Solitary Amanita or European Solitary - Lepidella Amanita echinocephala (Vittad.) Quél. - Cyprus

Amanita echinocephala is a large, whitish or ivory-coloured mushroom with a characteristic spiny, or warty-looking cap. It lives on chalky soils with beech trees, and appears earlier than most mushrooms of similar size in southern England. It frequently occurs singly or in small groups, resulting in it being referred to as The Solitary Amanita or, more specifically, European Solitary Lepidella. It is very drought-tolerant. Amanita solitaria is a synonym and opinions are divided as to which name takes precedence.
The cap can be up to 15 cm (6 in) in diameter, and is white to ivory, or silver-grey in colour. It is covered in raised pyramidal warts, that become less well defined, and less frequent towards the margin. These are remnants of the universal veil which covers the mushroom in its earliest stages. The young buttons are darker, and sometimes shaped like a two tier loaf, with a ring of raised scales around the base. The white to ivory stipe is 8–16 cm (3–6 in) high and 2–3 cm (0.8–1.2 in) wide, with several rings of upturned scales towards the bulbous base. It is fairly deeply rooted, often laterally below the surface. The ring is thin and fragile, often adhering to the stipe. The gillsare cream, but sometimes have a slight green tint. They are largely free of the stipe, but sometimes have a small decurrent tooth. The flesh is white, and is said to have an unpleasant smell
Amanita echinocephala occurs in Britain, Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. It appears in Britain during summer, and early autumn. It grows in light, dry calcareous soils with both broad leaved, (usually beech Fagus) and coniferous trees. It is quite drought-tolerant, giving rise to the suspicion that Southern England could be at the northern extent of its range. It occurs with hardwoods on calcareous soils, often associated with Limes (Tilia) in the Czech Republic, sometimes together with A. strobiliformis
Pronounced edible by some, but probably best avoided in case of confusion with other poisonous Amanita species. This mushroom is rare and protected. It is on the United Kingdom Red Data List. Newly, it was reported that this species hyperaccumulates silver.  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Agios amvrosios Kerinias 15/12/2005 by George Konstantinou

Agrocybe pediades (Fr.) Fayod - Cyprus

Agrocybe pediades is a typically lawn and other types of grassland mushroom, but can also grow on mulch containing horse manure. It was first described as Agaricus pediades by Swedish mycologist Elias Magnus Fries in 1821, and moved to its current genus Agrocybe by Victor Fayod in 1889. A synonym for this mushroom is Agrocybe semiorbicularis.

Some experts divide Agrocybe pediades into several species, mainly by habitat and microscopic features, such as spore size. It is recognized by the large, slightly compressed basidiospores with large central germ-spore, 4-spored basidia, subcapitate cheilocystidia and reare development of pleuro cystidia. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Kotsiatis 12/12/2012 by George Konstantinou

Shaggy ink cap, lawyer's wig, or Shaggy mane - Coprinus comatus (O.F.Müll.) Pers. (1797) - Cyprus

Coprinus comatus, the shaggy ink cap, lawyer's wig, or shaggy mane, is a common fungus often seen growing on lawns, along gravel roads and waste areas. The young fruit bodies first appear as white cylinders emerging from the ground, then the bell-shapedcaps open out. The caps are white, and covered with scales—this is the origin of the common names of the fungus. The gills beneath the cap are white, then pink, then turn black and secrete a black liquid filled with spores (hence the “ink cap” name). This mushroom is unusual because it will turn black and dissolve itself in a matter of hours after being picked or depositing spores.

When young it is an excellent edible mushroom provided that it is eaten soon after being collected (it keeps very badly because of the autodigestion of its gills and cap). If long-term storage is desired, microwaving, sauteing or simmering until limp will allow the mushrooms to be stored in a refrigerator for several days or frozen. Also, placing the mushrooms in a glass of ice water will delay the decomposition for a day or two so that one has time to incorporate them into a meal. Processing or icing must be done whether for eating or storage within four to six hours of harvest to prevent undesirable changes to the mushroom. The species is cultivated in China as food. The mushroom can sometimes be confused with the magpie fungus which is poisonous.

