On willow bark

[RobSutton]

I've been watching these developing over the last week or so on/under the bark of some willows I pass daily on the way to work. When I first saw them I thought it was going to be some sort of Ascomycete immersed under the bark errupting to release spores but this is pretty much all that has developed and under the microscope there doesn't seem to be any fungal hyphae - in fact just an irregular mess of roundish red blobs and I'm not even sure they are fungal but am at a total loss as to any other idea - any suggestions?





Just as an afterthought could they be new lenticels opening up in the bark rather than any fungal infection?

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by RobSutton

. . .
Just as an afterthought could they be new lenticels opening up in the bark rather than any fungal infection?

hi Rob

I was about to answer this as being growth signs and then just noticed your last line and I think you're spot on - it is the time of sap rising etc

certainly doesn't look fungal . . . I was even going to use the word 'lenticel' - honest!

but well done for even noticing it and following its progress

cheers

Chris

[RobSutton]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

hi Rob

I was about to answer this as being growth signs and then just noticed your last line and I think you're spot on - it is the time of sap rising etc

certainly doesn't look fungal . . . I was even going to use the word 'lenticel' - honest!

but well done for even noticing it and following its progress

cheers

Chris

Hi Chris

It was literally as I pressed the button to post that I had what me old dad used to call a BGO - a blinding glimpse of the obvious! I was getting quite excited at the prospect of squashing more fungal bits under the microscope and adding something new to the list - it's been a long winter!