Parasite on Cystoderma amianthinum

[NickCantle]

Hello

Whilst participating in a discussion on the thread "Fungi Highlights of 2008", our newest member of amazing fungal information (Mollisia) reminded me of a genus that I'd seen on a website ages ago, a Squamanita which parasites on other fungi. This juddered my memory a little and I remembered that I had found something on a specimen of Cystoderma amianthinum a while back. I know it's nothing half as exciting as a Squamanita, but it's still a little different than the normal

If anyone could shed any light on possibilities, I'd be extremely grateful. Here are the images of the specimen.


Frilly additions to the cap.


Twisted, bulging and disproportionate stipe as opposed to the usual neat stem with ring apparent.

All help and pointers appreciated,

Nick

[mollisia]

Hi Nick,

personally I think this one as exiting as a Squamanita, o.k. nearly so.

The reduced and thick gills remind of the parasites on Russulaceae which where formerly the genus Peckiella and are now in Hypomyces. I would suggest looking there. Although I have not heared of a Hypomyces species attacking Cystoderma. But it could be either a species that has wromgly determined his host or a species that is unknown up to now.
But to verify if this is really a Hypomyces, one had to microscop the thing. And if not ripe, one would have to make a culture from it and look how it behaves and whats coming out of it.

So there is only one solution: Find it again!

best regards,
Andreas

[SheffieldLass]

As we are talking strange fungi I'm hauling these photos back up, wondering if something similar has happened to this. Or if some light can be shed on this ...



These I thought were strangely weathered Hygrocybe pratensis given that there were plenty of normal ones in the vicinity, but the spores were very different from hygrocybe, shaped like grains of rice, 6.3-10 (17) x 2.5-3.5um, and very viable, many were sprouting. It looked as if it had been 'got' by something else. There were also caulocystidia on the stem, clavate, mucronate, or rostrate (according to my notes I took at the time).

Also nearby were what were very probably remains of Hygrocybe pratensis which had turned into these almost frosty looking patches by some other fungus.


Any ideas?

Melanie

[mollisia]

Hallo Mel,

these are Hygrocybe pratensis, no doubt. The spores do not belong to it, also no doubt. *Where* they belong to, I have no idea. They look like ascomycete spores, but it could well be that they are no spores but conidia. If they are conidia, then it is probable that it is from something growing on this Hygrocybe pratensis. But the form and colour of your pratensis is not too unusual, so I don't think that there is a parasite growing on them.

best regards,
Andreas

[SheffieldLass]

Thanks Andreas.