Is this Rigidoporus ulmarius please??

solus · #1 (**permalink**) 20-01-2009, 11:16 PM

OK, so knowing me it isn't but I am once again stumped by a bracket.

Found today at the base of a small deciduous tree/large deciduous shrub on the bank of a water-filled ditch (other side of the ditch, of course!) beside a path to the Holden Tower hide at Slimbridge WWT Reserve, Gloucestershire. It wasn't Alder (no cones or catkins), don't think it was Blackthorn or Hawthorn (no thorns noticed on the twigs) but it might have been Elder. Or a willow sp.? Anyway, there were some nice Jew's Ears growing just up from this bracket (there's a "baby" bracket growing out near the top of the picture too.)

It was big - about 8 inches across and seems to (sort of) fit Rigidoporus ulmarius... Can anyone help, please? Is it? Isn't it? If not, what might it be?? Thanks.

KeenTeen17 · #2 (**permalink**) 21-01-2009, 08:05 AM

trametes gibbosa? they usually go green like that with age

mollisia · #3 (**permalink**) 21-01-2009, 08:20 AM

Hallo,

don't know about the fungus, sorry. But the tree could perhaps be a big Sambucus?

best regards,
Andreas

solus · #4 (**permalink**) 21-01-2009, 11:26 AM

KT - I discounted Trametes gibbosa for several reasons: the pores didn't look big enough and the tree it was growing on was neither Beech nor dead. And anyway lots of elderly fungi get covered in algae, and in that somewhat damp location probably even more so - just look at all that moss! Apart from that it didn't look like any of the T. gibbosa I've seen and there are quite a few on felled stumps in the Cotswold Beechwoods.

Andreas - I was hoping you'd be able to help with the fungus but if you reckon the tree might be Sambucus (Elder) which is what I wondered, well, that's something to go on!

mollisia · #5 (**permalink**) 21-01-2009, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solus

Andreas - I was hoping you'd be able to help with the fungus but if you reckon the tree might be Sambucus (Elder) which is what I wondered, well, that's something to go on!

Hi,

sorry, I thought I would tell something new. I didn't knew that the english name Elder means Sambucus. So at least me has some elucidation from this thread now

best regards,
Andreas

NickCantle · #6 (**permalink**) 21-01-2009, 12:22 PM

Looks too big to be Trametes gibbosa

8 inches would be mahoosive!

solus · #7 (**permalink**) 24-01-2009, 11:46 AM

OK, as (so far) none of the fungi-masters here have leapt up laughing to say no, it's not that, it's something common and obvious to all but a numpty .....

maybe it is Rigidoporus ulmarius?? At least a "probable"? There don't seem to be many photos on the interweb to compare mine with either (and yes, I know that's not really the way to do it!

)

mollisia · #8 (**permalink**) 24-01-2009, 05:51 PM

Hallo,

yes, o.k., it is really that your picture could be Rigidoporus ulmarius. Please note, that I have not said that it is R. u.

The chance is really there, but without some specialist who can examine the fruitbody we will perhaps never know.
If you like to, I can ask in our german forum, there are some guys doing polypores. May be there is one who knows a definit answer.

best regards,
Andreas

solus · #9 (**permalink**) 24-01-2009, 06:26 PM

Thanks Andreas, much appreciated.

Feel free to post the photo and information on the German forum - but please translate any responses into English for me!

Andy Overall · #10 (**permalink**) 25-01-2009, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solus

OK, so knowing me it isn't but I am once again stumped by a bracket.

Found today at the base of a small deciduous tree/large deciduous shrub on the bank of a water-filled ditch (other side of the ditch, of course!) beside a path to the Holden Tower hide at Slimbridge WWT Reserve, Gloucestershire. It wasn't Alder (no cones or catkins), don't think it was Blackthorn or Hawthorn (no thorns noticed on the twigs) but it might have been Elder. Or a willow sp.? Anyway, there were some nice Jew's Ears growing just up from this bracket (there's a "baby" bracket growing out near the top of the picture too.)

It was big - about 8 inches across and seems to (sort of) fit Rigidoporus ulmarius... Can anyone help, please? Is it? Isn't it? If not, what might it be?? Thanks.

HI,

The green algae plus the pinkish bruising on the pores and around the margin are good chracteristics of Rigidiporus ulmarius. I most often see this growing on Horse Chestnut or Sycamore trees, never seen it on Elder, more likely on Willow.

Andy