Is this Ganoderma Lucidum (British Form) + Book Advice

[Alie Barnes]

Im defintly no expert but ive been browsing R Phillips book to identify this and this is the closest ive managed to get it and im not sure its right.



Secondly

Can someone recomend a book for identifying fungi (on trees) and what it means for the tree, Harmless, attacks roots etc etc.

Thanks

[Ditiola]

I do not think you have G.lucidum

Try putting a search for G.lucidum in Google images and checking the results although not all images in Google will be correctly identified or labelled however, the taxa represented by most images on the first page is usually the correct one. I think you will find most of the images look nothing like your specimen.
Then try Ganoderma adspersum

I do not know of a ID book specifically for fungal pathogens of trees.

Peter

[hamadryad]

firstly, that is G. Adspersum, no doubt about that. Sorry hardcores!

Secondly regarding the pathogenicity of this particular GanOderma it depends on the host, GanOderma adspersum is one of the stronger ones able to break down phenolic compounds. It is particulary problematic on Horse chestnut, in which it very rapidly breaks barrier zones and reaches fresh material. It generaly causes a white rot and leaves the wood in a moist white fibrous state.

Good books on the subject of Fungi in relation to hazard, pathogenicity and decay strategies are

F.M.W.R Shwarze "the diagnosis and prognosis of wood decay in trees" 100+
Mattheck, Engels and Shwarze fungal strategies of wood decay about 45 i think
Matheck manual of wood decay (cheap about ten quid)

there is good section on the subject in the research for amenity trees book no 7 principles of tree hazard assesment by londsdale

and book no2 diagnosis of ill health in trees by strouts and winter

another good section on fungi tree related in diseases of trees and shrubs by Sinclair and H.Lyon
the second two being a good start and good value.

All these books are avalliable from Jo ryan at treesource (online)

This is well advanced, the healthy fruit bodies indicate access to large volumes of wood and whoever owns this tree needs to get the diagnostics out, soon. But it is a selective delignifier meaning residual wood strength remains quite high as aposed to the loss of cellulose which can remain largely intact with this form of decay.

Lucidum is the easiest one to ID of all ganOdermas, it has a long stalk. WHOOPS I mean Stipe!

[fairplay]

Hi Alie,

Welcome to the WAB fungi forum, Ganoderma lucidum is what is known as the 'type' species for Ganoderma's, and in the lucidum group alone, another 220 species have been described world-wide. (not just the 2 shown in Phillips)

As already stated yours is not G.lucidum, for this has a shiny resinous surface, what you have is either G.applanatum or G.australe (previously known as G.adspersum)

Of all the polypores, Ganoderma is the most difficult genus and looking at the spore measurment is the only reliable way of separating these 2 species. Both cause White Rot of roots and the butt of living and dead trees, particularly Beech (yours seems to be a Cherry)

Hamadryad has given you a good selection of books to read.

Neil.

[hamadryad]

Thanks for that info on the Australe bit Neil, I had no idea that it was the new name for adspersum, a valuable input and duly noted. I have seen several images of what was described australe in various places and most looked more like lipsiense. But I do not trust much of the images or text I have in my library, that will change with scopes and spore i.d charts.

I cant wait to get my scopes and get going on this.

and welcome to wab newbie!

Is the tree no a mature whitebeam?

[fairplay]

Err um .... lipsiense is an old name for applanatum.

Neil.

[hamadryad]

ha ha ha, no wonder Ive been getting confused with the txt books!

so anything else I need to know ganOdermarish!