The shaggy ink cap is easily recognizable from its almost cylindrical cap which initially covers most of its stem. The cap is mostly white with shaggy scales, which are more pale brown at the apex. The free gills change rapidly from white to pink, then to black. It isdeliquescent. The stipe has a loose ring and measures 10–37 centimetres (3.9–14.6 in) high by 1–2.5 centimetres (0.39–0.98 in) diameter. Microscopically it lacks pleurocystidia. The spore print is black-brown and the spores measure 10–13 by 6.5–8 µm. The flesh is white and the taste mild

It grows in groups in places which are often unexpected, such as green areas in towns. It occurs widely in grasslands and meadows in Europe and North America, from June through to November in the UK. It appears to have been introduced to Australia, New Zealand and Iceland. In Australia the species is sufficiently common to have been featured on a postage stamp issued by Australia Post in 1981

The young mushrooms, before the gills start to turn black, are edible. The taste is mild; cooking produces a large quantity of liquid. It can sometimes be used in mushroom soupwith parasol mushroom. Large quantities of microwaved-then-frozen shaggy manes are delicious when used as the liquid component of risotto, replacing the usual chicken stock.

The agent responsible for unpleasant symptoms when consumed with alcohol, coprine, which is found in Coprinopsis atramentaria, has not been isolated from C. comatus. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Athalassa 15/5/2007 by George Konstantinou

Crepidotus cesatii (, (, Radenh. ), Sacc., 1877) - Cyprus

Crepidotus is a genus of fungi in the family Crepidotaceae. Species of Crepidotus all have small, convex to fan-shaped sessile caps and grow on wood or plant debris. The genus has been studied extensively, and monographs of the North American, European and Neotropical species have been published.

Crepidotus means cracked ear.

Members of this genus are small, convex to fan-shaped, and sessile. Species have cheilocystidia Spore prints are yellow-brown to brown. All species of Crepidotus are known to be secondary decomposers of plant matter; most are saprobic on wood. Little is known about the ebility of various species; the usually small and insubstantial specimens discourage mycophagy.

Modern phylogenetic analysis using sequencing data from the 28S rRNA gene region shows that Crepidotus is monophyletic, and that Singer's original concept for the genus may be too narrowly defined. This research showed that a natural evolutionary lineage results if some Pleurotellus species and several taxa formerly aligned with Melanomphalia are included in the generic description.

Crepidotus species are cosmopolitan in distribution, and are well-documented from the Northern temperate and South American regions. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Akanthou 28/1/2011 by George Konstantinou

Stilbella fimetaria (Pers.) Lindau, 1905 - Cyprus

Stilbella is a genus of fungi in the order Hypocreales. The relationship of this taxon to other taxa within the order is unknown (incertae sedis), and it has not yet been placed with certainty into any family. It is sometimes placed in the family Bionectriaceae (order Hypocreales).

A 1985 monograph included 19 species; more recent estimates place about 60 species in the genus. The type species Stilbella fimetaria (Pers.) Lindau 1905 (syn. Stilbella erythrocephala (Ditmar) Lindau 1900) has a cosmopolitan distribution and grows on herbivore dung. It has pink or orange slimy conidia on white synnemata with phialidic conidiogenous cells. Several species have since been reclassified in other genera based on molecular phylogenetics or the discovery of sexual states, such as Atractium, Stilbocrea, and Trichoderma. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Athalassa 2012 by George Konstantinou

Πάνω σε κόπρανα Λαγού

King trumpet mushroom - Pleurotus eryngii var. ferulae - Μανιτάρι της αναθρήκας - Cyprus

