Beech bracket eludes identification

Camilo · #1 (**permalink**) 28-12-2011, 10:21 AM

This one is causing me problems. Could it possibly be Paxillaceae? Any threads to follow would be welcome. It was found on a dead beech trunk (2 metres high) on 26/12.

ashgale · #2 (**permalink**) 28-12-2011, 10:37 AM

Hi,
it looks like an ageing Pleurotus species to me,
although i would not like to say which species it is

diggleken · #3 (**permalink**) 28-12-2011, 11:04 AM

I think Ash is quite right - dry and browned Pleurotus ostreatus.
Cheers
Ken

fairplay · #4 (**permalink**) 28-12-2011, 12:34 PM

I wouldn't be certain with P.ostreatus - I would just stick with Pleurotus.

Neil.

Chris Yeates · #5 (**permalink**) 28-12-2011, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camilo

This one is causing me problems. Could it possibly be Paxillaceae? Any threads to follow would be welcome. It was found on a dead beech trunk (2 metres high) on 26/12.

Hi

not really a bracket, and it certainly couldn't be a member of the Paxillaceae, all the members of which are ectomycorhizal; unless I was doing some serious survey work I would frankly ignore things like this - it's not looking typical, has clearly had the slugs and snails traipsing over it, is old and dry - you're not really going to learn much about Pleurotus identification from it, it's not going to feature in your album of "good fungus pic's"

life's too short to spend time on these sorts of finds (whoops and that's exactly what I'm doing

)

laters . . . .

Chris

Camilo · #6 (**permalink**) 28-12-2011, 02:58 PM

Well thanks a lot everyone. I'll plump for an old and shrivelled Pleurotus and take it no further. In fact today I received my copy of Michael Jordan's field guide which I saw recommended (probably by one of you) a few days/weeks back. And I had already taken it to the suggestion of Pleurotus. Obviously not a bracket but it looks like one from afar. Great stuff - success in 2012 to you all.