Conformation Please

[Ditiola]

Hi
I found this fungus last winter but was unable to identify it. It as growing on a dead Willow Branch. At first I thought it might be a very large specimen of the asexual stage of Ascocoryne but I was not happy with this as it was to big and not quite right.




While looking through some fungi photos on the internet I found this and other similar photo's of Ascotremella faginea.



All 82 records in the BMS database are for the south of England, some of these are recorded on Willow.

Can anyone confirm this fungus from my photo or do I need to collect a specimen for microscopic examination. I have re searched the site on several occasions but not yet found it again.

If it is this fungus it is much further north than all previous records!

Peter

[Beamish]

Hi Peter,

looks very much like Ascotremella faginea to me (the only valid species in this genus). Are you sure about willow? But it is reported from other decidous trees as well (check Ascotremella faginea (Peck) Seaver, 1930 (a discomycete) )

Final confirmation would be by microscopy.

Cheers,

Martin

PS: I wouldn't trust distribution maps with ascos. There a too few people who care... ;-)

[Ditiola]

Thanks Martin

It was in an area that is 90% Willow. and quite a few records in the BMS database are on Willow.

I think it probably is Ascotremella, but I will have to keep looking out for a new fruiting so that I can check it out microscopically to be absolutely sure.

Peter

[fairplay]

I'm certain I found this too on Willow in Suffolk, but I could not get my squash sample to squash under the cover slip - it kept oozing out like jelly that wouldn't squash so I gave up.

Does anybody know how to get round this ?

Neil.

[FungiJohn]

Originally Posted by fairplay

I'm certain I found this too on Willow in Suffolk, but I could not get my squash sample to squash under the cover slip - it kept oozing out like jelly that wouldn't squash so I gave up.

Does anybody know how to get round this ?

Neil.

Hi Neil

Partially freeze a sample and take a thin slice using a scalpel or razor blade. More of a scrape than cutting!

John

[mollisia]

Originally Posted by fairplay

I could not get my squash sample to squash under the cover slip - it kept oozing out like jelly that wouldn't squash so I gave up.

Does anybody know how to get round this ?

Neil.

Hello,

if it oozes out when squashin, the piece is too big. Just the size of a needle tip is enough.
If you freeze it (same with drying, which also works well), you kill the cells and you don't have living material for examination. Not too big a problem in this case, but in most inoperculates you have much more characters and an easier way of observation with living material.

There are two very similar fungi: Ascotremella faginea and Ombrophila pura var. foliacea. I don't dare to determine them without microscopy, except I find the latter inbetween normal O. pura var. pura.

best regards,
Andreas

[Ditiola]

Thanks Andreas

I had forgotten about Ombrophilia. (It is still called Neobulgaria in the BMS database) but the foliose variety does look a very likely candidate. In the BMS database their are 35 records of var. foliacea on unidentified wood, 15 on Fagus, 4 on Quercus and 1 record on Willow.

Apparently I found it in Derbyshire in 2006, as there is one of my records in the BMS database although I do not remember finding it! Perhaps I have seen to many fungi since then and it has started to turn my brain to jelly

I am sure I will find another specimen at the same site at some time to check it out properly.

Thanks for your help


Peter

[fairplay]

Originally Posted by fairplay

I'm certain I found this too on Willow in Suffolk, but I could not get my squash sample to squash under the cover slip - it kept oozing out like jelly that wouldn't squash so I gave up.

Does anybody know how to get round this ?

Neil.

I was using a stereo (dissecting) microscope to take smaller and smaller pieces. I guess I shall just have to persevere.

Thanks for the tips anyway.

Neil.

[Ditiola]

I have also found jelly type fungi difficult to study. They lack the nice strong outlines that you get with filamentous fungi, all the structures just seem to merge into each other in a wobbly blob. I have now got used to finding the basidia in the basidiomycete jelly fungi after some careful searching, but apart from basidia and few spores not much else, although I expect there is not much more to find. The ascomycete ones are a bit easier to work with as the asci no not seem to be so gelatinous, but I much prefer working on a toadstool.

Peter