ID for a tree testicle fungus, please!

[JenW73]

Growing on a local sycamore tree, near Edinburgh, Scotland. Note on the photo there is a slug behind the growth, that's not part of it and it's not living there, just passing by! I poked the fungus, you can see my finger print on it. It's slightly sticky and really, really firm to touch, almost hard. I've searched and come up empty! Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

[Steve Bullman]

No pic attached 

[Terrain Aeration]

I’m going to Edinburgh for two weeks working on trees. 

[JenW73]

[Peasgood]

That slug has got  big knackers!

fun fact:

Leapord slugs are so well endowed they have to dangle on a rope from a tree in order to operate their phallus.

 

Similar claims have been made on this very forum over the years.

 

 

Interestingly they are hermaphrodites so in theory they really could follow some of the more frequently used advice from here too and just GFY

 

Edited September 11, 2022 by Peasgood

[Doug Tait]

1 hour ago, Peasgood said:

That slug has got  big knackers!

fun fact:

Leapord slugs are so well endowed they have to dangle on a rope from a tree in order to operate their phallus.

 

Similar claims have been made on this very forum over the years.

 

 

Interestingly they are hermaphrodites so in theory they really could follow some of the more frequently used advice from here too and just GFY

 

Thanks Peasgood, seen them dangling before, was fascinating but didn't know the reason.

[Paul in the woods]

15 hours ago, JenW73 said:

Growing on a local sycamore tree, near Edinburgh, Scotland. Note on the photo there is a slug behind the growth, that's not part of it and it's not living there, just passing by! I poked the fungus, you can see my finger print on it. It's slightly sticky and really, really firm to touch, almost hard. I've searched and come up empty! Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

Looks like a slime mould, possibly Reticularia lycoperdon.

[daltontrees]

16 hours ago, JenW73 said:

Growing on a local sycamore tree, near Edinburgh, Scotland. Note on the photo there is a slug behind the growth, that's not part of it and it's not living there, just passing by! I poked the fungus, you can see my finger print on it. It's slightly sticky and really, really firm to touch, almost hard. I've searched and come up empty! Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

Puts me in mind of Daldinia concentrica at a very early stage. Are you sure that's Sycamore, the bark looks more like ash, which would be the most common host for Daldinia?

[Steve Bullman]

1 minute ago, daltontrees said:

Are you sure that's Sycamore, the bark looks more like ash

I was thinking the same thing….although possible looks more like ailanthus to me 

[daltontrees]

10 minutes ago, Steve Bullman said:

I was thinking the same thing….although possible looks more like ailanthus to me 

Either way, doesn't look like sycamore. The commonest hosts for D.c. are ash and beech.