Pleurotus eryngii (also known as king trumpet mushroom, French horn mushroom, king oyster mushroom, king brown mushroom, boletus of the steppes, trumpet royale) is an edible mushroom native to Mediterranean regions of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, but also grown in many parts of Asia
P. eryngii is the largest species in the oyster mushroom genus, Pleurotus, which also contains the oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus. It has a thick, meaty white stem and a small tan cap (in young specimens). Its natural range extends from the Atlantic Ocean through the Mediterranean Basin and Central Europe into Western Asia and India. Unlike other species of Pleurotus, which are wood-decay fungi, the P. eryngii complex are weak parasites on the roots of herbaceous plants, although they may also be cultured on organic wastes

The mushroom has a good shelf life. An effective cultivation method was introduced to Japan around 1993 and has become popular there in a variety of dishes, and is now cultivated and sold commercially in Australia. Imported product is also commercially available in Australia and South Africa. It is also cultivated in China, South Korea, Italy, and the United States. It has little flavor or aroma when raw. When cooked, it develops typical mushroom umami flavors with a texture similar to that of abalone.

Pleurotus eryngii may naturally contain chemicals that stimulate the immune system. Dietary intake of Pleurotus eryngii may function as natural cholesterol lowering dietary agent.

•  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  Photos Akanthou by George Konstantinou

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Geopora arenicola (Lév.) Kers (1974) - Cyprus

Geopora arenicola is a species of fungus belonging to the family Pyronemataceae. It is an uncommon European species.

The fungus forms a rounded ascocarp underground on sandy loam soils. This fruit body remains subterranean for most of the year but breaks the surface in the spring to form a cream-coloured cup (apothecium) up to 3 cm (1.2 in) across and 3 cm tall.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Athalassa by George Konstantinou

Cyathus olla (Batsch) Pers. (1801) - Cyprus

Cyathus olla is a species of saprobic fungus in the genus Cyathus, family Nidulariaceae. The fruit bodies resemble tiny bird's nests filled with "eggs" – spore-containing structures called peridioles. Like other bird's nest fungi, C. olla relies on the force of falling water to dislodge peridioles from fruiting bodies to eject and disperse their spores. The life cycle of this fungus allows it to reproduce both sexually, with meiosis, and asexually via spores. C. olla is a relatively common fungus, with a worldwide distribution. It is the subject of agricultural research to determine its potential as a means to accelerate the breakdown of crop residue, and reduce the population of plant pathogens. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word olla, meaning "pot"

Cyathus olla bears a resemblance to a miniature bird's nest containing eggs, hence the common name bird's nest fungi. The fruiting body, or peridium, is roughly funnel-shaped, 10–18 mm tall and 8–12 mm wide. It is greyish yellow or greyish brown to fawn-colored and covered with even, fine-textured hairs on the outside surface. The inner surface is silver grey and smooth, often with faint transverse ridges. Cyathus olla is thick-walled, and flared outwards at the rim; the rim is typically wavy in outline. The 'eggs', or peridioles, typically number 8 to 10 in the cup, and they are white or grey in color, with a diameter of 2–4 mm—conspicuously larger than other Cyathus species. They are covered with a thin membrane called a tunica. Peridioles are often attached to the fruiting body by a funiculus, a structure of hyphae that is differentiated into three regions: the basal piece, which attaches it to the inner wall of the peridium, the middle piece, and an upper sheath, called the purse, connected to the lower surface of the peridiole. Inside the purse and middle piece is a coiled thread of interwoven hyphae called the funicular cord, attached at one end to the peridiole and at the other end to an entangled mass of hyphae called the hapteron. C. olla has a wide purse with an upper portion not easily distinguishable from the lower part.

A different form of this species, Cyathus olla forma anglicus, originally reported from England by mycologist Curtis Gates Lloyd, has also been found in Oregon and Colorado in the USA, Alberta Canada, and in Argentina. This form is large, with cup openings up to 1.5 cm (0.6 in) in diameter. Spores have dimensions of 11.5–12.5 × 7.5–9 µm.

