3 for ID please

[stickman]

I have 3 gelatinous masses that need further inspection

First I thought was Auricularia auricula-judae at the time, but now I feel it's something else.



No idea on the second. pink rubbery job on birch, lots on one tree. 2-8cm.



Third might be Trichia spp. or similar? On Oak



Thanks all, Nick.

[RobSutton]

I think your pink rubbery job is Ascocoryne sarcoides, the first looks a bit like very young Tremella foliacea but I'm not totally convinced and can't help with the third I'm afraid.

[fairplay]

Nick, can you take another shot of No 1. next week when it has developed a bit more ?

No 2. Looks like it will be Ascocoryne sarcoides but spores need to be measured to separate from A.cylichnium

No 3. Him no good with Slime Moulds !

Neil

[RobSutton]

Originally Posted by fairplay

No 2. Looks like it will be Ascocoryne sarcoides but spores need to be measured to separate from A.cylichnium

Neil

I find the life cycle of these things very confusing. Is this brian like jelly stage what they call the imperfect stage and is that the same as the conidial stage? Do the two species show a difference in spore sizes at both stages or would you have to find the flat disc like stage when, I think, they produce the ascospores? It's hard enough trying to separate some of these things without the added complication of complicated life cycles

[fairplay]

Reading the second edition of "The Fungi" by Carlile, Watkinson and Gooday, they write that:
''Ascomycetes are those fungi in which the sexual process involves the production of haploid ascospores through the meiosis of a diploid nucleus in an ascus. Most Ascomycetes also carry out asexual sporulation, conidiospores being produced on specialized aerial hyphae, the conidiophores, that rise above the substratum.
The sexual phase of an Ascomycete is now termed the teleomorph, and the asexual phase the anomorph, the concept of 'perfect' and 'imperfect' states having been abandoned"

I hope you realise Rob that you have forced me to actually read a very heavy going book I bought about 6 or 7 years ago which I've previously only browsed through.

Although I haven't really answered your question, I think what you have there is the 'anomorph' stage so measuring what would be conidiospores would not serve any purpose, and as you say, it would be best to wait for the disc shaped teleomorph to develop.

Hopefully, having looked this up, I might remember it, but it will all be forgotten tomorrow I expect.

Neil.

[stickman]

Originally Posted by fairplay

Nick, can you take another shot of No 1. next week when it has developed a bit more ?

I'll certainly give it a go but I have a feeling I'll end up getting lost in the woods. Again.

Originally Posted by fairplay

No 2. Looks like it will be Ascocoryne sarcoides but spores need to be measured to separate from A.cylichnium

Looks spot on. To add to the confusion the anamorph is seemingly called just Coryne sascoides/cyclichnium. I think the teleomorph was fruiting on the same piece of wood but I didn't take any photos as it was well boring compared to the weird pink alien brain stuff.

Cheers, Nick

[RobSutton]

Originally Posted by fairplay

...

The sexual phase of an Ascomycete is now termed the teleomorph, and the asexual phase the anomorph, the concept of 'perfect' and 'imperfect' states having been abandoned"

I hope you realise Rob that you have forced me to actually read a very heavy going book I bought about 6 or 7 years ago which I've previously only browsed through.

...

Neil.

My obviously outdated and very poorly remembered understanding of perfect and imperfect stages goes back thirty five years to a short mycology course I did whilst at University - I found that heavy going But I did learn a few of the basics of fungal microscope work which I surprisingly remembered when I started developing an interest in fungi a few years ago.

[Ditiola]

Rob
Found this on the net hope it is useful:
Peter

Ascocoroyne
This fungus is characterized by a Fruiting body (technically an Apothecia) with a pinkish-purple color and more or less gelatinous consistency. The apothecia, typically 0.5 to 1.5 centimetre (0.2 to 0.6 in) in diameter, start with a roughly spherical shape, then eventually flatten out to become shallowly cup-shaped with a wavy edge and smooth upper surface. The lower surface may be covered with small particles (granular), and the apothecia are either attached directly to the growing surface (sessile), or have a rudimentary stem.[7] The apothecia are accompanied by a conidial form, where non-sexual spores are generated. The conidial form consists of sporodochia, a cushion-like asexual fruiting body mass consisting of short conidiophores (specialized stalks that bear conidia). The sporodochia are similar in color and consistency to the apothecia but very variable in shape, typically club-, spoon-, or tongue-shaped, and bearing minute, cylindrical, straight or curved conidia.[4] As the fungus matures and the apothecia enlarge and press against each other, the apothecia coalesce to form a gelatinous, irregular mass.[6] The flesh, similar to the appearance of the fungus, is pinkish-purple and gelatinous. The odor and taste of A. sarcoides are not distinctive.[7]

[fairplay]

And what does it say for A.cylichnium ?

Neil.

[mollisia]

Hello,

the foto no. 2 shows Coryne dubia, what is the imperfect form (or anamorph) of Ascocoryne dubia.
Ascocoryne cylichnium has no know anamorph.
Ascocoryne inflata has a completey different anamorph, looking like a white mould.

So, if you see, this brain-like violett jellies, it is always the anamorph of Ascocoryne sarcoides. But you should not mix those up with Ascotremella faginea or Neobulgaria pura var. foliacea!

In some determination keys or descriptions of the Ascocoryne species there is talk about the ascoconidia. These are conidia which originate on the ascospores (hence the name)! Those ascoconidia should not be taken for the conidia of the anamorph. That are two totally different things!! Ascoconidia are produced in each of the Ascocoryne species and by their shape and way of development one can seperate A. sarcoides from A. cylichnium.

best regards,
Andreas

best regards,
Andreas