Pholiota squarrosa? Base of a beach tree...

[ohgreatstew]

Found 2 bunches of these, I am pretty sure of ID, but would appreciate confirmation....

[fairplay]

I'm left wondering why you think these are P.squarrosa, the common name alone should be sufficient to make you think again.
The only thing you have going for you is the growth habit and habitat.

Not an easy one this by any means, because you seem to have removed the most important identification characteristic - the base of the stem.

Methinks this could be Collybia fusipes - Spindle Shank, which usually grows on Oak, but is known from Beech occasionally. The gill connection to the stem is supposed to be adnexed, but I'm having difficulty interpreting what yours are, but where the stem is broken, it is becoming darker and more narrow and I bet you struggled to pull out a sample as it is quite firmly attached to the base of the tree.

Do tell me I'm right

Neil.

[flaxton]

Sorry to be the bringer of bad news Neil but I don't think it fusipes but I agree it is not squarrosa. The gills of C fusipes are deeply notched at the stem and not as crowded as this find. Pholiota maybe

Mal

[fairplay]

I'm still not sure how these gills are attached, but I certainly accept these gills are too crowded now - fiddle sticks !

Neil.

[hamadryad]

just for the record i see fusipes on a lot of beeches, i think one of the problems in these images is the colour, are the old? having been preserved by the cold temps of late and hence have faded? the look like fusipes to me, and most definately NOT squarosus (for me) before anyone claims i am stating it is a fact!

[ohgreatstew]

OK, let me try to give a little more detail, the gills are adnate, flesh is cream yellow, are are more scaley than they look in the pictures, and of course you are right Neil in that I did not obtain the most important part, for exactly the reason you gave, but the caps are large, from 100-200mm, I will take another trip back tomorrow to get a better sample and pictures.....
Thanks as always...

[gleditsa]

could be that my tree id skills are worse than my fungi id skills (who said impossible?) but that "beech" looks very oak like in the appearance of the bark?

j.

[ohgreatstew]

Originally Posted by gleditsa

could be that my tree id skills are worse than my fungi id skills (who said impossible?) but that "beech" looks very oak like in the appearance of the bark?

j.

Funny you should say that J, I was thinking the same thing myself, not very smooth that bark is it....

[fairplay]

I too think it is Oak, but I didn't want to say anything at the time.

OGS, if you are going back tomorrow, you will easily be able to rule out C.fusipes by trying to remove 3 or 4 together. Try to place your hand around the stems as close to the base as you can and try pulling them without breaking the stems.
If this doesn't work, could you somehow try to extract one with a complete stem ? Then photograph it.

Whilst I readily accept Mal's point that the gills are very crowded, I just cannot think what else these could be.

Neil.

[gleditsa]

Originally Posted by fairplay

I too think it is Oak, but I didn't want to say anything at the time.

OGS, if you are going back tomorrow, you will easily be able to rule out C.fusipes by trying to remove 3 or 4 together. Try to place your hand around the stems as close to the base as you can and try pulling them without breaking the stems.
If this doesn't work, could you somehow try to extract one with a complete stem ? Then photograph it.

Whilst I readily accept Mal's point that the gills are very crowded, I just cannot think what else these could be.

Neil.

it was your suggestion of Collybia fusipes and saying it usually grows on oaks that made me take a second look at the actual tree itself,

j.