Odd place for fungus

[armchairarborist]

I regularly get oyster fungus growing out of an old wagon body in the yard, here it is on the inside just next to the roller shutter, more grows outside where there is another crack in the body and the wood is exposed.

[treequip]

We got a call to look at fungi on a client's tree, turned out to be Polyporus squamosus. Then client said it was growing on his trailer too, parked nearby. We had a look, I think it is Pleurotus. Client made the trailer himself from GRP and aluminium and he swears there is no wood in it. So what are these doing here? The trailer is in regualr use out on the road. The fungus is getting pretty good spore dispersal, I reckon. Anyone got any other oddly located air-eating fungi pics to rival this for inexplicability?

 

Your client is mistaken, there is wood in it.

 

GRP is the surface treatment over a board. Its what people like Cronospan are all about. (remember that huuuuge pile of chip in another thread?)

 

Without the timber core the fibreglass alone would be unsuitable for that application.

 

The fruiting body in the first pic is emerging through a gap where there is a cut edge to the board, and in Ed's picture, which I have seen in the flesh it is emerging through a crack in the surface treatment.

[daltontrees]

Well, there you go, I'll let my client know. It's still pretty amazing that a fruiting body can develop through such a tiny crack.

[David Humphries]

These Pleurotus surprised me whilst out surveying today.

 

would be interesting to know what type/species of wood was inside the metal shroud.

 

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[jomoco]

Bird excrement...?

 

Jomoco

[David Humphries]

Bird excrement...?

 

Jomoco

 

 

I think there's a wooden substrata inside Jon

 

 

 

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[jomoco]

I'm growing used to being mistaken David!

 

Thanks for settin me straight.

 

It's that many types of fungi are distributed and grow upon almost every kinda excrement known, I think.

 

Jomoco

[Kveldssanger]

Hahaha wow that's awesome! Nearly as disconcerting as seeing Pleurotus fruiting from grass-level by a property, suggesting rot of the foundations!

[treequip]

I think there's a wooden substrata inside Jon

 

 

 

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It's not uncommon. It occurs often on old GRP van bodies

[Marula]

Nice find!