Prima ballerina …
The balletic and rather beautiful Silky Rosegill is an infrequent to rare find in Britain and Ireland.
It typically emerges from knot holes and other damaged areas high up on standing deciduous trees. It is not parasitic, and even when observed on living trees it is invariably attached to dead wood. The fruiting bodies shown in the images, appeared within the same hollow trunk of a rotting beech tree for at least three years.
References:
Buczacki, S., Shields, C. and Ovenden, D. (2012). Collins Fungi Guide: The most complete field guide to the mushrooms and toadstools of Britain & Ireland. London: HarperCollins, p. 258, fig. p. 259.
Phillips, R. (2006). Mushrooms. London: Pan Macmillan, p. 155, fig. g.
Sterry, P. and Hughes. B. (2009). Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools. London: HarperCollins, p. 162, fig. p. 163.
