Fungi on driftwood

[touchwood]

This fungi appeared last year on a driftwood stump that we brought back from the beach. It's appeared again this year. I'm surprised that anything would grow on something that has been floating in sea water, any ideas please.

[Chris Yeates]

there is a considerable mycoflora associated with driftwood / mangrove swamps etc. though the species involved are generally microfungi

with regard to yours - what is the cap texture like? is it crumbly or rubbery? can you peel the top layer off?

Chris

[touchwood]

Hi Chris

Thanks for your reply.

I wouldn't say its crumbly, admittedly we had a frost last night but it appears quite glutenous and rubbery. I did manage to peel some but it wasn't like peeling horse mushrooms it was a very thin stretchy membrane if that makes any sense.

[flaxton]

Originally Posted by touchwood

Hi Chris

Thanks for your reply.

I wouldn't say its crumbly, admittedly we had a frost last night but it appears quite glutenous and rubbery. I did manage to peel some but it wasn't like peeling horse mushrooms it was a very thin stretchy membrane if that makes any sense.

It sounds like Crepidotus mollis
Mal

[Chris Yeates]

yes, I think Mal is probably spot on . . . I wondered about the possibility of Panellus mitis, but that's on conifer wood and looks slightly different

a spore print would sort that out that immediately as the Panellus would have a white spore print

it's difficult to get an accurate sense of scale, but these look too big for the only other candidate Crepidotus calolepis

Chris