This has me Stumped.

[Lancashire Lad]

Found this today, a solitary specimen growing amongst various lichens. Never seen anything like this before.

First thoughts were that it might be a very small Orange Peel Fungus, but considering its location on a moorland dry stone wall covered with lichens, I've got a feeling it might actually be a lichen.

Overall size about 12mm in diameter.



Any thoughts on ID would be very welcome.
Regards,
Mike.

[FungiJohn]

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

Found this today, a solitary specimen growing amongst various lichens. Never seen anything like this before.

First thoughts were that it might be a very small Orange Peel Fungus, but considering its location on a moorland dry stone wall covered with lichens, I've got a feeling it might actually be a lichen.

Overall size about 12mm in diameter.



Any thoughts on ID would be very welcome.
Regards,
Mike.

Very interesting indeed Mike.

My first thoughts are of Lamprospora / Octospera ... but it is late and I could be way out ... but it is very interesting.

I'll sleep on that one

John

[cybershot]

My first thought too was Neottiella rutilans syn. Octospora rutilans.

[Lancashire Lad]

Thanks John & David.

The Neottiella / Octospora ID suggestion looks very good.

Browsing for Neottiella rutilans brings up some which are indistinguishable from this.

I assume it would need microscopy to be sure of species, so I think I'll tag the photo as Neottiella sp.

Regards,
Mike.

[cybershot]

There are supposedly 32 species but not sure how many are native

[ManwithNoname]

Although your specimen is growing in a habitat alongside Cladonia it's not growing with the lichen. The species in Neottiella and Octospora grow in association with mosses, so knowing your mosses helps to narrow down the options without microscopy.

The moss in your photograph looks to me like Polytrichum piliferum (with a long, thin, silvery-white hair point sticking out of the end of each leaf). Neottiella rutilans grows in association with Polytrichum species. Given the habitat, the relatively large size of your specimen, the colour of the disc, and the whitish hairy outer surface, I'd be inclined to put this down as Neottiella rutilans, as has been suggested.

[ManwithNoname]

P.S. I should have mentioned that Octospora humosa also grows with Polytrichum but the disk tends to be a brighter orange (rather than the reddish-orange of Neottiella rutilans) and it tends to be smaller (5-10 mm according to Dennis compared with up to 1.5 cm for Neottiella rutilans).

[Lancashire Lad]

Thanks ManwithNoname, your additional information makes the ID virtually certain, so Neottiella rutilans it is.

Regards,
Mike.