BMS Asco Workshop & Spring Foray

[Chris Yeates]

There will happily be a good WAB representation here . . . yours truly, FungiJohn, Alantb and Fairplay Neil

watch this space for some good stuff we hope - the collection of experts setting up here at Wentworth Castle is quite astounding, with people like Hans Otto Baral from Germany, Hermann Voglmayr from Austria, Thomas Laessoe and Jens Petersen from Denmark, Seppo Huhtinen from Finland; plus Brit's like Brian Spooner, Martin Ainsworth, Paul Cannon, Derek Schafer, Ern Emmett, Alick Henrici . . . the list goes on

watch this space - I think I can promise a rotting toadstool-free zone

cheers

Chris

[Chris Yeates]

everyone getting started:

[FungiJohn]

and it's been raining too

John

[Chris Yeates]

There is a lovely mature holm oak, Quercus ilex between the room I am staying and the building with the workroom; I grabbed a handful of leaves on my way to breakfast

first thing I've seen is this Microthyrium a tiny round shield-shaped fungus; of the two species likely to occur on oak it is closer to Microthyrium ilicinum (named after its original find habitat on Q. ilex) because of the four cilia (bristles) at the spore tip - three can be seen here on the left hand ascospore:

using the online key:British fungi - Keys
M. ilicinum is not supposed to have a thickened collar around the central opening, this one does:


according to Brian Spooner there may well be a good species - not yet described - to which this should belong; I have certainly collected this fungus on this host before; it will be filed away - with notes and the proviso mentioned above - as Microthyrium c.f. ilicinum

more exciting finds will doubtless follow though this fungus does have a certain aesthetic appeal at the micro level

Chris

[fairplay]

Does anybody know where the bar is ? (I need to study the Saccaromycetes)

Neil.

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by fairplay

Does anybody know where the bar is ? (I need to study the Saccaromycetes)

Neil.

at least some of us are looking at fungi

well, it looks like my wish for the dozen or so species which tip the Yorkshire total to 6,000 taxa will be realised! At least three new to the county today. This one is again on Quercus ilex; first observed at Kew in 2003 and with further collections from Surrey - but clearly very under-recorded - it's the imperfect state of Elsinoe quercus-ilicis:


to quote Brian Spooner's article in Field Mycology Vol 10(2): Elsinoe is a widely distributed genus, epecially in warmer regions, of species causing leaf diseases commonly known as 'spot anthracnose' (Jenkins, 1947). They occur on many host plants and are usually strictly host-limited."

Have a look at any holm oaks in your local parks - you could add a species to your county list!

Chris

[fairplay]

Well, Brian Spooner, retiring Head of Mycology at Kew, has cut the cake (a magnificent reproduction of his and Peter Roberts book 'Fungi' in the New Naturalist series) and has given his speech.

Our very own Fungi John took the 'official' photos and hopefully these will be following soon.

Tonight marks the end of the Ascomycete Workshop, and tomorrow we start the first of the 5 day forays - we have had some rain so hopefully it's all systems go for Chris to acquire quite a few more records for the Yorkshire Fungal Database and with some of the most experienced field mycologists in Europe (and possibly the world) present, I'm sure Chris won't be disappointed.

Neil.

[FungiJohn]

What a party, and what an exceptional group of friendly experts to have around!

Here's Brian's cake .... Yes, that is really a cake!



Right, I'm off to the pub

John

[SheffieldLass]

Well Chris seems to be in his element, clearly looking forward to seeing what this assembled group of hot shots can add to the Yorkshire list ...

Neil obviously needed a bit of light relief ... I hope he found the bar.

There wasn't a peep from FungiJohn once the serious stuff started, so I guess he was beavering away over a hot microscope the full two days ...

And it has hardly started ... will they survive another 5 days?

[Chris Yeates]

not a lot of time for posting; we were in Anston Stones Wood today - a number of WABbers will remember it from the tail-end of last year's Clumber foray; masses of stuff has been found, lots of new Yorkshire records

I can't believe this talk of mycological deserts - shame on you! there's plenty of stuff if you spend a bit of time searching - you won't find much except very large fungi just by going on a walk, and if there aren't many big fungi then . . .

you just have to select a good spot and look carefully, be patient, and if you haven't got a handlens - why?; I agree that for those not prepared to look at anything other than big toadstools and large brackets the pickings may be lean, but the corollary of that is obvious . . . .

We have found quite a lot of big stuff as well, though most of it very familiar.

Something interesting here - though I admit most people won't have the wherewithall to spot things like this or the books to name it:

an aero-aquatic fungus on very wet wood by the stream - a small whitish patch under the handlens, but under the microscope:



fantastic spiral "coil-pot" conidia, with an air bubble trapped to help them float in flood conditions; I had recognised it as a Helicodendron species by an amazing stroke of luck at the next table is Dr Hermann Voglmayr of the University of Vienna and a world expert on these guys! So I can say with much confidence it's Helicodendron tubulosum

I could post pictures of Pholiotina, Parasola, Agrocybe species et al. but life's too short and we kinda know what they look like; so expect more of the weird and wonderful - wish the people talking of deserts were with us is all I can say . . . .

and yes, Melanie, we are in our element - hope to see you tomorrow!

cheers

Chris