Cool fungal finds in the urban streets

Winter is getting on but fungi are still doing their thing, and below are two of the better ones I found this last week. The chances are that those of you reading this have seen these two fungi before, though what is curious about the below tree-fungi relationships is either the spectacular arrangement of the fungi on the host or the unusual host species.

Abortiporus biennis (blushing rosette) on Sorbus intermedia (Swedish whitebeam)

This association is posted as it’s just a really great example of what this fungus can achieve – with regards to sporophore (notably as a teleomorph, where a hymenium is present and there is sexual reproduction) production – with the right conditions. The poor Swedish whitebeam certainly has seen better days, and has evidently died either nearly or entirely. Thus, the mycelium of the blushing rosette is having a field day, and is devouring the principal roots, as we can clearly see from the below images.

Many sporophores of Abortiporus biennis encircle the stem, sitting at around 20-60cm out from the fulcrum.

And now we begin to circle the stem…

This one is certainly mature!

And this one is an anamorphic mess!

These are some of the teleomorphic sporophores, and thus produce spore via basidia.

And this one is the most photogenic of them all. It has awarded itself with a rosette and blushed accordingly. Yeah, bad joke…!

Ganoderma resinaceum on Crataegus persimilis ‘Prunifolia’

The lacquered bracket is supposedly rare, in the UK – nationwide, perhaps. However, in the south east of England, it’s actually rather frequent, and is usually found on oak and less so beech. However, there do spring up a few more obscure hosts, and beyond seeing it on willow and poplar, I have now also seen it on the broadleaved cockspur thorn. A search of records indicates no prior record of this association between fungus and tree, and therefore perhaps this is the first time it has been observed. Honestly, I doubt it, as people see things everyday and don’t inform the correct fungal authorities (namely Kew Gardens, for the Fungal Records Database), though it is nonetheless a really awesome find and it did make my afternoon!

Even the sun is illuminating this thorn!

Huzzah! Relative fungal devastation going on down there – plenty of brackets, and thus plenty of white rot. Not a good day to be a broadleaved cockspur thorn.

A little closer and we can see the lacquered upper surface being obscured slightly by the brown spore released by Ganoderma resinaceum.

And closer yet again, solely for good effect.

And a cross-section. Cutting into the brackets of Ganoderma resinaceum is not that easy, as they have quite a rubbery resistance to them. Use a very sharp blade for a clean cut!

An assortment of fungal finds

Trees are cool. So are fungi. Together, they’re also cool. Thus, here’s some pictures of a few fungi that I came across this week on and around trees, given that autumn is upon us and things are now coming out into action.

Some tiny Crepidotus cesatii all along a fallen small ash (Fraxinus excelsior) twig. The central pith of the twig was completely overrun by mycelium, upon inspection.

Turning the small fruiting bodies upside-down reveals a quite glorious gill arrangement.

A pair of Pluteus chrysophaeus popping out from the heavily-decayed remains of an ash log.

A lone Pluteus cervinus barges its way out from an old branch attachment on a long-dead birch (Betula pendula) stem.

This quartet of Gymnopilus junonius fruiting bodies making the butt of a fallen oak (Quercus robur) their place of temporary residence.

A select few of a quite abundant display of Mycena inclinata upon its much-preferred host: Quercus robur.

An enterprising Coprinus lagopus stands produly above its emerging companion on the floor of a deciduous woodland.

Close by, a few more Coprinus lagopus are beginning their sporophoral life.

A cluster of Coprinus atramentaria have reserved this car-parking space.

My favourite one of them all: Chlorociboria aeruginascens. This gorgeous little ascomycete (specifically a discomycete, if I recall correctly) dresses its substrate with a turquoise colouration, courtesy of its entrepreneurial mycelial network.

These guys are absolutely tiny, though we can even see the dainty little stipe on the one in the top right.

The yellow jelly-like fungus Tremella mesenterica parasitising upon a visually absent Peniophora sp. mycelial network, penetrating through this well-decayed hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) branch.

Peculiar! Daldinia sp. upon a fallen stem of birch (Betula pendula). I am uncertain as to whether this would be Daldinia concentrica, or another one of the myriad of known species of the genus Daldinia. At least five species are known to the UK.

Another angle of the coal fungi along this birch stem.

Dead man’s fingers! Xylaria polymorpha fruiting bodies are littered along this fallen ash (Fraxinus excelsior).

This ascomycete has a fantastic context. Anyone for liquorice?

An old and now quite mouldy Ganoderma lucidum that I found within a coppice stool of hornbeam (Carpinus betulus). What a great stipe!

A duo of Nigroporus durus on some very old decaying logs – probably of ash (Fraxinus excelsior), due to the presence of Daldinia concentrica to the pair’s left.

Finally, the remains of a Phaeolus schweinitzii on a stump of Pseudotsuga menziesii. A few weeks earlier and it’d have been lovely!