Oudemansiella mucida - climbers beware!!

[tockmal]

Working on this beech removal at the weekend, Honey fungus(Armillaria) had killed the tree, but Oudemansiella mucida (porcelain fungus) had got to work on the stems and branches pretty quick.

 

The tree was the most brittle and dry feeling the climber had ever climbed, he has over 30 years climbing experience - Climbed many dead elms etc.

 

Anyway, just to say - be very cautious when you see this fungi on the tree as it makes rigging impossible, and just goes to show how wrong consultants are when they say that saprophytic fungi are not really a big issue in arboriculture.

 

Below - you can see the fruiting bodies on the stems.

 

 

More photos to follow later.

[tockmal]

Close up of underside of fruiting body of Oudemansiella mucida, notice the strange decay staining on the wood the mushroom is sitting on - seems to be across the xylem rays.

 

[Amelanchier]

That's quite a colony!

 

I'm of the opinion that many fungi are capable of changing modes of decay and vary highly between individual strains of the same species. There is evidence of O. mucida causing extensive soft rot with simultaneous degradation. So indeed not one to be relegated to the minor leagues without further attention. Especially when setting high anchor points in full leaf!

 

The orange reaction zones are the hyphal masses of O. mucida formed at the boundaries between regions of wood that are dessicated enough and chemically suitable for invasion and those that are not. These would as you say be mostly aligned with the strongest passive defence, wall 3 -the rays. Especially within Fagus spp. Pretty don'tcha think?

 

Surely the key point of saprophytic fungi is that they feed on dead and decaying wood. As such I'm not sure anyone would claim that an entire tree covered in fruting bodies would not be an indication of a hazard, even consultants !!!

[tockmal]

That's quite a colony!

 

Yeah the entire tree from root to shoot had toadstools.

 

I'm of the opinion that many fungi are capable of changing modes of decay and vary highly between individual strains of the same species. There is evidence of O. mucida causing extensive soft rot with simultaneous degradation. So indeed not one to be relegated to the minor leagues without further attention. Especially when setting high anchor points in full leaf!

 

I agree with your theory, when you look at people - someone may be allergic to cat hairs and another person may be totally unaffected. Why not the same for trees?

 

There was no leaves on the tree, but the buds were visible, leading you into a false sense of security. Normally if there is no buds and extensive dieback i become very wary and more alert to the dangers of working on the tree.

 

 

The orange reaction zones are the hyphal masses of O. mucida formed at the boundaries between regions of wood that are dessicated enough and chemically suitable for invasion and those that are not.

 

I have trouble understanding what exactly is going on when I see these reaction zones, because they don't always follow Shigo's model of CODIT. Some parts of the affected area have compartmentalized while other parts have progressive decay. Very difficult to dissect and study these pieces of timber and come up with any solid theories.

 

I'm not sure anyone would claim that an entire tree covered in fruiting bodies would not be an indication of a hazard, even consultants !!!

 

I guess I used an extreme example. Sometimes consultants will play down the significance of observing the less famous fungi bad guys.

[Steve Bullman]

i think it was just the wording........what a consultant is probably saying is the saphrophytic fungus is not going to kill a tree so is less important, from a climbing point of view however it is very significant

[tockmal]

i think it was just the wording........what a consultant is probably saying is the saphrophytic fungus is not going to kill a tree so is less important, from a climbing point of view however it is very significant

 

Very important indeed, which is why more climbers need to learn about fungi and how it affects the wood in the trees so that the person doing the consultancy can also do the practical work.

 

Consultant surgeons in hospitals do it so why can't our industry?

[Steve Bullman]

well in tony's case he is!

[Amelanchier]

Like the man said - "Touch trees" !!

[Jamie]

There is a large beech round our parts and a consultant has told the landscaping firm that it has another five years of life in it. I told the landscaping company to get him back in five years time to climb it because i wouldn't.

 

Jamie

[tockmal]

There is a large beech round our parts and a consultant has told the landscaping firm that it has another five years of life in it. I told the landscaping company to get him back in five years time to climb it because i wouldn't.

 

Thats exactly my point if more consultants had at least a background in climbing they would understand the safety issues concerned with working on a decaying or dangerous tree at a later stage.

 

Many consultants just don't comprehend what it is like to work on a tree they have said is sustainable when it is in fact dangerous to work on or will be in the near future.