Help with identity, please?

Ron Nash · #1 (**permalink**) 15-09-2010, 10:03 PM

Seen at the bottom of healthy-looking oak tree.

Can anyone help identify this (them), please?

Ron.

The Woodman · #2 (**permalink**) 15-09-2010, 10:13 PM

You call that healthy?

NickCantle · #3 (**permalink**) 15-09-2010, 10:39 PM

Collybia fusipes methinks!

flaxton · #4 (**permalink**) 15-09-2010, 11:01 PM

I agree with that Nick

Mal

Ron Nash · #5 (**permalink**) 16-09-2010, 05:05 AM

NickCantle and flaxton,

thanks for that, appreciated.

Woodman,

I did say it was healthy-looking. Outwardly the tree seemed fine; who knows what lies deep inside? Maybe it should be cut down to see if it's healthy? Just a thought.

Ron.

The Woodman · #6 (**permalink**) 16-09-2010, 07:50 AM

Hi Ron

Perhaps I should have explained my brief reply.

Without knowing the circumstances of the tree, your top image shows (to me) symptoms of fungal and perhaps bacterial infection - the dark staining.

The tree doesn't look to of a great age and whilst infection can occurr at ground level, it can be many years before it shows on the outward appearance of the tree. Oaks are pretty resilient trees.

Either that or the tree is used regularly by the local dog population as a scent post.

flaxton · #7 (**permalink**) 16-09-2010, 09:46 AM

[quote=The Woodman;677817] Oaks are pretty resilient trees.

QUOTE]

I have this growing on one or two of my local ancient oaks (between 4 and 7 hundred years old) so it is obviously not a quick killer of oak.

Mal

The Woodman · #8 (**permalink**) 16-09-2010, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickCantle

Collybia fusipes methinks!

The old boys "Oak Marasmia". Is this a secondary infection of necrotised wood caused by another agent e.g. Phytophthora quercina?

There's definately something going on under that bark.

Ron Nash · #9 (**permalink**) 16-09-2010, 01:02 PM

The Woodman,

I didn't get a chance to study the oak properly; it is outside Orpington hospital, opposite the front door and it was raining; perhaps that was part of the dark stain - certainly not dogs.
I'll go back and take another look and photograph it. How long will it be in its current state; will it drop to bits, or grow bigger?

Thanks,

Ron.

Ron Nash · #10 (**permalink**) 20-09-2010, 04:20 PM

The Woodman,

as promised, I went back and took these photos a couple of days later; the oak tree is young (as you said) and it does appear to be healthy to my inexperienced eye. The second photo shows that the bark is weeping; can I assume that this is part of the fungal attack?

Should it be reported, in case it could be dangerous?

Thanks for your help.

Ron.