is this fungi, ID?

[redsmoke]

hi, this has been growing on a fuchsia, any ideas what it is and will it cause any problems, i'd quite like to leave it there,

[kiltoncomp]

not a fungi , but a moss or liverwort, no idea which one it is though,
but im sure someone will be along soon to tell us

Brian.

[metalfish]

That's definatly a liverwort, common all the nurseries I've ever worked at.
It's amazing looking stuff, when it seeds it grows little palm tree like stems about 1cm or so high, makes it look like a prehistoric or alien landscape!

I don't know anything technical about it but it never seemed to do the plants any harm, but if it gets too thick then young plants can get abit swamped. You can just peel it of if you don't want it- no chemicals needed

[redsmoke]

ok, thanks for the info, i'm must admit i've heard of liverwort but never seen it before.

another little mystery solved, cheers.

[NickCantle]

I can certainly see why you'd want to keep it there, how fascinatingly beautiful.

[Lancashire Lad]

I think this is probably the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, subsp. polymorpha/ruderalis

See info from British Bryological Society: - http://hosting.sleath.co.uk/bbs/acco...orpha_DMPT.pdf


EDIT - Marchantia's seem to be the only ones which have their Gemmae in goblet-shaped receptacles, as opposed to crescent-shaped receptacles. (eg. Lunularia cruciata)
Regards
Mike.

[kiltoncomp]

Originally Posted by metalfish

That's definatly a liverwort, common all the nurseries I've ever worked at.
It's amazing looking stuff, when it seeds it grows little palm tree like stems about 1cm or so high, makes it look like a prehistoric or alien landscape!

there are some nice pics of this on a thread by wildlifesnapper in the non flowering plants subsection of the wildflowers forum (moss/liverwort id)
not sure if its the same species, but looks very similar,


Brian,

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

I think this is probably the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, subsp. polymorpha/ruderalis

See info from British Bryological Society: - http://hosting.sleath.co.uk/bbs/acco...orpha_DMPT.pdf


EDIT - Marchantia's seem to be the only ones which have their Gemmae in goblet-shaped receptacles, as opposed to crescent-shaped receptacles. (eg. Lunularia cruciata)
Regards
Mike.

Mike is spot on - don't get rid unless you have to - when these things produce their sex-organs they are amazing : http://www.hkflora.com/v2/projects/s...polymorpha.jpg

gemmae are asexual propagules - a bit like if sprouts could fall off and make new cabbages (also a little like fungal conidia, but gemmae are generally - always? - multicellular)


Chris

[Alantb]

This liverwort often has a tiny fungus associated with it - Galerina marchantiae. Worth looking out for later in the year (if you like Galerina). Nice pic of the liverwort though. They grow in some old sinks in our garden and are actually a bit of a pest because they seem to attack house-leeks.

Enjoy, Alan

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by Alantb

This liverwort often has a tiny fungus associated with it - Galerina marchantiae. Worth looking out for later in the year (if you like Galerina). Nice pic of the liverwort though. They grow in some old sinks in our garden and are actually a bit of a pest because they seem to attack house-leeks.

Enjoy, Alan

hi Alan

not sure about 'often' - there are probably about half a dozen separate localities for this in Britain - it's never been a Galerina, but has been in Gerronema - currently treated as Loreleia marchantiae (Singer & Clémençon) Redhead, Moncalvo, Vilgalys & Lutzoni

see: http://www.indexfungorum.org/Names/S...ecordID=375355

I remember finding this with Jerry Cooper at a BMS meeting at Birmingham Uni almost exactly 20 years ago (scary) just growing between paving slabs on the liverwort host - that collection is figured at: British fungi - pictures and illustrations

best

Chris