please help me to identify this

[jerrytaff]

It is close to where an old pear tree stood before it died 2 years ago, but has only appeared recently. My wife tells me it started off light brown before turning like this, but I did not notice it until it started to putrify.

It is right between an azalea and a hydrangea, and I am worried that it will poison the soil for them. what is it, and how should I get rid of it?

[TeresaW]

Did anyone manage to ID this one?

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by TeresaW

Did anyone manage to ID this one?

A forensic scientist, or someone with a good crystal ball might have had a chance.

To paraphrase the words of the immortal Monty Python Dead Parrot Sketch: -
"It's not pinin'! It's passed on! This fungus is no more! It has ceased to be! It's expired and gone to meet its maker! It's a stiff! Bereft of life, It rests in peace! It's pushing up the daisies! It's metabolic processes are now 'istory! It's off the twig! It's kicked the bucket, It's shuffled off its mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-FUNGUS!!".

Stating the obvious, - there ain't much left to go on. For what it's worth, my guesstimate would be inkcaps of some sort.

Regards,
Mike.

[cybershot]

Lots of clumps of the ubiquitous Honey Fungus end up looking very similar in my experience but it's anybodys guess!

Help us to help you identify fungi

[TeresaW]

I only nudged this one up because the guy seemed concerned about the effect on his garden.

If as you say it's possibly honey fungus, then I guess he's in trouble if they are likely to attack his azaleas too, but clearly it's a little beyond a full ID. As you say, the proverbial 'dead parrot' (I love that sketch )

Can it be said though, that not ALL fungi have a detrimental effect on the soil or plant life around it? I'd hate for him to think that and start stripping his garden down without first gaining a full ID, which he may have to wait until next year for?

[thebeard]

Originally Posted by cybershot

Lots of clumps of the ubiquitous Honey Fungus end up looking very similar in my experience but it's anybodys guess!

that was my first thought, the stipes often remainlong after anything else and look quite distinctive, but like you say it could be anyones guess really!

[pajr777]

Originally Posted by TeresaW

Can it be said though, that not ALL fungi have a detrimental effect on the soil or plant life around it?

Absolutely. Some such as mycorrhizal fungi live in symbiosis, some such as saprophytes decompose dead tissue, having no detrimental effect on living plants.

That could be old honey. I would look for bootlaces.

[Monkey Orchid]

Originally Posted by TeresaW

Can it be said though, that not ALL fungi have a detrimental effect on the soil or plant life around it?

I would echo what pajr777 has said: fungi are a vital part of a healthy ecosysem, especially in the soil. 80% of plant species form an association with mycorrhizal fungi (fungi which grow in association with a plant's roots). Some plant species (orchids for example) cannot grow at all if the mycorrhizal fungi specific to them is not present in the soil. Other plants (including trees and shrubs) perform poorly if mycorrhizal fungi are absent, showing decreased vigour and increased susceptibility to drought and disease. This is why I would never use fungicides in my garden!

If you're interested in finding out more about mycorrhizal fungi and their benefits to plant life, there's a ton of stuff on the Internet about this. My favourite factoid was that if you took an area of woodland, the mass of mycorrhizal fungi present in the soil would exceed the mass of the trees, shrubs and other plant life above the ground. Gives you an idea of just how important these fungi are!

That said, I guess if the specimen photographed is ex-Honey fungus then the azalea might be in trouble. My solution would be to transfer the azalea to a large pot, if the characteristic 'bootlace' hyphae are found to be present.

[jerrytaff]

Thanks for all your assistance.

If it was honey fungus, which is what I feared, then I am in real trouble. The whole of that part of the garden is azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas and one very mature ornamental cherry. I'd need some VERY large pots! On the other side of the garden fence, my neighbour has a similar collection.

You can't dig very far without coming across the rotting remains of tree roots - mainly pear. I'll look for the bootlaces at the weekend. Can anyone advise how to go about the clean up if i do or if I don't find them?