Meripilus Giganteus??

[orang-utan]

Hi all

 

Please can someone help me with this bad boy? Looking at the photos that David Humphries has put up on the fungi directory it looks like a Meripilus Giganteus but I'm no expert in this and so could really do with a trained eye and expert opinion.

 

It is all around the base of a large beech tree. If it is MG what are the chances of the tree being windthrown? Is it parasitic? I have heard that some fungi are symbiotic with trees - is this the case with this one?

 

Thanks for your help.

[TreeTiger]

Looks like Laetiporus sulphureus to me - Chicken of the woods

[David Humphries]

I would imagine your image shows Meripilus giganteus.

 

It is parasitic, although trees with good vascular health can live with the colonisation for many years.

 

What's the canopy look like?

 

 

 

.

[Kveldssanger]

Looks like Laetiporus sulphureus to me - Chicken of the woods

 

Careful. In its early primordial splodge stage, Merip can be confused with Laeti. As can be seen here, the fact it is coming out from between roots is tell-tale of Merip. If it was on the trunk, it'd far more likely be Laeti - not always, as Merip can fruit on the lower trunk.

[orang-utan]

Thanks for all your help in identification. The actual picture is taken from google images so is not exactly the item in question however it was the closest likeness at the time. I went to the location of the tree yesterday and took a sample. I have included a photo of it here. I don't think it is chicken of the woods. The fungi is only on the ground at the base of the tree.

 

To answer your question David, the crown is looking quite sparse and for this time of year I would still expect it to be in full leaf. Please see other photo of the crown of the tree where you can easily see the contrast. Also, there are quite a few lower dead and black branches. The owner also said that this years mast was down by 50% on last year. Would this also be a tale tail sign that the tree is infested/in decline?

 

The tree is located in a school grounds so many targets. With this in mind and with such obvious visible presence of parasitic fungi instinct is telling me that the tree should be managed in a way as to lessen the bulk of the crown and so a heavy reduction is required. Am I on the right track?

[David Humphries]

From your images I would say that this tree looks to be in decline.

 

A reduction of sail will give it more time, (in terms of stability) but it looks to me that the decline will be terminal and that coupled with location/target should lead to its removal at some stage.

 

 

 

 

.

[orang-utan]

Thanks for that David

 

Yes, I agree. A big shame though!

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

CPD, CPD, CPD (continuing professional development...x3) - ARBTALK at its technical best.

 

Thank you all for contributions

Paul

[Betula]

From a mature Beech with Meripilus covering 2/3 of the trunk base

[Gary Prentice]

Funny how different Beeches/trees respond. I assisted on a pulling test on one which didn't have quite as many fruiting bodies as the pic above plus chicken OTW and it was showing supurb vitality - despite having been colonized for several years.

 

 

 

(Paul, can I claim extra CPD for contibuting?)