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Rare 'Fairy Club' Fungus Found for the First Time in Great Britain
The rare Clavaria calabrica fungus was confirmed by DNA testing after being found in species-rich grassland, marking the first UK mainland record of this pale-pink fairy club species.
- In autumn last year, volunteers from Somer Valley Rediscovered found a tennis ball-sized pale pink 'fairy club' fungus at Haydon Batch, Somerset, confirmed as Clavaria calabrica and the first sighting in Great Britain through DNA analysis.
- The Somer Valley Rediscovered project, funded by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, aims to improve biodiversity and connect communities by guiding volunteers to record species during regional surveys.
- Led by Dan Nicholas, volunteers recorded 15 waxcap species before locating the fungus, with DNA extraction by David Mitchel and sequencing at the University of Aberystwyth confirming its identity.
- The discovery highlights the conservation value of South West grasslands and bolsters appeals for public participation in the West of England Wildlife Index to protect species-rich and ancient meadows.
- First described in Italy in 2017, Clavaria calabrica typically occurs in gently managed wildlife-rich grasslands and, although previously recorded in Northern Ireland, remains rare in the UK.
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Leaning Left2Leaning Right1Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution67% Center
Bias Distribution
- 67% of the sources are Center
67% Center
L 22%
C 67%
11%
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