What is this fungus?

[Leif]

I'm referring to the photo at the top of this page:

http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/P...esiculosa.html

I know what it isn't, and I know what I think it is. Interestingly most of the literature seems to be wrong on this species, and its preferred habitats, including a key by a renowned mycologist.

[mykonik]

Originally Posted by Leif

I'm referring to the photo at the top of this page:

http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/P...esiculosa.html

I know what it isn't, and I know what I think it is. Interestingly most of the literature seems to be wrong on this species, and its preferred habitats, including a key by a renowned mycologist.

Well, it doesn't seem to have the 'blistered' hymenial surface of P. vesiculosa and the outside of the apothecium is very 'scurfy' so possibly either P. repanda or P. micropus (they are in fact probably the same thing - if true then P. micropus becomes the correct name since it is earlier than P. repanda !)

But I think one is on extremely dodgy ground identifying Peziza's from photographs - like so many other genera they need critical microscopy !

Nick

[Leif]

Originally Posted by mykonik

Well, it doesn't seem to have the 'blistered' hymenial surface of P. vesiculosa and the outside of the apothecium is very 'scurfy' so possibly either P. repanda or P. micropus (they are in fact probably the same thing - if true then P. micropus becomes the correct name since it is earlier than P. repanda !)

But I think one is on extremely dodgy ground identifying Peziza's from photographs - like so many other genera they need critical microscopy !

Nick

Indeed. So it looks like we agree that it is not P. vesiculosa, and that it MIGHT be P. repanda or P. micropus. My guess is that they did not check the microscopics.

What has surprised me recently is that I have made numerous finds of P. repanda on rotted dung (horse and/or cow), confirmed by microscopy I might add, and yet none of the keys or books I have list dung as a substrate. It is also common on straw, which is often not listed as a substrate. I suspect a lot of people will just assume it is P. vesiculosa if it is large, brown and on dung and they might be wrong. It goes to show how tricky this lark can be.

[CapAndBracket]

Well done leif on taking the trouble to check, i hadn't considered any of the Peziza on dung being repanda, (and there sure is a lot on dung).

Cheers J.P.

[mykonik]

Originally Posted by Leif

Indeed. So it looks like we agree that it is not P. vesiculosa, and that it MIGHT be P. repanda or P. micropus. My guess is that they did not check the microscopics.

What has surprised me recently is that I have made numerous finds of P. repanda on rotted dung (horse and/or cow), confirmed by microscopy I might add, and yet none of the keys or books I have list dung as a substrate. It is also common on straw, which is often not listed as a substrate. I suspect a lot of people will just assume it is P. vesiculosa if it is large, brown and on dung and they might be wrong. It goes to show how tricky this lark can be.

Spot on Leif !

I would also go as far to say that there is more tha one species of Peziza known on dung BUT they rarely get looked at microscopically and of course they then get recorded as Peziza vesiculosa simply 'because that is the usual species given in the common lueterature as growing on dung' [or stable waste / dung-straw mixtures].

Hence (as with so many mycological records) they are nonsense records (in effect just guesses put down as 'scientific fact' !) and thus worthless - that is why I keep rabbiting on about microscopy and keeping voucher collections (especially of things thought to be 'rare', 'uncommon' or 'under-recorded' or 'critical')

And, as you have so well pointed out in this thread they even get into (supposedly) researched literature thus everyone then assumes that 'it must be right' since it's in a book !


Nick