Couple of tinies for ID please

[JennyS]

I'd appreciate some help with these, seen in the last couple of weeks........

Q1 on a Bramble stem by the coast


Q2 Very small, on a semi-derelict wooden boat


Q3 Looks very similar to above, seen on a wooden fence this afternoon


Q4. Alder Tongue Fungus - came across the photo when looking for something else. Photo taken February 2010

[poschiavanus]

Can't help with the others but 4 is definitely Taphrina alni.

[flaxton]

The first looks like a Mycena. The only ones to my knowledge growing on wood and with a striate stem are M polygrama, M inclinata and M galericulata. I doesn't look a good fit for any of them so not sure what it might be.

Mal

[JennyS]

Thanks posch and Mal.
Any suggestions anyone for the tiny brown one or is there just not enough detail?

[mollisia]

Hello Jenny,

the two collections of the tiny brown ones are both Mollisia species.
I'm not certain if they are the same, I would suppose that they are not.

The first one is very likely to be Mollisia ligni. The TRUE m. ligni, not what in FoS is presented. There are completely different species is shown. The true M. ligni is quite easily to identify by the negative reaction on lugols solution and tiny spores and multicellular marginal cells. It is a species which is drought tolerant and grows in places were it often dries out. Means e.g. on dead twigs still attached to the tree. Such decorticated twigs were already algae and lichens are growing.

The second one could be also M. ligni, but it looks less pubescent on the external and the hymenium seems to have a brownish touch. So I feel that this is very probably M. lividofusca. This species is also easily identifiable, becaus eit is the only Mollisia with brown hyphae in the subhymneium. All others have hyaline hyphae!

But without microscopical examination you will never know.
Send them to Kew, Brian Spooner loves Mollisias (O.k., that was not too serious, but he has made a publication together with Marijke Nauta about British Dermateaceae. The last parts with the genera Pyrenopeziza and Mollisia is still missing, so may be he indeed is interested in material ....)

best regards,
Andreas

[JennyS]

Thank you Andreas.

I've a specimen of the first Mollisia somewhere in the muddle that's my workspace and I'll try and get a specimen of the second. Would Kew be interested in Irish specimens as I haven't a clue who I could send them to in Ireland?

[mollisia]

Hello Jenny,

I don't know if Kew has. But if not, I always have interest in mollisioid collections (if they don't consist of only 3 apothecia .....)

best regards,
Andreas