Fungi on Holly

[Chris Yeates]

I thought it might be of interest to start a thread or two on a host/substrate theme . . .

As I was looking at some Ilex leaves recently this is as good a place start as any. Most of the fungi one finds on holly are specific to it; dead holly leaves are easy to recognise and can usually be relied upon to provide several fungi.

Probably the most familar species is the "discomycete" Trochila ilicina, which is rarely absent:


I'll try and provide a better shot, to show how the developing fruit-bodies lift of a "lid" as they mature.

This "hyphomycete" fungus is probably quite common, but seldom recorded; it can form extensive sooty patches on dead attached holly branches and twigs; here it is on the hybrid Highclere Holly Ilex x altaclerensis - it is Corynespora smithii:









taxonomic and collection details of the latter can be found at:
Dothideomycetes - Pleosporales

more anon

Chris

[Ditiola]

Great idea Chris:

This fungus is found mainly on Holly but sometimes on other trees:

Photographed in Derbyshire 2011

Nectria punicea



Peter

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by Ditiola

Great idea Chris:

This fungus is found mainly on Holly but sometimes on other trees:

Photographed in Derbyshire 2011

Nectria punicea



Peter

great stuff Peter (and a nice image to boot)

cheers

Chris

PS (and I make no apologies for yet again referring to this website) there are some excellent micro-images of N. punicea at: http://www.ascofrance.com/search_recolte/1304 (I wish I could cut sections like that!)

[stickman]

And another Nectria commonly found on (and restricted to) holly, N.aquifolii. This one differs from N.punicea by having smaller ascospores which remain hyaline at maturity and often bud to form conidia whilst in the ascus:



And everyones favourite 'Punk Rock Basidiomycete' Marasmius hudsonii often found on holly leaves in deep litter around Autumn time:



Cheers,
Nick

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by stickman

And everyones favourite 'Punk Rock Basidiomycete' Marasmius hudsonii often found on holly leaves in deep litter around Autumn time:



Cheers,
Nick

a lot of mycologists would baulk at that "often found" - it's very much an "Atlantic"/close to the coast species NBN Gateway: Holly Parachute (Marasmius hudsonii) grid map the number of Yorkshire records is more about a lot of good mycologists in the county searching over many years than a true indication of frequency

I would like to bet it is more frequent in Ireland than the records would suggest (I think that dot in SW Ireland is one of mine from South Kerry in 1989)

if you're finding it "often" in Sussex then get your records in Nick . . .

cheers

Chris

that image does a wonderful fungus justice btw . . . .

[stickman]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

a lot of mycologists would baulk at that "often found" - it's very much an "Atlantic"/close to the coast species NBN Gateway: Holly Parachute (Marasmius hudsonii) grid map the number of Yorkshire records is more about a lot of good mycologists in the county searching over many years than a true indication of frequency

I would like to bet it is more frequent in Ireland than the records would suggest (I think that dot in SW Ireland is one of mine from South Kerry in 1989)

if you're finding it "often" in Sussex then get your records in Nick . . .

cheers

Chris

that image does a wonderful fungus justice btw . . . .

Thanks Chris.

Maybe I was being a touch liberal with my use of the word 'common' .
Having said that, 2011 was a good year for M.hudsonii - I found it in a dozen or so (very separate) sites across Surrey and Sussex.

At one site there were hundreds upon hundreds of fruitbodies, they were literally on every holly leaf under every holly tree.

I'm aware that it's a species on the provisional 'Red Data' list - but down here it seemed to be thriving. Perhaps it's simply a case of too many of the UK's mycologists being at the wrong end of the Country

Glad you posted that link - I've just noticed that the Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre's data doesn't show on the NBN map - a fact that may well have an impact on the number of red squares....

Cheers,
Nick

[flaxton]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

a lot of mycologists would baulk at that "often found" - it's very much an "Atlantic"/close to the coast species the number of Yorkshire records is more about a lot of good mycologists in the county searching over many years than a true indication of frequency

cheers

Chris

and a few less good mycologists who have spent many a happy but unproductive hour searching for this little beastie

[Ditiola]

Originally Posted by flaxton

and a few less good mycologists who have spent many a happy but unproductive hour searching for this little beastie

I am one such mycologist, This year I have searched for hours in Derbyshire, Devon, Wales and Cornwall but with no luck yet

Although the notes in the recent Field Mycologist suggest that you have to dig down into the leaves to find it, that will be one of next years projects

Peter

[BROCSMAN]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

a lot of mycologists would baulk at that "often found" - it's very much an "Atlantic"/close to the coast species NBN Gateway: Holly Parachute (Marasmius hudsonii) grid map the number of Yorkshire records is more about a lot of good mycologists in the county searching over many years than a true indication of frequency

I would like to bet it is more frequent in Ireland than the records would suggest (I think that dot in SW Ireland is one of mine from South Kerry in 1989)

if you're finding it "often" in Sussex then get your records in Nick . . .

cheers

Chris

that image does a wonderful fungus justice btw . . . .

I've seen it in Shropshire, which is not usually thought of as a coastal county...

[waxcap]

I had a browse around a wood full of Holly here in the New Forest and found the following. I haven't tried to identify it as I don't have the resources at the moment.

1. This was on a decaying Holly branch.





2. Again on a decaying branch on the ground.



3. This was a live branch that had an unusual "geometric" pattern of split bark all the way up from the ground. It had some sort of crust fungus but I'm afraid the image isn't very sharp.