Fungus on horse chestnut

[G13469]

I've been sent this picture of a friends mature conker tree. It's a pink flowering tree that has a few problems (leaf miner, bleeding canker, and a wet patch at the base) but it's a pretty tree so hope it can be retained.

Can anyone tell me what this is?

It's about the size of a tennis ball and has grown recently.

Edited April 23, 2020 by G13469

[David Humphries]

Looks like a slime mould - false puffball, (Enteridium lycoperdon)

 

Feeding on dysfunctional wood volume.

[Paul in the woods]

I thought it was also that slime mould, ageing from the young white to the harder silver then brown body. It grows a lot round here on hazel but I wasn't sure about it growing on chestnut.

 

Some good photos here:

Enteridium lycoperdon - False Puffball (Slime Mould Images)

WWW.APHOTOFUNGI.COM

---

APHOTOFUNGI - Photographic Stock Image Library Page for Enteridium lycoperdon synonym Reticularia lycoperdon -...

 

[G13469]

Thanks a bunch. Some afternoon reading for me and my beer ??