Paint-like stuff on dead gorse

[Mercadante]

I was breaking up some dead gorse branches this morning, and quite a few of them had fungus (or lichen, for all I know) on them that looked rather like cream paint. In some cases there was darker orange speckling.



Can anyone tell me what this is? I'm a complete novice and haven't a clue what to search for here

[mykonik]

Originally Posted by Mercadante

I was breaking up some dead gorse branches this morning, and quite a few of them had fungus (or lichen, for all I know) on them that looked rather like cream paint. In some cases there was darker orange speckling.



Can anyone tell me what this is? I'm a complete novice and haven't a clue what to search for here

Hi Mercadante,

This is Byssomerulius corium (= Meruliopsis corium), a resupinate corticioid fungus (ie it forms its fruitbodies flat onto the substrate with the spore producing surface facing outwards).

These are rather old, dried up basidiomes (fruitbodies) - they are usually more merulioid (wrinkled) when fresh but become almost smooth when old or dried out - the slightly pinkish tint is also typical as are the edges of the basidiome in old specimens, which become slightly detached and lifted away from the substrate.

It's a common species, usually on small sticks or twigs of broadleaved trees and shrubs (extremely arrely on conifers !) - and is common on old gorse bushes in humid habitat.

Nick

[Mercadante]

Thank you very much, both for the ID, and for the terminology! I shall go off and read about corticioid fungi right now.