The Meripilus thread!

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Tony, 'Todays entry'...which type (if the theory is correct RE: types of merip) are you saying these are within the drip line, am i correct in thinking these would be the more 'flatter' saprophytic merip and therefore feeding off the dead/dysfunctional roots ??

 

Going on their distance around the root plate?

 

In my post regarding the Aspleniifolia or fern leaved beech....

 

This one is a very interesting case, for one thing its a grafted spp, and this represents some interesting dynamics which i cant put my finger on as yet. I do however have a theory that due to the "wound" created by the origional graft, the slight incompatability from a connection point of view (like stitching a new leg on to yours!) This means there is at all times some "occlusion" or undifferentiated meristematic tissue at the union. now as we all now, this means that with certain stimuli, like contact with rot pockets, this tissue will form roots as apposed to shoots when hit by light.

 

In my case, the old root stock has become dysfunctional via three agents, Gano (probably australe) meripilus which may or may not be acting pathogenicly, and another fungi which ive forgotten for now.

 

All these appear to be contained within the root stock, this i suspect due to the disruption patterns at the graft point (interesting hypothesis!) Whats occuring is the tree is trying to generate a new set of roots right through the old root stock which has become increasingly dysfunctional, and this is not unusual in grafted beech, marcus travers has a corking example of the completion of the proscess. my sample is only just begining the proscess of reiteration, a unique study oportunity indeed:thumbup1:

 

In answer to the main querry yes i think this is the sapro version if theory correct, BUT it is a bit dark for my tastes though this may be i suspect due to fruit body aging rather than fresh pale as i would expect, it is however the right shape and form.

[Giles Hill]

Tony,

 

I'd not had a chance to look at this thread before, but I searched it out after also stumbling on JFL's article (diverted whilst checking out his THREATs system).

 

You've got some great pictures and thought provoking stuff as usual... But I think you may have misinterpreted which form he considers to be the aggressive one i.e. I believe the first of the following two descriptions is the nasty one:

 

Photographs 1 and 2 (P1 & P2 respectively) show what I contend are two very different forms of Meripilus. The first form, as per P1, occurs as the typical profuse specimen, generally being located ca. 1-3m from the stem base (though not always, as in this case), and commonly found in multiple clusters. In terms of colouration, it quickly ripens from light fawn when fresh to a rich brown, and the frond margins are relatively acute in profile, with the whole tending towards a lax, spreading habit.

 

And this is the cuddly one:

 

The second form, as per P2, typically occurs as a single cluster, tucked well in to a root buttress canyon, or adjacent to the stem. I have only ever seen this form exhibit a paler colouration than the other form, with frond margins being notably rounded in profile, and the fruitbody generally being tighter packed. (For another photograph of this form, see Plate 80 in David Lonsdale’s ‘Principles of Tree Hazard Assessment and Management’.) It may be a coincidence, but I have never observed this form occurring on a tree in apparent ill health.

 

It is an intriguing article, but I don't think it is very clear on which is which - I'm just going on the last sentence of the second quote.

Edited October 4, 2010 by Giles Hill

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Giles, I havent looked at his article for a long time, not since first reading it i cant remember when it was that long ago. What I did was put that piece to the back of my mind and continue top look at those meripilus that I found and the situations in which I find them. In my experience, i find that the dark one is the trouble maker, smaller and thicker and its this form i find on the windblown beeches within whip Woods ashridge etc etc, whereas i find the big version paler and thinner almost a recurved margin is the sapro and found on or close to the trunk feeding on old tap roots.

 

I realy must talk to JFL on this

[Giles Hill]

Giles, I havent looked at his article for a long time, not since first reading it i cant remember when it was that long ago. What I did was put that piece to the back of my mind and continue top look at those meripilus that I found and the situations in which I find them. In my experience, i find that the dark one is the trouble maker, smaller and thicker and its this form i find on the windblown beeches within whip Woods ashridge etc etc, whereas i find the big version paler and thinner almost a recurved margin is the sapro and found on or close to the trunk feeding on old tap roots.

 

I realy must talk to JFL on this

 

Having got to know your ' observe and learn from nature style' I did wonder if it was something along those lines. It sounds like you've come to a different conclusion then, or maybe it's something to do with to your third form.

 

I use the safe but dull 'learn from books' approach and mostly rely on other peoples accepted theories - until someone else has a better theory!

[chris cnc]

heres some Meripilus for ya.

 

Fruit bodies had been appearing for several years but the customer was unaware of the significance. this year the tree failed to produce leaves. the cracks in the wall are recent and i believe indicative of a shifting root plate.

 

Take cover!!!!

 

edit- the tree is beech, and the fruit bodies are appearing around the full circumference of the stem

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I would say the house is early 70's? the tree probably 60-80years old and well established at the build/development stage. Somone has caused some root damage when the wall was biult, and the ground levels where altered for retention wall.

 

There will be a number of complicating circumstances and colonisations going on here, and the wall crack, though indeed is partly a lift it is equaly a push from incremental growth and volume of the soil space.

 

trees move, healthy or not, walls do not, one has to give.

[chris cnc]

I would say the house is early 70's? the tree probably 60-80years old and well established at the build/development stage. Somone has caused some root damage when the wall was biult, and the ground levels where altered for retention wall.

 

There will be a number of complicating circumstances and colonisations going on here, and the wall crack, though indeed is partly a lift it is equaly a push from incremental growth and volume of the soil space.

 

trees move, healthy or not, walls do not, one has to give.

 

i agree, but the fact that the wall crack had appeared recently (last year or so) indicates a sudden shift in the root plate, most likely caused by root decay. one things for certain the tree's a gonner

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Indeed it is, interesting though, that as I would expect the majority of the fruiting is on the wall side!, where all the damage was done many moons ago

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

The Aspleiniifolia (fagus sylvatica "Aspleniifolia") posted a while back.

 

Went back today to reduce it back to the "health line" 1 1/2 days climbing! thats unusual for me, 3+ton of material removed from crown most of which was chipped for the mulch bed. The tree had a very good leaf litter layer containing a very diverse range of Mycorhizea and saprobes which i will show you in my Fungal diary later on.

 

It was obvious where to reduce this one back too, a clear line of dysfunction was found with a second crown forming realy well within its framework and all growth above that point had become embrittled and was cleary due for die back and absiscion.

 

The tree is around 250-300 years old, no longer vigorous and this was clearly visible by the ramifiying of buds over extension growth, however vitality is very high, a stage that beech really start to look thier best, especialy in spring as the tips go purple red in the sun.

 

A truly enjoyable if tiring 2 days, I'm so looking forward to seeing it back in leaf, and i will get the shots as and when it does in the spring, im sure she will be looking swell:001_cool:

 

 

 

[gibbon]

Great job that