Thelephora penicillata

The fungus is described as fairly common in wet, acidic conifer plantations with acidic soil throughout Britain and Ireland, though also sometimes found in mossy areas beneath broad-leaved trees. It appears from late summer to the end of autumn.^[2]

Thelephora penicillata has been found to accumulate in its fruiting bodies extraordinarily high concentrations of the elements cadmium, arsenic, copper and zinc fruit-bodies. It concentrates such high amounts of cadmium that it is regarded as a hyperaccumulator. In the environment, contact with too much cadmium can cause cadmium poisoning.^[3] Hyperaccumulators are receiving attention because of their possible use in bioremediation where environmental pollutants have reached dangerous levels.