Find out out more about the National Botanic Gardens at: www.gardenofwales.org.uk

Waxcaps at Waun Las

Following the award of a CCW Species Challenge grant, the National Botanic Garden of Wales have brought in expert mycologists to conduct surveys on a 20hectare section of its organic farmland, known as the Waun Las Meadows.

Here, surveys completed by renowned mycologist Maurice Rotheroe in the 1990s we revealed a high quality collection of rare grassland fungi. He found over 20 species of waxcap fungi here but we never quite knew what they all were.

Now thanks to surveys carried out this autumn by Debbie Evans, with input from Dr Philip Jones of Llanelli Naturalists and Ray Woods from Plantlife, we now know about 18 waxcap species that Maurice would have found. We also know that we've also got a good variety of fairy cubs, crazed caps, spindles and pink gills. Found together like this, they indicate a very high quality unimproved meadow.

An important part of the project was to train up Garden volunteers to help survey this year and to monitor the meadows in future years. This initial group of eight have formed a kind of Botanic Garden Fungi Group. They will continue the learning process with regular meetings and will provide a valuable knowledge base for monitoring fungi across the Botanic Garden.

If you'd like to be involved in this (it is open to all fungi enthusiasts whatever your ability), contact Bruce Langridge on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Also if you'd like to see a full fungi species list for Waun Las Meadows, please contact Bruce on the same email address.