Fomes, Piptoporus or Phellinus?

[watsthat]

This bracket is puzzling me a bit. TBH Fomes fomentarius is most likely as it is fairly common in the area. Is it possible that F. fomentarius has grown into Piptoporus betulinus and mutated? Admittedly that sounds a bit far fetched/ambitious on my part and I`m sure there will be a simple explanation. Any comments valued.

Cheers

Pete

[flaxton]

I would go with a straightforward Fomes fomentarius.

Mal

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by watsthat

Is it possible that F. fomentarius has grown into Piptoporus betulinus and mutated? Admittedly that sounds a bit far fetched/ambitious on my part and I`m sure there will be a simple explanation.

Cheers
Pete

hi Pete

Of course that is absolutely impossible - when was the last time you saw a broad bean turn into a laburnum? In any case where does Piptoporus come into it? At no stage from young 'conk' to mature fruitbody does it look like this . . . .

I agree with Mal - this is F. fomentarius; don't forget this is a perennial species - so while we are used to seeing typical hooflike basidiomata as here: File:Fomes fomentarius 256162.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
it has to start somewhere - I think this is just a young one

cheers

Chris

[watsthat]

Thanks Mal & Chris,
It was the growth underneath that got me thinking, (that looks as if it might be P. betlinus), with the large growth overlapping it. Incidentally; are the growth rings annual? If so does that mean it is several years old.

Pete

[fairplay]

I think if Pete had asked if it is possible both Fomes and Piptoporus both started growing side by side with Piptoporus getting off to a good start followed by Fomes gaining on the home straight and finally winning as a rank outsider - would that have made more sense ?

Never mind.

Neil.

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by watsthat

Thanks Mal & Chris,
It was the growth underneath that got me thinking, (that looks as if it might be P. betlinus), with the large growth overlapping it. Incidentally; are the growth rings annual? If so does that mean it is several years old.

Pete

I don't think there is any Piptoporus here at all; don't quote me but the surface concentric rings may well not be annual: annual growth tends to be vertical

have you noticed how many of the posts here are of odd-looking fungal fruitbodies? in my experience abnormal fungal growth is quite normal

why not follow this fellow over the next few years? could prove an interesting study . . . .

Chris

[fairplay]

The banding on this fungus is more typical of F.pinicola than F.fomentarius - could it be this perhaps ?

Neil.

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by fairplay

The banding on this fungus is more typical of F.pinicola than F.fomentarius - could it be this perhaps ?

Neil.

I assume you mean Fomitopsis pinicola? It's a species I have never seen - I don't think it's ever as pale as this, but I know Mal has recorded it on Betula in Yorkshire, and he opted for fomentarius (see above) . . . .

Chris

[flaxton]

Originally Posted by watsthat

Thanks Mal & Chris,
Incidentally; are the growth rings annual? If so does that mean it is several years old.

Pete

I asked this question quite some time back and even spoke to someone at Kew. The general feeling was that it did bear "some" relationship but in good years a fruit-body could put on two or more ridges and in a bad year it might not put on any noticeable growth. I think, as Chris suggested, in the first year/s it may create ridges more horizontal ridges that definitely don't relate to a seasons growth.

Originally Posted by fairplay

I think if Pete had asked if it is possible both Fomes and Piptoporus both started growing side by side with Piptoporus getting off to a good start followed by Fomes gaining on the home straight and finally winning as a rank outsider - would that have made more sense ?

Never mind.

Neil.

I have often seen them on the same tree but I think the battle for ownership of certain space has been raged and won long before the fruit bodies appear so don't think you will find them next to each other.

Mal

[mollisia]

Hello,

I agree to both of Mals statements.
The fungus is definitely Fomes fomentarius. I know both well, both are very common here in Germany. Fomitopsis pinicola and Fomes can look quite alike when they are old, but in this jung stage the colours are typical for Fomes. Fomitopsis would in no stage look like this.
You can separate the too by a check wether the crust is melting when you heat it: Put a flame to the crust and if it melts it is Fomitopsis, if it is not melting it is Fomes.

best regards,
Andreas