a few from today

[alge]

Once again due to the lack of rain i have started looking at fallen/dead/cut wood in the hope of finding something growing.

This large beech has hosted huge brackets for years but took a turn for the worse last autumn, the first one i'll stick my neck out for Meripilus gigateus i got stuck withGrifola frondosa but Phillips describes "an acrid smell reminiscent of mice" which was not present. The colour is no longer a worry due to dryness and it was in a full sun position at the base of the tree so i would expect it to be a bit darker than most of my references. No real evidence of stem either, pores consistant with M.giganteus too.


there was a second type around the trunk but beyond Basidomycetes i'm lost



the third will be a first for me if it is Pleurotus ostreatus



i've got to run so i'll post my other query tomorrow (local hop festival is on beer to be had)

any input appreciated Alex

[Beamish]

Hi Alex,

your oysters seem to be from a family size package... ;-)

Cheers, Martin

[alge]

thanks martin

sadly they in a nature reserve so they will have to stay on the shelf

still a joy to find them!

[alge]

This is another one that i found. Anything with a maze gilled underside may cause a difference of opinion but please, i dont want to stir it up. The other threads have been informative if nothing else and have resulted in me paying attention to a type of fungus that i'd normally not photograph or investigate.

Growing on a cut Ash log (i'm pretty sure it was ash but it was cut a while ago)
no evidence of stem(i did not remove it from the log as i hope to go back next week) very firm texture throughout, slightly velvety top with zoned growth, cap width no more than 10cm. pores maze like and white.

pretty ambiguous conclusion is that its a maze gill

no evidence of black spores or blackening of the fruit body, not growing on or near Oak. Sweet chestnut, Beech, Ash and Hornbeam fairly near by. Soil type is heavy london clay washed off chalk hilltops/normal woodland floor.



any pointers would be great

alex

[hamadryad]

Are you 1oo% certain its not an oak lok? an ash log woul appear smoother for my mind those rough lines on the outer surface of the log are typical of Oak logs.

iether way that is daedalea Quercina, no question.[url=http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/archive/showphoto.php?photo=110332][/url

[hamadryad]

as for the others, the first one is Merripilius giganteus, a fungi responsible for toppling many an old beech, the bracket well thats another matter, it could be an old G.pfeifferi but brackets of all Ganadermas are so variable and have so many similar traits its hard to be certain without spores.

Rot type, place on stem, pores per mm all help in these.

There is a good image of the appearance of this type of wood decay in "principles of tree hazzard assesment and managment" by lonsdale on page 105 if you have it?

as for the Pluerotus i wouldnt fear taking a little that will fruit time and time again on this beech and they turn within days, a prolific fruiting species and the most commonly cultivated, it is in absolutley no danger of extinction! No one is going to hold a little harvest of that agianst you!

but I know what your saying, i came across volvariella bombycina a couple of weeks ago and was salivating whilst shooting it, it was a hard fungi to leave in situ!

[NickCantle]

Originally Posted by hamadryad

but I know what your saying, i came across volvariella bombycina a couple of weeks ago and was salivating whilst shooting it, it was a hard fungi to leave in situ!

Beautiful species! Got the pictures? Get some of your shots in the Gallery!

Btw- Why would you have removed it?

[cybershot]

Originally Posted by hamadryad

Are you 1oo% certain its not an oak lok? an ash log woul appear smoother for my mind those rough lines on the outer surface of the log are typical of Oak logs.

iether way that is daedalea Quercina, no question.[url=http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/archive/showphoto.php?photo=110332][/url

I agree with hamadryad (now there's a first!)

[flaxton]

Originally Posted by NickCantle

Beautiful species! Got the pictures? Get some of your shots in the Gallery!

Btw- Why would you have removed it?

I hope it wasn't because of it's description of edible and excellent

[hamadryad]

For the record, I NEVER remove fungi from their environment, no matter what edibility rating they have, i love nature and ecology far too much to leave an impact. I feel guilty enough just trampling the ground causing compaction!

I will upload a few images today just for your benifit