Strange White/Orange Mass (ID Help Request)

[Lancashire Lad]

Found Saturday March 19th.

This example growing on low level live branch of a Sycamore, but two other examples were observed growing on the cut ends of felled Scots Pine trunks.

This example was approximately 100mm in height overall, dry to the touch, quite rubbery in texture (more so than Tremella foliacea for example).

Never seen anything similar before, and am unsure if it is something that might grow into a recognisable fungus (crust type?), or whether it might even be a stage of a slime mould.



Any thoughts or suggestions towards ID would be much appreciated.

Regards,
Mike.

[PMG]

Absolutely dunno! Now thats helpful isn't it?? Lets hope one of the experts comes along soon!

[diggleken]

Is it weeping from a cut Mike?
The felled tree stuff sounds like what you get from the stump over time, discolouring orangey sometimes, as the sap continues to rise from when felling trees. It compacts when on the stump , but perhaps this has dribbled and so is looser, if theres a cut?
Put it in the botany forum and ask Dorts? Just a thought.
Cheers
Ken

[Johnny Redgate]

Bacterial or mould growth on a sap run?? As Ken says, it looks like the stuff that can grow on tree stumps cut when the sap is rising. I'd like to know eactly what it is too

[fairplay]

It is simply called SLIME FLUX.
Just google "Slime Flux, White Admiral" if you want to learn more.

Yeasts and bacteria are the main constituents.

Neil.

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by fairplay

It is simply called SLIME FLUX.
Just google "Slime Flux, White Admiral" if you want to learn more.

Yeasts and bacteria are the main constituents.

Neil.

Hi Neil,

I was just logging in to answer questions raised by Ken and Johnny, when your answer post uploaded.

Many thanks for that - you are undoubtedly correct - the photo on the White Admiral site looks exactly like the two examples I saw growing on the ends of the felled Pine trunks.

Perhaps much is not yet known about this material, as the article suggests it grows on recently cut logs.

The two Pines I speak of were felled several years ago.
The example in the photo is on a living Sycamore branch - (although I suppose that may have had some damage, such as the evident broken off twig, which could have been the entry point for the slime to grow). I'm confident that it did grow here, as there is absolutely no evidence of having dripped from above.

The texture of the slime is quite strange - I can only describe it as being like a dry rubbery skin, which bends and flexes under finger pressure. I'm now assuming that the inside must be more liquid, as on the photo it does appear to be "dripping" from its lowermost edge.

Thanks again for the great ID steer.

Regards,
Mike.

[diggleken]

Brilliant Neil,
I must admit, I always thought it just a sap discolouration depending on tree , as its reddish, orangey and pink ones I've seen.
Fascinating, well raised Mike, solved a query I had been meaning to sort out for years!
Its fairly gooey too - not very nice stuff.
Just to add Mike, it can be on quite old, but not rotten stumps as far as I can suss from experience (but thats not scientific!).
Cheers
Ken

[USAfungi]

I would consider this when making the ID
Tree slime, stump flux and microbial consortia :Cornell Mushroom Blog

John

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by USAfungi

I would consider this when making the ID
Tree slime, stump flux and microbial consortia :Cornell Mushroom Blog

John

Hi John, and welcome to WAB.

Thanks for that. An interesting article, and definitely relating to the same type of "slime flux" that I found.

Regards,
Mike.