sawn wood fungus incomer?

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by diggleken

Response from Kew (Peter Roberts and Brian Spooner) is that from the pics it might be a discomycete (as Chris said!) - Pezicula livida.
I havent got this in my books, nor can I find an image on the web - have you guys out there got any views on the possible ID, a picture source (cant findan image on bioimages) of it or rarity status (or otherwise) and description?
Or where to delve further?
Thanks all.
Ken

Ken

mycologists of their standing saying it might be a particular discomycete is kinda like code for please collect some so we can look at it properly

there is absolutely nothing wrong with picking a few fruit-bodies! look at the thing - it's all over a large portion of substrate . . .I remember you saying "I might be able to cut the plank off Chris, but that might damage whats left, in terms of habitat drying out etc" - you would only have to take a er knife!!! and (without getting arrested as a footpad or cutpurse) take a few off at plank level (like shaving) . . . pop in an old envelope near a radiator and in an hour or so - done!

I am always happy to look at well collected and dried material for people - they can just pm me; but you need to decide how accurate a name you want - when you get to things like this, photo's won't generally get you very far, I'm afraid

and for what it's worth it looks very like a Pezicula - but it could be something else

look at the distribution map at:

NBN Gateway: Pezicula livida grid map

it's a salutory lesson - can you spot the area in which that great finder of 'Discos' Malcolm Clark concentrated his collecting? I suspect that that species is just as frequent away from Warwickshire and Worcestershire . . .

cheers

Chris

[diggleken]

Right , got some research to do then on that website, but thought you might like these images from this morning. They do have lovely gills too - hard to see clearly but appear sinuate or adnexed.
Got some specimens Chris, I'm pondering the approach with them after drying.
Will report developments too.
Thanks a lot to you all.
Ken

[Chris Yeates]

errrrr . . . .

this should be posted as a warning not to base comments on one photo! and to contributors to (please) turn one over . . .

I don't think this is a discomycete somehow; I have to confess that I had wondered about the middle two most-in-focus jobbies, they did appear to hint at gills

OK . . .

I think we could be in the area of Simocybe (sometimes put in Ramicola); it looks close to what Roy Watling calls Ramicola rubi in British Fungus Flora part 6, and now sunk into Simocybe haustellaris; it usually (but by no means always) has somewhat laterally-stiped fruitbodies - though on a plank that becomes difficult and perhaps unnecessary . . .

see:
http://mycoweb.narod.ru/fungi/Submit...s_20080727.jpg

your last image shows a slight hairy cap which fits in with Simocybe, which is related to Inocybe

while searching for some images I came across the following:

http://www.naturamediterraneo.com/fo...?TOPIC_ID=5057

boy are these guys serious! amazing stuff, lots of images, micro-stuff, very impressive (though a lot of their images don't look too like yours - others I've come across in books are closer) - it's interesting that its says: "con umbone a tratti pronunciato, margine lievemente ondulato marcato da fibrille innate" ie with a somewhat pronounced umbo (clearly seen in your fungus) and the margin lightly wavy with markedly innate fibrils

more anon

Chris

[flaxton]

I was trying to see which disco had GILLS

Mal

[diggleken]

that is a terrific pic of a tiny fungus - I agree its getting closer!
The development of 'mine' appears to be flat cap becoming slightly umbonate.
I wonder if the overall tan colouration is fast or would change given more light?
The stem in the pic is also too thick - the sawn wood is more delicate and slighter, but it does appear to be so similar in general, but not (yet?) fused.
Ken

[diggleken]

Hello all,
RESULT!
Kew Mycology (Dr Brian Spooner) have ID'd this as Wood Oysterling - Melanotus Horizontalis.
M Proteus and M textilis are synonyms.
Not rare, but unusual and a good find it appears - dried specimens now held at Kew for reference.
quote - ''The spores have a small germ pore and the tapered cheilocystidia are characteristic. It is a variable species, more often with reduced, lateral stipe, and can be found on various substrates though is not common''.
Bioimages page link for info, plus a new pic showing cap, stipe and gills by me.
Very pleased, thanks for all your help and input.
Ken

Melanotus horizontalis (Bull.) P.D. Orton, 1984 (Wood Oysterling)

[NickCantle]

Brilliant result, Spooner rarely fails

Nicely done Ken, and well found

[diggleken]

Cheers Nick.
Ken