Fungal foray on a Sunday

[Kveldssanger]

...if only the upcoming post would be that poetic!

 

So I went out today to survey a single ash tree for my Lvl 4 course, and as always had an eye out for any fungi. I know the area quite well, so I wasn't passing by any new territory, though it appears I had been only half paying attention before now as the sheer amount of fungal activity I saw was incredible. I hardly walked by any mature trees (must have been 15 at most).

 

So I start walking down a narrow bridlepath that runs to the side of a field on the way to the ash tree and noted that, because of the blackthorn having lost its leaves for the winter, I could inspect the butts of all the mature ash trees that lined the bridleway. Lo and behold...

 

Some (what I intially thought was Ganoderma but I doubt that because of no brown spores) suspected Perenniporia fraxinea at the base of a large ash tree (because of the white spores). The sporophores are on the pathway-side of the ash, and the ash has a very marked lean in the same direction. I had to, after putting my bag down, barge my way through some unforgiving blackthorn for close-up shots, and snagged an expensive hoodie countless times. I'm sure Blue Inc. will have another sale soon enough...!

 

 

 

 

Having quite literally only just picked my stuff back up, my attention is turned towards a three-stemmed ash tree. Through the very dense blackthorn and hawthorn I notice a silhouette of what could only be Inonotus hispidus, though it was surprising how low down it was - perhaps only 30-50cm up from the base.

 

 

 

 

FInally I get down to the ash I want to inspect, that is (from noticing earlier in the autumn) riddled with Inonotus hispidus throughout and has, thankfully, been pruned in the last 2-3 years. Its seriously exposed setting and the fact two informal pathways run beneath it makes it somewhat of a hazard. I hope the ash is on a cycle of maintenance. Many cavities also exist on the trunk and principal limbs (what is left of them!).

 

 

 

 

But I also spot this little duo of Ganoderma or Perenniporia fraxinea sporophores at the base, whilst scrambling around to count the number of fallen Inonotus hispidus sporophores.

 

 

 

And so I do my survey on the tree, and depart. However, instead of walking away back from where I came from, I decided to look at the other mature ash very close by that had also been pruned or monolithed (the tree not pruned here is an oak).

 

 

And I saw these beauties!

 

On the first monolith, what I suspect is Perenniporia fraxinea (the thing was bleedin' massive - that folder is A3 size!) and some Daldinia concentrica to go alongside.

 

 

 

 

 

And on another but more ivy-clad monolith, some...

 

Desiccated Polyporous squamosus:

 

 

 

Suspected Perenniporia fraxinea:

 

 

 

 

 

And then to top it all off, on the way back I spotted these three Inotous hispidus sporophores in the lower crown of an ash. On the bottom one we can observe a sprout emanating from just above the sporophore.

 

 

 

 

Plenty more pictures, but these are the good ones. Enjoy. And give me a heads up if I have mucked up the ID of any of the fungi in any pictures!

[Paul Cleaver]

good photos of ash doing what they do best - succumb to fungal infection

[Kveldssanger]

Hahah I know what you mean on that one. Hey, it's good for fungal diversity!

[Kveldssanger]

Pretty keen on a positive ID on those first images of what I think is Perenniporia fraxinea, as such a diagnosis will condemn the tree to a serious reduction I would expect.

[David Humphries]

Pretty keen on a positive ID on those first images of what I think is Perenniporia fraxinea, as such a diagnosis will condemn the tree to a serious reduction I would expect.

 

P. fraxinea

 

 

 

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[Kveldssanger]

Cheers, David.

 

Would you suggest significant reduction work here, or even monolith the ash? It's certainly well into maturity. I am concerned that the brackets are on the compression side of the lean, and there's a very significant load upon the region. If it fell, it's go plum over the footpath.

 

This one isn't for the LA I work for, but I know the people who own the tree and I need to inform them.

[David Humphries]

I couldn't really say for sure without seeing it in the flesh Chris, but there will be significant decay of that basal region, so reduction should be a minimum consideration if retention is desired.

 

 

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[Kveldssanger]

I am still pulling thorns out of my hand from getting to those brackets, so will probably not go back to grab a sample unless I have a brushcutter with me. If it's this or Ridigidoporous the consueqneces are largely similar in terms of potential risk (of course, one is suspected white rot and the other a brown rot), though will seek to obtain a slice to check it when the tree works are done.

 

I just read JFL's little document on the fungus, and he states similarly to your suggestions. I will go speak to the guy and suggest to get the ash reduced at the very least. Else, a monolith would retain the habitat value in part.

 

Thanks.