The British Fungi Records Database

The British Fungi Records Database (a.k.a. BMSFRD) currently contains over 700,000 records of fungi from forays of the British Mycological Society, Association of British Fungus Groups, various surveys (e.g. SNH waxcap grassland survey), forays of the many local recording groups, individuals and published records of British fungi from the Transactions of the British Mycological Society, the Bulletin, and their successors Mycological Research, Mycologist, Field Mycology and other publications (data collection sponsored by JNCC; see Cannon, Mycologist 12(1): 25, 1998).

Search the British Fungi Checklist or the Fungal Records Database of Britain and Ireland

At the moment it is not possible to place the entire British Fungi Records Database on the web due to issues relating to ownership of data. However, summary data are now included.

Search the British Fungi Records Database by:-
genus (the British Isles Checklist)
vice-county
associated organism

Distribution Maps

The list contains links to over 2000 distribution maps of various species. Most macromycetes described in popular field-guides should be included; lichens have not been included. Specifically a number of 'wax cap' species are included. These are indicators of a rapidly declining habitat and they are specifically being surveyed by members of the BMS (Rotherhoe, Newton, Evans & Feehan, Mycologist 10(1): 23, 1996). The list also includes a number of species mentioned in UK Biodiversity Action Plans (Watling, Mycologist 13(4): 158, 1999) and some species listed in a recent article on Caledonian pine forest indicators (Tofts & Orton, Mycologist 12(3): 98, 1998). There should also be a number of maps for species recorded as part of the Fungus2000 challenge. Also included are maps for the majority of myxomycete species included in Bruce Ing's recent excellent publication The Myxomycetes of Britain and Ireland, Richmond Publishing Company, 1999, ISBN 085546 251 5. Also included most rust, powdery/downy mildews, 'Taphrinas' and Exobasidiales.

The maps show 10km squares for which there are records in the British Fungi Records Database. The first map shows the UK & Ireland Ordnance Survey Grid System. The next two maps show numbers of species per 10km square. The first of these indicates the level of recording and diversity for all 16,500 species recorded in the British Fungi Records Database. The most recorded area (by a long way) is Esher Common in Surrey which has been the subject of intensive studying by a number of eminent mycologists for many years. The least studied areas are Ireland and the Scottish borders. The second map shows the same measure of diversity for the wax-cap species (Hygrocybe), the interpretation of which is left to others.

The county boundaries shown on the maps are the botanical recording counties.

If you can't find a specific map you may be using a name that has recently changed. Check for the current name in the British Isles Checklist together with any additional data for the species.

The maps are in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format and you will need the appropriate plug-in for your browser. They were generated from the BMSFRD using Alan Morton's DMAP program, printed to 150dpi postscript files and converted into Acrobat format.

Distribution Maps from the British Fungi Records Database

Email me, Jerry Cooper, if you want to see a specific map included in the list. If you have any fungal records to contribute to the British Fungi Records Database please contact Paul Kirk, who will be pleased to receive them. There is also a free fungus recording package called MycoRec which can export to and import records from the British Fungi Records Database.

Statistics from the Database

Numbers of Records in the British Fungi Records Database for the 20th Century

Fungus Names in the British Fungi Records Database for the 20th Century

Records and Names for the Agaricales

Records and Names for the Myxomycota

Fungi Collected Most Frequently

Most cited associated organisms

Numbers of 'species' recorded for associated organisms

Groups who have contributed most records

Individuals who have contributed most records