unidentified fungi on fallen beech trunk

[ashgale]

Hello to all,
having been "lurking" in the background for a while, i have finally become a member of WAB,
so here goes with my first attempt with a request for a possible id on this fungi i found ,
after reading the "help us to help you identify fungi" post i noted the following details.

growing on a fallen beech trunk close to the ground
smell similar to that of an oyster mushroom
no colour changes when cut
cap smooth and dry
taste --- i did not try any taste test !
and the spore print was white,

there were several specimens growing on the trunk (they were on the wood as opposed to being on the soil beneath the trunk) ranging from small button one to larger ones upto 75mm across,
having looked through my book on fungi i thought that a Clitocybe species was most likely but it seems that none of them grow on the actual wood itself, another possibilty was Pluteus but it seems they all have a pink spore print, so i have no idea at all what they might be,
any help and a kick in the right direction most welcome

[juliohevia]

Collibia Maculata, I would say...

Thanks,

Julio

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by ashgale

Hello to all,
having been "lurking" in the background for a while, i have finally become a member of WAB,
so here goes with my first attempt with a request for a possible id on this fungi i found ,
after reading the "help us to help you identify fungi" post i noted the following details.

growing on a fallen beech trunk close to the ground
smell similar to that of an oyster mushroom
no colour changes when cut
cap smooth and dry
taste --- i did not try any taste test !
and the spore print was white,

there were several specimens growing on the trunk (they were on the wood as opposed to being on the soil beneath the trunk) ranging from small button one to larger ones upto 75mm across,
having looked through my book on fungi i thought that a Clitocybe species was most likely but it seems that none of them grow on the actual wood itself, another possibilty was Pluteus but it seems they all have a pink spore print, so i have no idea at all what they might be,
any help and a kick in the right direction most welcome

hi and welcome to WAB

strictly this is a fungus (plural fungi)

having started off brusquely I shall continue by saying good work with regard to useful field notes accompanying the photographs

you are correct with regard to Pluteus having a pink spore deposit - the species in that genus also have 'free' gills - i.e. they do not touch the top of the stem; your fungus has decurrent gills, which also knocks on the head the suggestion of Rhodocollybia maculata (that is not a wood-inhabiting species either)

having said all that I'm not sure what it actually is! - you mention oyster mushroom and it has something of Pleurotus about it, but it doesn't really look a lot like Pleurotus cornucopiae which is the commonest member of that genus with a more or less central stem

I'll have a think and get back . . .

best wishes

Chris

[ashgale]

Firstly, thanks for the replies,
and secondly, apologies for the late response, which is mainly due to my obtaining a copy of "Roger Phillips mushrooms" yesterday afternoon and have been engrossed in it ever since ! (found it in a charity shop whilst dropping off a load of no longer needed books, and paid a measly £5 for it, a bit dog eared and well worn, but still a bargain)

having pored over possible candidates in my new book , I came across Clitocybe trunciola in the book, which apparently is found on hardwood stumps etc, but is considered rare,
could this be a possibility ? or just wishfull thinking on my part ?


thanks,
ashgale

[ashgale]

no one any suggestions on what this may be then ??

ashgale.

[Geoff23]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

having said all that I'm not sure what it actually is! - you mention oyster mushroom and it has something of Pleurotus about it, but it doesn't really look a lot like Pleurotus cornucopiae which is the commonest member of that genus with a more or less

This looks very much like the mushroom I posted two days ago and nobody suggested any idea what it was:



Look at the brown dappling in the middle of the cap in the rear example of the photo from this thread. It's the same as on my picture. Stem and gills look the same also, as is the habitat - a large beech log. If they are the same then I am certain it is not either of the two common Pleurotus species.

I also posted this on another fungi forum, and nobody there knew what it was either.

[ashgale]

Originally Posted by Geoff23

This looks very much like the mushroom I posted two days ago and nobody suggested any idea what it was:



Look at the brown dappling in the middle of the cap in the rear example of the photo from this thread. It's the same as on my picture. Stem and gills look the same also, as is the habitat - a large beech log. If they are the same then I am certain it is not either of the two common Pleurotus species.

I also posted this on another fungi forum, and nobody there knew what it was either.

Hi Geoff,
i dont think they are the same, as apart from both being white and found on beech, they dont (to my novice eyes) look like the same thing, as yours does not have an inrolled margin like these, unless they flatten out to the shape of yours as they mature ?,
also, the brown flecks on yours look more like the scales on a parasol type, rather than the brown blotches on these,

having said that, they could both be one and the same, what do i know ?

regarding the Pleurotus link, it was the smell of them , not the look, that reminded me of oyster mushrooms, as i had found a nice bunch of these on another fallen beech nearby, and they both had a similar odour,



thanks,
ashgale.

[Geoff23]

Originally Posted by ashgale

Hi Geoff,
i dont think they are the same, as apart from both being white and found on beech, they dont (to my novice eyes) look like the same thing, as yours does not have an inrolled margin like these, unless they flatten out to the shape of yours as they mature ?,

The edges of mine had been nibbled, and it is older. They could easily flatten out.

regarding the Pleurotus link, it was the smell of them , not the look, that reminded me of oyster mushrooms, as i had found a nice bunch of these on another fallen beech nearby, and they both had a similar odour,

I didn't think to smell my one...

[Geoff23]

I think I may have found it: Pleurotus dryinus

Have a look at google images for this species. Looks like it to me. Both of them.

[cybershot]

Originally Posted by Geoff23

I think I may have found it: Pleurotus dryinus

Have a look at google images for this species. Looks like it to me. Both of them.

How would this fit with P. dryinus being excentrically or laterally stipitate. We have to learn to look at the broader picture.

Having said that I can't begin to suggest an alternative from the images supplied.

David