09-12.

Crust Fungus

A Phlebia sp crust fungus, probably either Phlebia rufa or else a pale form of Phlebia radiata.  It was growing on the still-standing trunk of a dead beech tree (Fagus sp).

I took the following specimen:

This yielded the following spores (magnification x600, field width 86um):

These spores are about 4.5 x 1.5um which agrees well with the 3.5-4.5 x 1-2um given for Phlebia rufa but also with the 4-5.5 x 1.5-2um given for Phlebia radiata on this page at Mycobank.

First two photos and specimen taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2014-01-11.

Another Lichen

A rather lettuce-like lichen which I think might be a greenish form of Xanthoria parietina.

I took the following specimen:

This yielded the following spores (magnification x600, field width 86um):

These are about 12.5 x 7um which agrees well with the range 12-16 x 5-9um given for Xanthoria parietina at  the Consortium of North American Lichen Herbaria.

First photo and specimen taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2014-01-11.

Lichen

A green lichen, probably Punctelia subrudecta on a fallen branch of an oak tree (Quercus sp).

I took the following specimen home with me:

Unfortunately I was unable to get an spores from it.

First photo and specimen taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2014-01-11.

Cup Fungus

A pale cup fungus, probably a Peziza sp, growing on a beech log (Fagus sp).  It was about 5cm across.

I took the following specimen home with me:

This yielded the following spores (magnification x600, field width 86um):

These are about 15 x 7.5um.

First photo and specimen taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2014-01-11.

Update on Fri 2014-02-07 by Tristram Brelstaff

Probably Peziza repanda.