Keizer's Fungi Q & A.

[Fungus]

Hi,bit of an odd one, but are there any 'human species specific' fungi? Or fungi which are mutually beneficial and preset in or on our bodies?

 

Sloth,

Yes, there are. Athlete's foot and fungal nailinfection are caused by Epidermophyton floccosum and Trichophyton rubrum, Candida albicans causes thrush and leukorrhea, Hypoplasma capsulatum causes histoplasmosis and psittacosis, and Trichophyton (= Tinea) tonsurans appears as ringworm on the skin, especially on the scalp (see my Encyclopaedia, page 24 or my CD-rom). And there are a lot of other skin diseases caused by fungal pathogens, that mostly occur in tropical regions.

Spores of Pleurotus ostreatus can trigger asthmatic attacks and spores and hyphae of Schizophyllum commune are important agents of sinusitis and allergic broncholpulmonary mycosis and have once caused a brain abscess.

[sloth]

Thank you do any of these exist solely on humans? Just curious...

[Fungus]

do any of these exist solely on humans?

 

Yes, the first five species mentioned do.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Gerrit, I am about to plant some Sorbus tormanalis in my woods I am asuming these are endo associating trees, how might I encourage this association on some bare rooted samples, what species do they associate with? these will be 60-80cm so young trees.

[Fungus]

plant some Sorbus torminalis in my woods I am asuming these are endo associating trees, how might I encourage this association on some bare rooted samples, what species do they associate with? these will be 60-80 cm so young trees.

Tony,

Being a tree species spread by birds to new locations, Sorbus is not very picky and will probably associate with almost any endomycorrhizal microfungus present, of which in a longer existing woodland will be more than enough present to colonise the young tree's new developing roots, so nothing has to be done in particular.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Tony,

Being a tree species spread by birds to new locations, Sorbus is not very picky and will probably associate with almost any endomycorrhizal microfungus present, of which in a longer existing woodland will be more than enough present to colonise the young tree's new developing roots, so nothing has to be done in particular.

 

Thanks Gerrit, thought that might be the case:thumbup1: it is an ancient woodland so plenty of myco to establish these trees

[David Humphries]

Being a tree species spread by birds to new locations.

 

 

& also by vegetative propagation by being able to shoot up to many, many meters away from parent plant via root sucker growth.

 

 

 

Seeds are known to have a low germination rate due to predation by parasites.

 

.

[Fungus]

& also by vegetative propagation by being able to shoot up to many, many meters away from parent plant via root sucker growth. Seeds are known to have a low germination rate due to predation by parasites.

 

True , but I was talking about the long distance strategy of reproduction of Sorbus in general.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Hi Gerrit been a while since I had a proper question!

 

found this fungus on a mature veteran Larix decidua yesterday and I am void of even a clue, it looks from the pores to be similar to trametes, upper colouration buff, bit like zonatum, but this is a conifer.

 

any clues?

 

 

 

 

 

[Fungus]

found this fungus on a mature veteran Larix decidua yesterday ... it looks from the pores to be similar to trametes, upper colouration buff, bit like zonatum, but this is a conifer.

 

Tony,

Might be an Antrodia species such as A. serialis.