Possible Phlebiopsis or Peniophora

[RobSutton]

Spotted this growing on Larch debris (largish branches as well as on finer twigs) and at first thought it was a Peniophora species.



It has conspicuously incrusted lamprocystidia:



I was struck though by how markedly it changed colour when dry,



and on reading Fungi of Switzerland a distinct colour change from grey-white to a chalky creamy-white was highlighted for Phlebiopsis gigantea but I'm not sure if the Peniophora species change colour like this as well? It isn't producing spores at the moment so no help there.

I don't have a lot of other literature to go on for these type of fungi so any other ideas or suggestions would be gratefully received.

[Ditiola]

Rob
I do not know much about these fungi, but I have worked through the key for Peniophora in Nordic Macromyces, and from your info it seems to key out to P.pithya, which has been recorded in the UK on Larch.

Peter

This is a photo from a search on Google images:

[RobSutton]

Thanks Peter - it certainly seems like a possibility. I find these crusty jobs quite difficult especially if they are not fertile and unfortunately I've not managed to get hold of Nordic Macromyces - I'm hoping there will be a Funga Nordica vol 2 which will include these.

[Ditiola]

I did not know they were bringing out Vol 2

In Nordic Macromycetes: Peniophora is first split into Frb Orange to Salmon or Frb Greyish, reddish, Violaceous or Brownish.

Following the latter takes you to:

a) On conferous wood
b) on Deciduous wood

Following Confierous wood takes you to

a) Gloeocystidia present
b) Gloeocystidia absent

The with Gloeocystia takes you to 3 choices

P.pini - always on Pine

P.Septentrionalis - with a white sterile margin

P.pithya - On coniferous wood especially Picea: Sterile margin abscent or dark, closely attached, Frb smooth or uneven, redish grey to violaceous grey, often cracking. Spores: allantoid 6.5-7.5 x 2.5-3 microns. Cystidia encrusted 12-15 microns broad, encrusted part 24-35 microns long +/- coniclal. Gloeocystidia 50-100 x 8-10 microns obtuse or tapering.


Peter

[Maureen Richmond]

I'd say most likely a Penophora- you do need spore size really to help get to species, but I can tell you that Peniophora does show a colour and/or tonal change in different weathers and at different ages.
I've only seen Phlebiopsis gigantea - and it's not like this.