The related species Cyathus earlei Lloyd closely resembles C. olla, although mating analysis has shown that they are distinct species.

Being a saprobic fungus, Cyathus olla obtains nutrients from the breakdown of dead organic matter, and as such is usually found growing on woody debris; specimens found growing on soil are usually attached to bits of wood or stems present in the soil. Brodie notes that this species usually grows in moist and shaded locations, although its discovery in the arid regions of Lima, Peru, suggest that it is tolerant of low-moisture conditions. It is the most abundant species of Cyathus found in Europe, and is also common in North America. Its range extends north to Sweden and far south in South America; it has also been reported in Australia, South Africa, Iran,and India..From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Athalassa 2/3/2010 by George Konstantinou

Arrhenia rickenii (, Hora), Watling - Cyprus

Arrhenia is a genus of about 25 species in the family Hygrophoraceae. Arrhenia also includes species formerly placed in the genera Leptoglossum and Phaeotellus and the lectotype species itself has an unusual growth form (discussed below) that would not normally be called agaricoid. All of the species grow in association with photosynthetic cryptogams such as mosses, including peat moss, and alga scums on decaying wood, and soil crusts consisting of mixes of such organisms. Typically the fruitbodies of Arrheniaspecies are grey to black or blackish brown, being pigmented by incrusting melanized pigments on the hyphae.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Athalassa by George Konstantinou

Psathyrella typhae (Kalchbr.) A. Pearson & Dennis - Cyprus

Family: Psathyrellaceae

Πρώτη αναφορά για την Κύπρο του μανιταρίου Psathyrella typhae απο τον Γιώργο και Φανή Κωνσταντίνου.

Psathyrella is a large genus of about 400 fungi, and is similar to the genera Coprinellus, Coprinopsis, Coprinus and Panaeolus, usually with a thin cap and white or yellowish white hollow stem. The caps do not self digest as do those of Coprinellus and Coprinopsis. Some also have brown spores rather than black. These fungi are often drab-colored, difficult to identify, and inedible, and so they are sometimes considered uninteresting. However they are quite common and can occur at times when there are few other mushrooms to be seen. The first report of a gilled mushroom fruiting underwater is Psathyrella aquatica.

The genus name Psathyrella is a diminutive form of Psathyra, derived from the Greek word meaning "friable", psathuros (ψαθυρος)

In order to identify the species it may be necessary to take into account the presence and nature of any veil remnants on cap (which may only be visible on very young fruiting bodies), the colour of young fruiting bodies, which is often more vivid than with older ones, whether the cap is hygrophanous (it can well be a translucent brown or ochre colour in a humid state but a pure opaque white on drying out), and the spore size and the presence and nature of cheilocystidia, pleurocystidia and caulocystidia, distinctive sterile cells on the gill face, gill edge and stipe respectively.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos  Geri by George Konstantinou

Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) Hatching at Lara bay. (Cyprus) - RIKNEWS

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 Τρίτη, 18 Αυγούστου 2015 19:23

Εκκολάπτονται οι θαλάσσιες χελώνες και κατασπαράζονται από αλεπούδες- video

Άρχισε ήδη στις παραλίες της Κύπρου η εκκόλαψη των δύο ειδών θαλάσσιων χελώνων, της πράσινης χελώνας και της Καρέτα- Καρέτα, αλλά το ποσοστό επιβίωσης τους δεν είναι μεγάλο. Το βράδυ που τα νεαρά χελωνάκια προσπαθούν να σπάσουν τα αυγά τους και να προχωρήσουν προς τη θάλασσα δέχονται επίθεση από αλεπούδες οι οποίες σκάβουν τις φωλιές τους και κατασπαράζουν αυγά και χελωνάκια.

