There are nine species of Earthtongues in the UK. Often overlooked, they are an important indicator of ancient unimproved grassland.
Photo: gailhampshire, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Scientific name: Geoglossum ssp.
What to look for:
- Appearance: Dark to black, club-shaped fungus, between 2 and 8 cm tall.
- Spores: Light to dark brown.
- Where: Unimproved grassland.
- When: Usually late autumn.
- Similar species: Dead Man’s Fingers
There are nine species of Earthtongue in the UK, a fungus that is often mistaken for Dead Man’s Fingers (Xylaria polymorpha).
Like blackcurrant lollipops, their dark fruiting bodies stick up from the soil. Varying from black to an olive green, dependent on the species, they are found in short grassland and Sphagnum peats.
To distinguish between the different species, which are spread across the genera Geoglossum, Microglossum and Trichoglossum, microscopic investigation is generally required.
Published: February 2015
Author: Amanda Scott
Photos: gailhampshire, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons