Hamadryads diary- a new chapter

[Treecreeper1961]

4 Diatrype sp.

Don't keep me dangling!

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

4 Diatrype sp.

Don't keep me dangling!

 

its a scope job so impossible to say, not diatrype though, I think its hypoxylon mummularium.

 

got lots to show today!

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

It was a bright but bitterly cold day today but as its my first weekend off for a few weeks I was itching to get out and see some trees I had spotted on my journey to work. The recent winds a few weeks back had brought about many failures all over my home county of Hertfordshire and I had mentally logged a few for a return visit. There is a small wood also behind this area and thought this was as good a time as any to go see what lurks within, why oh why had I missed this for so long? been driving by for 5 years looking over thinking this site was worth a visit!

 

In one area a small wood of around 2 acres i found a stand of beech oak and sycamore that where all 30mtrs or there abouts! just check out some of the veteran beeches here, one of them is getting climbed very soon, the one with the very high Ganoderma pfeifferis! that has to be in excess of 30 meters!

 

The oak that I am shot in front of is followed by the view up from the base!

 

EPIC trees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Treecreeper1961]

Hidden treasure on your door step!

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Mycology Online | Microscopy Techniques and Stains

[Fungus]

5 Hypoxolon fuscum

8 Hypoxolon petriniae

 

5. Hypoxylon multiforme

8. Probably Hypoxylon rubiginosum

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

5. Hypoxylon multiforme

8. Probably Hypoxylon rubiginosum

 

knew the first, but hadnt even looked into the second, thanks:thumbup1:

[Treecreeper1961]

5. Hypoxylon multiforme

8. Probably Hypoxylon rubiginosum

 

Thanks Fungus.

My id book says there is/has been confusion between H. petriniae and H.rubiginosum but doesn't say anything more??

[Fungus]

confusion between H. petriniae and H.rubiginosum

 

To be 100% sure : microscope, that's why I said probably and I also think it might be H. rubiginosum, because it often fruits on decorticated wood.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Even in the throws of winter there is always something to find, even if it is just the remnants and clues of the activities of the fifth kingdom. Finished a little earlier than usual today and with slightly longer daylight hours was able to get 2hours out and about on me way home. I was thinking of Whippendell woods, but a last minute de-tour as whip is now undergoing massive thinning operations and a shadow of her former self. I think ive found a new place to roam! Not that I will ever stop visiting my favourite wood, just that i cant bare to see her so denuded at the moment, its breaking my heart at the moment.

 

anyways lots and lots of hispidus in plain evidence, the old blackened sporocarps stand out like beacons on the bare forest floor and on the bare un foliated trees. First one is on a weeping ash which is a first record for that variety of ash for me at least, then another new variety of tree again with hispidus, Acer platanoides. A nice Prunus avium with classic and very typical brown rotting heart via Laetiporus sulphureus, probably the most common of the fungi to bring down P. aviums in the u.k, they dont fair well structuraly under this kind of decay unlike oak. A nice veteran beech with Ganoderma applanatum (most likely) as well as Kretzschmaria deusta, some Bjerkandera fumosa, a first record for the area, and a few oaks that will get our Rob rainford excited, he will know why.

 

So Mr Rainford my young padawon, apart from the last oak which cleary has old Grifolas about the roots which of the Oaks above is the odd one out and why? Think before you jump in because if you say what I think your going to say i will pull my hair out! im kiding...