Αυτό ανέφερε στο Riknews ο πρόεδρος του Συνδέσμου Προστασίας Φυσικής Κληρονομιάς και Βιοποικιλότητας Κύπρου Γιώργος Κωνσταντίνου, ο οποίος βρέθηκε αντιμέτωπος με το τραγικό αυτό θέαμα όταν πήγε στην παραλία της Λάρας για να κινηματογραφήσει τις χελώνες. 

Όπως ο ίδιος μας ανέφερε δεν υπάρχει καμιά προστασία των αυγών από το τμήμα αλιείας εκτός από το μεταλλικό κάλυμμα που τοποθετούν στις φωλιές.

Αυτό, σύμφωνα με τον κ. Κωνσταντίνου δεν εμποδίζει τις αλεπούδες οι οποίες σκάφτουν γύρω από αυτό και βρίσκουν τα αυγά και τα μικρά χελωνάκια και τα τρώνε.

Θα έπρεπε είπε να υπάρχει επιτήρηση των παραλιών τους δύο μήνες που γίνεται η εκκόλαψη ώστε να αποτρέπετε η εξαφάνιση του είδους των χελώνων από τις αλεπούδες.

Ο κ. Κωνσταντίνου αναφέρθηκε ακόμα και στους άλλους εχθρούς της θαλάσσιας χελώνας η οποία βρίσκεται υπό εξαφάνιση.

Αυτοί, είπε, είναι τα νάυλα και οι ακαθαρσίες που επιπλέουν στη θάλασσα, οι οποίες προέρχονται κυρίως από διερχόμενα πλοία, αλλά και τα φώτα κοντά στις παραλίες.

Όπως μας εξήγησε οι χελώνες τρέφονται κυρίως με μέδουσες και ξεγελιούνται ότι τα σακούλια που επιπλέουν είναι μέδουσες και τα τρώνε με αποτέλεσμα να πεθαίνουν.

Επίσης τα χελωνάκια για να μπουν στο νερό κατευθύνονται από το φως του ουρανού ( φεγγάρι και αστέρια) και βλέποντας δυνατότερο φως εκτός νερού το ακολουθούν και αποπροσανατολίζονται.

Ο Γιώργος Κωνσταντίνου μελετά για χρόνια τις θαλάσσιες χελώνες και ήδη έχει ετοιμάσει και μικρό ντοκιμαντέρ το οποίο κατά πάσα πιθανότητα θα συμπεριληφθεί σε μεγάλο ντοκιμαντέρ που ετοιμάζει το κανάλι ARTE από 47 χώρες της Ευρώπης και το οποίο θα μεταδοθεί από τηλεοπτικούς σταθμούς παγκοσμίως κατά τη διάρκεια του 21ου συνεδρίου ΟΗΕ για το κλίμα ( COP21 ) που θα πραγματοποιηθεί στο Παρίσι στο τέλος του 2015. Το ντοκιμαντέρ εκφωνεί ο  Τηλέμαχος Ιωαννίδης.

Σύνταξη : Στέλλα Ολυμπίου

Δείτε το ντοκιμαντέρ που εκπροσωπεί την Κύπρο.

                   

Caretta caretta (Cyprus) FOR ARTE CHANEL- Climate Ops- by George Konstantinou

VIDEO FOR CYPRUS FOR ARTE CHANEL BY GEORGE KONSTANTINOU

Climate Ops is a collaborative documentary produced by ARTE and inviting all European citizens from 47 countries to speak up about their own little natural paradise, those natural places they have been growing with and they do not want to see affected or destroyed by the effects of climate change.

Hello I am George Konstantinou and my country is Cyprus. For the past thirty years me and my family we come and watch every year the turtles during their reproduction period in the beaches of my country

Two species of sea turtles breed on the coasts of the island of Cyprus; the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta). Both Green and Loggerhead Turtles have been declared, by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), as Endangered. In the Mediterranean Sea, the Green Turtle breeds almost exclusively on the coasts of Cyprus and Turkey. The Loggerhead Sea Turtle breeds, apart from the coasts of Cyprus and Turkey, also on the coasts of Greece and in small numbers on the coasts of eastern Mediterranean countries. Today, about 500-600 Green Turtles breed in the Mediterranean Sea, along with about 5,000-6,000 Loggerhead Sea Turtles. 

