Grass id needed

[flaxton]

Hi
Not sure how easy this will be but to identify the fungi growing on this grass (the little yellow band about 2/3 of the way up the stem) I need to identify the grass species.


Unfortunately the fungi stops the grass from seeding so no nice easy seed head to help.
Any grass experts out there?
Thanks
Mal

[PeteTheBloke]

I think you'll need to provide some close-ups. One of the ligule, for starters - this is the bit of the leaf where it meets the stem. One of the underground parts if you have them. I'm a raw beginner, but I know it'll be awkward without the seed-head.

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by flaxton

Hi
Not sure how easy this will be but to identify the fungi growing on this grass (the little yellow band about 2/3 of the way up the stem) I need to identify the grass species.


Unfortunately the fungi stops the grass from seeding so no nice easy seed head to help.
Any grass experts out there?
Thanks
Mal

The grass looks like one of the Bromes - Bromus sp., as for the fungi, try putting it on the Fungi Forum, I'm sure they can help.
Dorts.

[PeteTheBloke]

I think the OP knows his fungi Dorts, that's why he wants to know the grass.

[diggleken]

If it helps to explain, this thread cross refers to what Mal is trying to do by getting a reasonable ID for the grass...................
Yellow band on grass
Cheers
Ken

[flaxton]

Thanks for that Ken. I will find another stem and try and post photos of the relevant bits.

Mal

[AlanS]

Is this actually a prostrate shoot that has been stood on end?

It looks like a stolon of Agrostis stolonifera to me, in which case, of course, your fungus is Epichloë baconii, as no doubt you know.

It could, however, be Phleum pratense (for E. typhina). If the shoot was upright, then I guess this becomes the most likely possibility.

I don't think it is Brachypodium (the other most plausible Epichloë host, for E. sylvatica) or a Bromopsis (for the apparently rare E. bromicola). We can definitely rule out Dactylis, Holcus, Poa or the Festuca rubra complex, which I think are the only other Epichloë hosts?

However, as others have said, we really need to be able to see the ligule (long and pointed in Agrostis stolonifera, rounded in Phleum).

Alan

[flaxton]

First for Ken here are a few closeup photos of the grass to hopefully help with the id.







Alan
It is a bit diffucult to say whether it was prostrate or erect because our dog had been walking on them so they were definitely prostrate when I found them but the signs were that it had been erect. I did some microscopy on the fungi and this is a spore


This is the perfect shape and size for Epichloe clarkii Which should be on a Holcus but there are no signs of it being septate which is a bit of a problem (unless it is down to my microscope skills)

[diggleken]

Err, not me Mal, I run a mile when it comes to grasses................except purple moor grass!
Alan's your man I think.
Cheers
Ken

[AlanS]

Hi Flaxton,

I have to admit that I am still uncertain about your grass host.

It is NOT (repeat NOT) (i.e. NOT) a Holcus. Holcus lanatus is softly hairy on its leaves and leaf sheaths. Holcus mollis is more variable, but even when it is almost hairless, there remains a distinct ring of hair around the nodes. I probably see Epichloë (presumably E. clarkii) on Holcus (both species) more often than on any other grass genus, but your grass cannot be this.

It could still be Agrostis stolonifera, but another possibility is that this is a rather drawn-up Phleum bertolonii (Smaller Cat's-tail). This is often not so erect as P. pratense and has a longer, more acute ligule (I forgot about it in my previous post as it is surpringly rare hereabouts, though common in most of the country). The tapering leaves are correct, and the stem-base could be OK.

I have dug out the Mycologist article on Epichloë. It would have been nice if they had included photomicrographs of Epichloë typhina (and been up to date in their "Bromus" taxonomy as it is important here). I have never got around to looking critically at Epichloë, but I would guess that your photograph is of a half-spore. It could well be that your Epichloë might not be fully mature and the disarticulation could have been forced during slide mounting, which would explain lack of septation.

E. typhina (the species on Phleum) is not supposed to break into half-spores, and if this spore is typical of what you saw (it's vital to check and measure a good range of spores), then this would support the Agrostis stolonifera/Epichloë baconii combination - which is still my best guess.

These are my thoughts, but I cannot be definite. I note that the BMS database has re-assigned all the E. typhina records where the grass hosts are known to have other Epichloë species. As E. typhina occurs on a significant number of different grass genera, it strikes me as premature to assume that it never does occur on Holcus, Agrostis, Bromopsis, etc.!

Alan