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Rare fungus may have arrived on WWI soldiers' boots Rare fungus may have arrived on WWI soldiers' boots
(about 7 hours later)
A rare fungus discovered near a former Edinburgh war hospital may have been unwittingly brought to the area by World War One soldiers.A rare fungus discovered near a former Edinburgh war hospital may have been unwittingly brought to the area by World War One soldiers.
The fungi Clavulinopsis cinereoides - rarely seen in Europe - has been spotted for the first time in Scotland.The fungi Clavulinopsis cinereoides - rarely seen in Europe - has been spotted for the first time in Scotland.
Ecologist Abbie Patterson made the discovery on a lawn at Napier University's Craiglockhart Campus.Ecologist Abbie Patterson made the discovery on a lawn at Napier University's Craiglockhart Campus.
She said soldiers' boots may have picked up spores while tramping the fields of Flanders. He said soldiers' boots may have picked up spores while tramping the fields of Flanders.
During World War One the university campus site served as a military hospital where the war poets Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon were famously treated.During World War One the university campus site served as a military hospital where the war poets Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon were famously treated.
Ms Patterson said: "Looking at an old photograph of First World War officers standing on the grass banking where I found the fungi, my thoughts turned to the question of how the species arrived here at all. Mr Patterson said: "Looking at an old photograph of First World War officers standing on the grass banking where I found the fungi, my thoughts turned to the question of how the species arrived here at all.
"I thought of the soldiers' boots trampling the devastated fields of Flanders and perhaps picking up spores of C cinereoides and then depositing them on that grassy bank below the old Hydropathic.""I thought of the soldiers' boots trampling the devastated fields of Flanders and perhaps picking up spores of C cinereoides and then depositing them on that grassy bank below the old Hydropathic."
Ms Patterson discovered the species whilst working on a contract to catalogue biodiversity amongst plants, birds, mammals, lichens and invertebrates for Edinburgh Napier University. Mr Patterson discovered the species whilst working on a contract to catalogue biodiversity amongst plants, birds, mammals, lichens and invertebrates for Edinburgh Napier University.
Head of the contract, Jamie Pearson, said: "This discovery was most unexpected.Head of the contract, Jamie Pearson, said: "This discovery was most unexpected.
"The fungus has now been accepted and entered into the records as a first for Scotland and the specimen is now with the Royal Edinburgh Botanic Garden Herbarium and is the only specimen they have of this species."The fungus has now been accepted and entered into the records as a first for Scotland and the specimen is now with the Royal Edinburgh Botanic Garden Herbarium and is the only specimen they have of this species.
"The potential link with the likes of Owen and Sassoon is particularly exciting.""The potential link with the likes of Owen and Sassoon is particularly exciting."