Quote:
Originally Posted by FungiJohn  A couple of brackets from last autumn at Clumber Park. I think the first one may well be an old Phaeolus Schweinitzii found at the base of a beech tree but I’m not sure about the 2nd species.  
Many thanks - John
p.s. There's three really but I've lost one   |
Hi John,
Top one is the conidial (asexual) stage of the polypore
Postia ptychogaster - it has a name of it's own, viz.
Ptychogaster albus [
anam.] (the anam. = anamorph, refering to it's asexual nature). It does not appear to be on beech as you suggest since the bark (that I can see) is in 'plates' resembling that of a conifer !
If you ever find this again (it is not uncommon on well decayed, woody, coniferous substrates, especially on stumps) always look on the underside around the the edge of the specimen - you may find a poroid surface which is the teliomorph (i.e sexual stage - the
Postia ptychogaster) which grows out from the anamorph late in the year (albeit rather rarely I might add !).
Most of the polypores do NOT exhibit an anamorph but there are a few (rare) ones that do !
The second appears to be
Heterobasidiom annosum from the look of it, but only a young basidiome which is why the upper surface is a rather atypical colour. The pores and general aspect look otherwise right for this species.
Nick
I'll remember the next time ... If I ever find it again that is 
Linear Mode
