Geotropic ganoderma on birch

[Kveldssanger]

'aint this sweet!

 

On a fallen birch. Click images individually with the mouse wheel for extra detail.

 

It appears the ganoderma has induced failure as a parasite, and then has become a saprophyte and changed its orientation of sporophore formation in response to gravity. Not only this, but it has then proceeded to colonise the main stem a long way up.

 

 

The black thing is my camera case, which is around 10cm long by 6cm wide.

 

Cheers,

Chris

[scotspine1]

Chris,

 

Is it 100% gravity? is there any influence of phototropism at all?

 

 

 

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[Kveldssanger]

Not sure what else it could be, if not that. Were you thinking something else was the cause? It's a very dark part of the woodland so a phototropic response wouldn't make sense as the prevailing cause, and I am unsure whether fungi even respond to light considering some can be grown in total darkness.

[David Humphries]

Old thread on geo/gravitropism....

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/fungi-pictures/14352-geotropism.html

 

 

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[arb culture]

Old thread on geo/gravitropism....

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/fungi-pictures/14352-geotropism.html

 

 

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Isn't it called plagiotropism when things grow horizontal?

[Kveldssanger]

In this case plagiotropism is merely synonymous with geotropism or gravitropism, I would say.