ID for fungus growing on tree?

[macc myco]

Can any of the resident experts help identify the fungus( ?) I found today in the Bollin Valley. A very recent arrival as I log most of the fungi I find here on at least a weekly basis. I noticed this on a Beech tree near a stream, Looked like foam had been sprayed down the tree - very white and with a hard surface..very like polystyrene..The larger patches were some 8-10cm across and 2-3cm deep. There are some older crusts also growing on the tree.
Thanks in anticipation.

Chris

[Chris Yeates]

This is surely the slime-mould Reticularia lycoperdon (and therefore not a fungus at all, of course); because it is merely using the tree as a useful base to fruit on and is not actually growing out of the tree, that is why you hadn't noticed it previously; it has literally crawled here - I've seen it on painted window sills for example

cheers

(another )
Chris

PS I don't think that's a beech . . . . is it?

[macc myco]

Many thanks for clearing that up...guess that's why it isn't in any of my fungi books then!!
Never seen one before.

Having had a prompt..you are almost certainly correct and it isn't a Beech
( there are a lot around that area)...Alder?

Chris