Daldinia Sp.

[GerryNick2]

Have this one down as a Daldinia sp. as it was discovered growing on a Syringa as opposed to Fraxinus so ruled out D.concentrica. If anyone can provide any further information on this I would be grateful.

Gerry

[mykonik]

Originally Posted by GerryNick2

Have this one down as a Daldinia sp. as it was discovered growing on a Syringa as opposed to Fraxinus so ruled out D.concentrica. If anyone can provide any further information on this I would be grateful.

Gerry

Hi Gerry - this is interesting, since I don't think (I'm not sure at the moment but will check up later !) that Syringa (Lilac) is a known host for Daldiniain Britain - it would however be impossible to say which Daldinia this is from a photograph since (with one exception, which this isn't) they all look like D. concentrica !

This is a good example (if you can collect this specimen and it is fertile) of something that should be in the Kew Herbarium where it will act as a validated record of the host and can be identified correctly !

Nick

[NickCantle]

Well found and better still, well thought! I'd have probably assumed it was D. concentrica Probably because I've seen so many of them over the last few days.

[GerryNick2]

I seem to recall seeing an article where a Daldinia Sp. was discovered growing on Syringa in Sweden.

Will keep my eye on the tree in question and should be able to collect a few fresh specimens this year and refer to Kew.

Regards

Gerry

[fairplay]

When sending in a specimen to Kew thought to be on a new substrate, in this case, as the wood is dead, would it be preferable (1) to use a pruning saw and send a cutting with fungus attached or (2) to use a very strong/sharp knife such as a bowie knife to cut a slither of the bark with fungus attached, or (3) is the fungus itself all that is required and ones word is accepted as to what it was growing on ?

If the latter, surely mistakes can be made this way, and if (2) I find the specimen often falls free when attempting this method.

Finally, if accompanied by a decent photo, do Kew keep it with the dried material or just look at it, say mmmm.... good photo, and then throw it in the bin ?

Neil.

[mykonik]

Originally Posted by fairplay

When sending in a specimen to Kew thought to be on a new substrate, in this case, as the wood is dead, would it be preferable (1) to use a pruning saw and send a cutting with fungus attached or (2) to use a very strong/sharp knife such as a bowie knife to cut a slither of the bark with fungus attached, or (3) is the fungus itself all that is required and ones word is accepted as to what it was growing on ?

If the latter, surely mistakes can be made this way, and if (2) I find the specimen often falls free when attempting this method.

Finally, if accompanied by a decent photo, do Kew keep it with the dried material or just look at it, say mmmm.... good photo, and then throw it in the bin ?

Neil.

Neil....

In answer to your questions........

If you have something like this Daldinia which MAY be on a new host (in Britain - still havn't checked !) then yes a bit of the wood is preferable with the specimen if it can be removed easily (they have a whole dept. dedicated to identifying wood samples if required !).

If not substantiated with proof of the suspected new host then that host record is effectively just a 'paper one' and effectively worthless - the same could be said for uncommon things, rarities or new records of the actual fungi themselves - just because someone says they have found something it doesn't mean a thing - whether by a professional or an amateur if you havn't got the proof them it's worthless !

This is well illustrated by my experiences whilst writing the checklist - trying to find proof of various tropical Pluteus sp. and of numerous American Ramaria's recorded from the Midlands and S.W. England by supposed experts and just being told by phone or e-mail 'well Ifound it so it MUST be right i.e 'how dare you challange my record' - but of course we havn't kept any material !!!

Any DECENT photographs are kept with the material at Kew (or filed separately with the specimen accesion number attached, if too big to fit in the herbarium packets).

Nick

[mykonik]

Originally Posted by GerryNick2

I seem to recall seeing an article where a Daldinia Sp. was discovered growing on Syringa in Sweden.

Will keep my eye on the tree in question and should be able to collect a few fresh specimens this year and refer to Kew.

Regards

Gerry

Just checked !

There are NO BRITISH records of any Daldinia on Syringa vulgaris - don't know about Sweden and have no way of checking !

Nick

[fairplay]

Thanks for that Nick.

Neil