Galerina ID

[RobSutton]

Found growing in moss on a lump of limestone at Malham Tarn, cap c7mm wide, stem 3mm.

Basidia seemed to be two-spored


Cheilocystidia as shown here (not sure what name I'd give to the shape fusiforme maybe)


Similar shaped cystidia were present as pleurocystidia and throughout the length of the stem but not in the cap.

Fungi of Switzerland came down to Galerina vittiformis var pachyspora except that the spores I found seemed slightly too large:


I suspect there maybe other similar species not in FoS but does this seem a sensible possibility?

Thanks

[FungiJohn]

You certainly like the difficult ones Rob!

Galerina vittiformis is easily recognised by the lack of veil and the rough (hairy) stem which is dark at the base and pale at the top.

A good candidate given the detail.

John

[RobSutton]

Originally Posted by FungiJohn

You certainly like the difficult ones Rob!

.......

John

Thanks again John - I'm trying to identify the ones I find in my immediate area and unfortunately having spent a couple of years getting used to the "easy" ones all I've got left are the more difficult ones. I've got a couple of Inocybe species and some Mycena waiting to have a go at when I get a nice rainy day

Must admit I'm not sure whether it's best to concentrate on a single area, as I'm doing, or to whizz around trying to find as many different sorts of, say Mycena, so some of the more comparative statements in the keys get easier.

The other problem has been the realisation that even something like Fungi of Swizerland doesn't have everything in it and I've sometimes ended up struggling to find something to fit when there has been a simpler alternative not featured in that series.

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by RobSutton

Found growing in moss on a lump of limestone at Malham Tarn, cap c7mm wide, stem 3mm.

Basidia seemed to be two-spored


Cheilocystidia as shown here (not sure what name I'd give to the shape fusiforme maybe)


Similar shaped cystidia were present as pleurocystidia and throughout the length of the stem but not in the cap.

Fungi of Switzerland came down to Galerina vittiformis var pachyspora except that the spores I found seemed slightly too large:


I suspect there maybe other similar species not in FoS but does this seem a sensible possibility?

Thanks

hi Rob

agreed vittiformis seems a strong candidate - the image of the fruitbody appears to be slightly pruinose at the cap apex, but you say that you have not seen any pileocystidia; that would rule out atkinsoniana and there isn't a lot left . . .

I am largely of the 'collecting patch' persuasion, though my patches are rather more humble than Clumber or the Malham area; I think it goes back to birdwatching days when I used to visit a reservoir north of Leeds on a very regular basis - somehow it was far more satisfying seeing ones first ever Black Redstart, Velvet Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Slavonian Grebe et al. there than tearing off round the country after the super-rare; and for compensation in winter there was a huge gull roost and up to 200 Goosanders (one of my favourite birds)

back to fungi - because I look at the micro's as well, I never run out of interesting stuff to look at, and there is never a 'quiet' season - plus it's always nice when something totally unexpected pops up, just when you think you have your patch sussed . . .

keep at it - you're doing great

Chris

[SheffieldLass]

Hi Rob

G vittiformis is pretty common, and I find it quite regularly, though in the UK we seem to have mainly the 2 spored basidia (according to the Basidio Checklist) unlike the rest of Europe which tends to have the 4 spored version more commonly. There is a difference between the two in spore size, with the 2 spore being larger. And I've just checked the micros of mine and they look very similar to yours (cheilocystidia, basidia, spores). And your spore sizes are in line with mine.

I'm also a patch person ... and quite a small patch too, though with a nice variety of different habitats. I like to know a small area in depth rather than a big area superficially. And it means that I'm building up the background knowledge to pick up on changes, get a good feel of what effect weather, land management has on it, and with birds for example how they are faring over the years, whether numbers are increasing, declining. I am about to move house to a different area 80 miles away and I know I will really miss 'my' patch ....

I suppose some other people choose a different type of focus, onto one genus or a few genera, and others want a 'tick-off' long list and will travel widely to add another species, but at the moment I'm trying to get a general overall feel for fungi, though with a concentration on grassland. And I am keeping my micro photos and notes quite carefully and do find them very useful to compare different (or the same) species against, to build up a gradual knowledge of the species within the various genera. And it is proving a very good way to pick up bloopers in earlier IDs I may have made ... With some now, just a quick glance at the micro photos and I know what it is, or spot features that are different, so know what it isn't, and that is very satisfying

So I'd say stick with your patch (and it is a very nice patch you've got there), that is obviously what comes naturally to you ....

cheers
Melanie

[cowshill]

Another patch person here! The conifer plantation around the local reservoir is the one place in the neighborhood that's off-road, fenced , and sheep-free allowing the family canine can run off-lead to her heart's content. So the three miles around the reservoir is our daily walk, and in late summer and autumn it's our treasure trove of fungi. Unfortunately, the north side is scheduled for clear-cut logging starting tomorrow(!), which will be devastating to the beauty of the walk and (I fear) to the woodland fungus community. The woods are about 95% spruce with a few small plots of pine and larch thrown in. The plan is to replant it in mixed native species, which may well improve the range of fungus species, but, I suspect, not in the lifetime of this pensioner!

I am curious whether the felling of the trees will produce a massive bloom of mychorrizal fungi desperately sending out spores before they perish, or whether they will just silently disappear.

- Jim

[SheffieldLass]

Originally Posted by cowshill

I am curious whether the felling of the trees will produce a massive bloom of mychorrizal fungi desperately sending out spores before they perish, or whether they will just silently disappear.

- Jim

You've got a nice little research project right on your doorstep then ....

Melanie

[cowshill]

Originally Posted by SheffieldLass

You've got a nice little research project right on your doorstep then ....

Ah, yes, the optimistic approach usually is the best. I'm not a scientist by temperament, but I'll definitely report back anything of interest I manage to discern from the disruption of the environment.

There are a few stands of lovely Scotch pine along the water, and I'm hoping (probably in vain) that these, as existing native trees, will be spared the chainsaw. The fact that my best boletus edulis spots are under these pines of course has nothing to do with this wish!

- Jim

[ron1863]

The same situation up my way, the local coniferous forest has been cleared of thousands of trees, will keep an eye on what happens with the fungi.

Jim, they may well leave the Scots Pine, they left any deciduous trees and Scots pine that were growing amongst the conifers.

[RobSutton]

The woods where I take most of my fungi shots are slowly being cleared of non-native things. A lot of Larch have gone recently which is a shame as they have their very own fungus flora, Suillus grevillei for instance, that just wouldn't be there otherwise. To be conssitent they would also need to get rid of the Beech and Sycamore and that would just leave Ash which is pretty boring, no autumn colour, not many associated fungi, not a lot of bryophytes on them until they're really old and so on. Yes it's a nature reserve but the woods were all planted about 150 years ago and there's not really very much natural about them at all so why not leave them be.