Split Gill - Schizophyllum commune

[Ditiola]

It has been known for some time that the Split Gill has aquired the use of plastic wrapped hay bales as a second habitat, and I have been keeping a look out for it when out walking through farmland. I have now found it on plastic wrapped bales on three farms near Derby. The last one this week within the City boundary (photo posted on the Fungi Gallery). However on all my regular trips into the peak district I have not yet managed to find it anywhere else. Is anyone finding this fungus in Derbyshire or in bordering counties in the Peak district?

Peter

[FungiJohn]

Hi Peter

I have recorded Schizophyllum commune at Longshaw, Ladybower, Eckington and of course Clumber Park. It is however not a common species IMO.

I didn't know about it's second habitat btw

John

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by FungiJohn

I didn't know about it's second habitat btw

John

see the A to Z at Common Porecrust | Wild About Britain

(hate that vernacular name - where did it come from?) the specimens in the photo are from silage bales near Penistone (S. Yorks - and not that far from the Peak District)

Chris

[Ditiola]

Originally Posted by FungiJohn

Hi Peter

I have recorded Schizophyllum commune at Longshaw, Ladybower, Eckington and of course Clumber Park. It is however not a common species IMO.

I didn't know about it's second habitat btw

John

There is an interesting paper in The Mycologist Vol. 19 (1) p30 entitled ‘Schizophyllum commune on big-bale grass silage in Ireland’

Apparently there are a few scattered records of occurrences on normal silage in England as early as 1884, However the introduction of the plastic wrapped silage bales, resulted in a steady increase in the records of this species on this habitat since 1990. It will develop where there are small holes or splits but can burst through the plastic on its own accord.

Peter

[FungiJohn]

Originally Posted by Ditiola

There is an interesting paper in The Mycologist Vol. 19 (1) p30 entitled ‘Schizophyllum commune on big-bale grass silage in Ireland’

Apparently there are a few scattered records of occurrences on normal silage in England as early as 1884, However the introduction of the plastic wrapped silage bales, resulted in a steady increase in the records of this species on this habitat since 1990. It will develop where there are small holes or splits but can burst through the plastic on its own accord.

Peter

Thanks for that Peter

John

[Ditiola]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

see the A to Z at Common Porecrust | Wild About Britain

(hate that vernacular name - where did it come from?) the specimens in the photo are from silage bales near Penistone (S. Yorks - and not that far from the Peak District)

Chris

Thanks, so it is at least nearby to the Derbyshire Peak district. I will have to keep looking.

Oh and the vernacular name is the one I have heard fungi folk use in the past. It is also the one used in the Roger Philips's books. I have never heard the name Common Porecrust before, although if I had taken the trouble to look the fungus up in the BMS recommended English names list, I see that I would have found it there. I would rather not use vernacular names at all, but I seem to sense that the WAB forum expects these names to be used.

Peter

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by Ditiola

I would rather not use vernacular names at all, but I seem to sense that the WAB forum expects these names to be used.

Peter

not at all as far as I am concerned - given that we are involved in a science here, I think it's preferable that we at least use the scientific name in any posts (I don't like the term 'Latin name' as it is a bit off-putting/potentially elitist

so why make people learn two names (ie the scientific name plus an often questionable English one)

this theme has been thrashed out before on these 'pages', so I'll shut up; but before I do, we are lucky to have Andreas visiting this site - he has been of immense help to people here . . . English names probably mean little to him . . . maybe we should accord him the courtesy of using the German vernacular name for a species (after all if two names are good, three must be better?) or maybe he would settle for the internationally understood scientific name . . .

Chris

[diggleken]

Hi everyone,
just googling Split gill produced this thread, there are two bits of interest in it!
Found Split gill today here in the south pennines, Saddleworth area - what a gorgeous leaf/fan thing, particularly the gills/underside are - I'll post some pics later at home.
I gather its not very common up here in the north?
Very pleased to find it!
Peter, if you want to see this, let me know for finer directions - its at Mossley, just past Greenfield, over the Isle of Skye road to Saddleworth.
Also, I had Collins' new guide for my birthday - its better to have a number of guides , but my Philips and Jordan are largely scientific name, but Collins uses 'common' name so much its difficult to read and understand which fungus it means when flicking through, as I have got used to and use scientific so much, so my head hurts now - I have to get to know the common names more.
Having said that, its a bonus cos common can help to narrow species down a bit, and although scientific can do so too (my latin at school wasnt completely wasted then), it helps.
I like the way Collins splits the fungi into similar types though, even though theres no key - and it does have some good features, but few gill shots.
Cheers
Ken

[cybershot]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

.......this theme has been thrashed out before on these 'pages', so I'll shut up; but before I do, we are lucky to have Andreas visiting this site - he has been of immense help to people here . . . English names probably mean little to him . . . maybe we should accord him the courtesy of using the German vernacular name for a species (after all if two names are good, three must be better?) or maybe he would settle for the internationally understood scientific name . . .

Chris

His field guide, 'Mushrooms & Toadstools of Britain and Europe', publised in the Black's Nature Guide series gives predominance to the English name 'Common Porecrust', but I suspect this was a decision of general policy made by the publisher rather than that of Andreas himself.

David

[Ditiola]

Ken
Thanks for Schizophyllum info. I have now found it on wood at Attenborough Nature Reserve in Nottinghamshire. The photo is on page 13 (today) of the Gallery. but I think I should be able to link it as follows:



The big problem with common names it they often do not indicate which fungi are closely related and which are not. It is much more beneficial to be able to learn to recognise each genus first and worry about the species latter.

Peter