Staverton...

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Did you ever read the piece Lynne and Martyn helped write on the oak poly from a 2010 issue of Fungal Ecology?

 

Talks around the development ecology of the species, though not particularly the decay strategy.

 

"The rare oak polypore Piptoporus quercinus: Population structure, spore germination and growth" Crockatt, Martha E.; Campbell, Alice; Allum, Leanne; Ainsworth, A. Martyn; Boddy, Lynne.

 

 

 

 

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I cant find it, thought I had that paper but was looking and seem to have misplaced it, got the fungal biology issue its in though, shall have to dig it out and have another read.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Hoping the colour rendition is better this time:001_cool:

 

[Forest Imp]

Hello Tony, how's ya doing mate ?

I would agree with you that the Oak Poly seems to like very dry wood, but overall, at least from my experience, I would say it seems to prefer a bit of a micro climate especially when growing on detached fallen branches which are hidden by bracken.

Certainly this appears to be the favoured substrate in The Thicks part of Staverton although I have recorded OP 12 feet high in standing Oaks in the Thicks (At Windsor, I believe Martyn A has recorded it at 12 meters high - when it can easily be mistaken for Beef Steak fungus)

 

Oak Poly's do not appear to have a very strong attachment to the wood and can easily fall off. They are also very fleshy, so are quite attractive to deer and maybe squirrels, but they can re-grow in the same short season - but not always.

If they haven't been eaten or fallen off by the end of the season, they can sometimes mummify and stay attached for maybe another 6 months.

I disagree about them growing slowly as their season is very short so they need to come to maturity as quickly as possible but they do have a protective 'layer' over the pore surface which does seem to take quite a long time to break away.

 

I believe they are rare simply because of mans tidiness and only seem to grow on exposed heartwood on Oaks not less than 200 years old. Keep an eye open for the next issue of Field Mycology when a photo should be appearing of an OP growing on an Oak beam inside a castle up in Yorkshire. This was spotted by a young lad of 15 from the Norfolk group - so hopefully a new mycologist in the making. A stick was used to knock it off (slapped wrist - but he needed to find out what it was !) and Martyn at Kew says this is the only record of it being found on wood in the building industry.

Neil.

 

PS. In a previous post, were you talking about Lynne's body or Lynne Boddy ! (She's a lovely lass)

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Hello Tony, how's ya doing mate ?

I would agree with you that the Oak Poly seems to like very dry wood, but overall, at least from my experience, I would say it seems to prefer a bit of a micro climate especially when growing on detached fallen branches which are hidden by bracken.

Certainly this appears to be the favoured substrate in The Thicks part of Staverton although I have recorded OP 12 feet high in standing Oaks in the Thicks (At Windsor, I believe Martyn A has recorded it at 12 meters high - when it can easily be mistaken for Beef Steak fungus)

 

Oak Poly's do not appear to have a very strong attachment to the wood and can easily fall off. They are also very fleshy, so are quite attractive to deer and maybe squirrels, but they can re-grow in the same short season - but not always.

If they haven't been eaten or fallen off by the end of the season, they can sometimes mummify and stay attached for maybe another 6 months.

I disagree about them growing slowly as their season is very short so they need to come to maturity as quickly as possible but they do have a protective 'layer' over the pore surface which does seem to take quite a long time to break away.

 

I believe they are rare simply because of mans tidiness and only seem to grow on exposed heartwood on Oaks not less than 200 years old. Keep an eye open for the next issue of Field Mycology when a photo should be appearing of an OP growing on an Oak beam inside a castle up in Yorkshire. This was spotted by a young lad of 15 from the Norfolk group - so hopefully a new mycologist in the making. A stick was used to knock it off (slapped wrist - but he needed to find out what it was !) and Martyn at Kew says this is the only record of it being found on wood in the building industry.

Neil.

 

PS. In a previous post, were you talking about Lynne's body or Lynne Boddy ! (She's a lovely lass)

 

Hello Forest, Im doing well thanks, I see your face in the images david posted!

 

That 15 year old lads a legend for that find!

 

I agree about the micro climate bit, Ive found it at windsor just as you described also mummified as you described albeit very bored into by entomological thingies.

 

I dont believe it is limited to exposed heart wood, and think it actually likes it when the oak dies and has opportunity to consume the layers of sapwood, which makes the bark fall of leaving a very particular stain.

 

I also think it may be a slow grower as the fruit bodies do take time to develop, as can podocypha in my experience.

 

Im curious what the largest fruit body discoverd to date is also as I think most that I find are small for the species

[Tommy Hutchinson]

On 13/06/2010 at 23:25, Tony Croft aka hamadryad said:

As you all know both myself and MonkeyD spent a couple of days up at Staverton and Ive been thinking about this thread for a few days, one of us was going to start it sooner or later!

 

I couldnt really decide how to make the thread a story so i guess I will post some photos up and allow it to "progress" as and when the monkey sees its started!

 

I can not do the place justice, niether with words or pictures but we will do our best to give you a good idea of what makes Staverton a truly amazing place. I think this is the premier site in the U.K...

 

 

 

 

 

Staverton in Suffolk?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

5 hours ago, Tommy Hutchinson said:

Staverton in Suffolk?

yep

 

[Tommy Hutchinson]

10 hours ago, Tony Croft aka hamadryad said:

yep

 

Cool!