Oudemansiella mucida - climbers beware!!

[tockmal]

Like the man said - "Touch trees" !!

 

I try when I get the time.

 

Here is a shot of the rhizomorphs of the Honey fungus (Armillaria), you can see the white mycelial sheeting that is typical of Armillaria behind my hand, the bootlaces were still up there at about 30 ft on the stem. Not a great thing to see on a tree you are about to work on.

 

[Amelanchier]

I believe you're right.

 

I try to communicate as much of the full "cost" of retention as possible in such cases. It's only fair to give the client the full information (even when it all goes right over their head!). The planned retention of hazardous trees needs to account for the logistics (and therefore financial expense!) of the eventual works necessary. Especially if I'm putting the harness on!

 

If you explain that an individual tree has less than 10 viable years and that at the end of that interval the tree will require a more costly and technical dismantle as opposed to felling it today. The client can then look at the financial options and then make their own mind up. Most of them fell it but hey...

[tockmal]

I believe you're right.

 

I try to communicate as much of the full "cost" of retention as possible in such cases. It's only fair to give the client the full information (even when it all goes right over their head!). The planned retention of hazardous trees needs to account for the logistics (and therefore financial expense!) of the eventual works necessary. Especially if I'm putting the harness on!

 

If you explain that an individual tree has less than 10 viable years and that at the end of that interval the tree will require a more costly and technical dismantle as opposed to felling it today. The client can then look at the financial options and then make their own mind up. Most of them fell it but hey...

 

Good points.

 

Tony I have a question....The photo below is of the cross section of the base of the beech seen in the earlier photos. The black zonelines look like what is typical of Ustilina or Kretchsmaria deusta. There was no visible signs of Ustilina round the base of the tree, can the black zonelines appear regardless of a fruiting body on the outside of the stem?

 

Maybe a difficult one to pin down, but worth a thought nevertheless.

 

[tockmal]

A close up of the zonelines commonly associated with Ustilina(Kretchmaria) deusta

 

[Amelanchier]

I expect they can.

Fruiting bodies are only produced for reproduction so its possible (probable?)that decay could occur without their presence. The other problem with Ustulina / Kretzschmaria is the confirmation of visible fruiting bodies. I work a lot with beech and often see the teleomorph (black crusty lumps) after grinding out a stump buttress and spotting those nice reaction zones.

[Steve Bullman]

one my my books calles those lines "zones of antagonism" and suggests its where 2 different fungi meet.....ive only ever read this in 1 book and so im not sure how accurate it is

[Amelanchier]

Yeah Steve, its deposits of melanin (the same stuff that makes skin and hair brown & black) formed at the boundary between different colonies of saprophytes. So different species or different strains.

 

I like that term 'zone of antagonism', gives a hint toward the whats going on. What really twists my melon is the fact that those lines are just a slice through a three dimensional 'sheet' of mycelium and hypae.

 

I have a photo somewhere of a beech stem slice with Ganoderma, Armillaria and Kretzschmaria at different points around the circumference with great 'zones of antagonism' between the lot. Think it was pre-digital though. Lovely tree right next to a main road in Holt.

[dryadlad]

How long was the tree dead for before you got there to do the work ? it looks pretty knackered think a m.e.w.p would have been handy in that situation.

[Lee Winger]

How long was the tree dead for before you got there to do the work ? it looks pretty knackered think a m.e.w.p would have been handy in that situation.

 

Spot on! my thoughts exactly!

[Andy Collins]

Good points.

 

Tony I have a question....The photo below is of the cross section of the base of the beech seen in the earlier photos. The black zonelines look like what is typical of Ustilina or Kretchsmaria deusta. There was no visible signs of Ustilina round the base of the tree, can the black zonelines appear regardless of a fruiting body on the outside of the stem?

 

Maybe a difficult one to pin down, but worth a thought nevertheless.

 

 

Looks like a fine example of spalting there, tockmal,are you selling the wood on to woodturners? Can be worth a fair bit!