In Cyprus today, the Green Sea Turtle breeds on the western coast of the island, at the Lara/Toxeftra coastal region, and at some beaches of the northern coasts of Cyprus and of the Karpasia peninsula. The Loggerhead Sea Turtle also lays eggs on the Lara/Toxeftra coastal region, but its main breeding sites are at the Polis/ Limni area of Chrysochou Bay. 

Both Turtles breed every 2 to 5 year, between May and August. They lay their eggs at a depth between 50 and 80 centimetres in the sand of the beach, covering them well before returning to the sea. The eggs hatch after about 7 weeks, and the young turtles emerge from their nests during the night, heading immediately to the sea in order avoid predators and the heat of the day. 

Because sea turtles use both marine and terrestrial habitats during their life cycles, the affects of climate change are likely to have a devastating impact on these endangered species. A rise in the sea level will impact sea turtle nesting beaches. Sea turtles return to to nest at the same site where they hatched, decades later. The Loggerhead Sea Turtle reaches sexual maturity at the age of 15 to 20 years old, while the Green Turtle at the age 25 to 30 years old. With melting polar ice caps and rising sea levels, these beaches are beginning to disappear. Higher temperature of the sand on the beaches where turtles lay eggs will also have a negative impact on their survival. The temperature of the sand determines the gender of the hatched turtles, with eggs on the warmer parts of the nest hatching into female turtles while eggs in the cooler parts of the nest become males. The rise of the temperature of the beaches will lead to more female than male hatchlings, thus significantly threatening genetic diversity. The rise in sea temperatures is also expected to negatively impact food resources for sea turtles, as also for virtually all marine species.

By protecting the environment we will allow the turtles to continue reproduction in our beaches as they have been doing for thousands of years. This will continue to be seen by the children’s of our children and all the next generations.

Το Arte είναι Γερμανογαλλικός τηλεοπτικός σταθμός με έδρα το Στρασβούργο. Ιδρύθηκε μετά από σύμβαση των δυο κρατών το1992. Το πρόγραμμά του θεωρείται υψηλού επιπέδου και τα θέματά του είναι πολιτικά και πολιτιστικά. Στόχος του είναι η προβολή Ευρωπαϊκών παραγωγών σε κινηματογράφο, ντοκιμαντέρ και σχόλιο., έχει μεγάλη επιρροή στη δημόσια γνώμη στις δυο χώρες.

Εκπέμπει και σε άλλες ευρωπαϊκές χώρες, στα Γαλλικά και στα Γερμανικά.Από τη Βικιπαίδεια

Arte (Association relative à la télévision européenne) is a Franco-German TV network, a European channel, that promotes programming in the areas of culture and the arts. It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping, Arte GEIE, plus two member companies acting as editorial and programme production centres, Arte France in Paris (France) and Arte Deutschland in Baden-Baden (Germany). As an international joint venture (an EEIG), its programmes cater technically to audiences from both France and Germany. This implies double-titling, opposite-language subtitling,dubbing, hosts who speak both languages alternately, and two separate audio tracks (through DVB-T, satellite television and digital cable).

Three-quarters of ARTE's programming are provided in equal proportion by the two member companies Arte France and Arte Deutschland while the remainder is being provided by Arte GEIE and the channel's European partners.

Arte France was formerly known as La Sept (La Société d'édition des programmes de télévision, but also a play on words, given that the name means the seventh (network) and La Sept existed while the fifth network was still La Cinq; it made satellite television programs at the time) and by ARTE Deutschland GmbH, a subsidiary of the two main public German TV networks ARD and ZDF.

Arte has also a radio web site, called Arte Radio.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia