Fungus

Scott, .

Here's an example of both a mould and a rust on willow leaves. ---

Rob, On Prunus and without checking the spore size, my 90 % sure guess would be yes .

This is what the first phase body language of the bark of a coniferous tree attacked by a parasitic Armillaria species looks like : ---

Milly, This either is an infection of the cambium of the trees with (the mycelium or rhizomorphs of) a parasitic Honey Fungus (see : Rhizomorphs Armillaria), or with the mycelium of either Phaeolus schweinitzii or Sparassis crispa.

The long vertical splits in the periderm can be a symptom of hightened local sap wood ring formation (striae) to strenghten or repair beginning lesions in the central wood column caused by strong side winds and/or (in combination with) changes in the flexibility-stiffness ratio by white rotters.

Tony, A close up of the lesions and splits would be welcome. Is f.i. black fluid coming out of the smaller splits ? On beech at this height it mostly is caused by (the rhizomorphs or mycelia of) a parasitic Armillaria species, but it can also be associated with Meripilus giganteus or K. deusta.

Something else. It is a "Siamese twins" or "joined from the hips" kind of merging of stems inside the primordium, which later on, as the FB's (of Armillaria mellea s.s.) stretch out, develop to normal fertile "heads" or caps, a phenomenon that is not only documented from Agaricales, but also from Phallus impudicus developing two "heads" on one merged stem from inside one witches' egg.

No, not the cause of death, which was the combination of completely drying out first and then drowning of the roots, both causing the mycelia of the ectomycorrizal macrofungi (lack of oxygen) to die and the roots to die too, but only afterwards as one of the saprotrophic decomposers.

In The Netherlands, over the last two years a lot of birches died because of extremes in the watertable : long and extremely hot spring or summer periods followed by periods of extreme rainfall.

Quote : "... is it merely a decayer of non-living wood as suggested by Ted Green or is it a dangerous pathogen ..." I would have liked to attend the lecture, participate in the discussion and contribute my field research experience, but can not join the "party" on that date. If taken part in the debate, I would have brought up the following questions and remarks. 1. On how many documented cases and what kind of in situ and in vitro short and/or long term research on the effects of M. giganteus on which tree species is the lecture and are the opinions of Dave Dawson and Ted Green based ? Were all the trees solitary or were forest trees, which were part of "intact" tree specific ecosystems, also included ? 2. Have the tree species specific strategies of M. giganteus on with ectomycorrhizae associated tree species such as Fagus, Quercus robur/Q. rubra, Betula, Populus, Tilia, Carpinus and Corylus, and on tree species associated with endomycorrhizal microfungi, such as Aesculus, Fraxinus, Acer, Platanus, Ulmus, Malus and Metasequia, and the tree species specific reaction strategies, such as developing a secundary root system or (70 % sterile) panic fruiting, taken into account ? 3. Being a (slow) biotrophic parasitic species, the mycelium of M. giganteus always has to be connected to living tissue to be able to decompose dead wood from which the annual brackets are formed. 4. Has the interaction between M. giganteus and other root, buttresses and trunk base parasites such as K. deusta (on Fagus and Tilia) been researched and documented ? 5. Has the - in my opinion and experience - "fairytale" of trees being able to "overgrow" an infection by M. giganteus "on the long run" been confirmed or turned down ? 6. What would be the advice if M. giganteus and/or the tree has started panic fruiting ?

1. Concerning Acer, Fraxinus, Ilex, Juglans, Robinia, Malus, Juniperus, Sambucus and Sorbus being listed as ectomycorrhizal too, an answer to the following question should be given : what validated evidence is documented from both in situ and in vitro research on both the ectomycorrhizal structures surrounding the roots and the fruiting of the ectomycorrhizal macrofungi concerned and what species of ectomycorrhizal macrofungi have been linked to what tree species ? 2. Just as there is still debate on whether only a few Entoloma species such as E. clypeatum, E. aprile and E. saundersii are ectomycorrhizal species associated with Crataegus and Ulmus, the same goes for Prunus (and Crataegus) being associated with E. sepium. In my opinion and based on my own research on E. saundersii and Ulmus, I think it's highly improbable, because the energy consuming fruiting of the quite big FB's of these Entoloma's takes place in spring, i.e. at the same time as the tree develops its leaves and buds for blossoming for which a lot of sugars are needed, i.e. energy which the tree can not afford to share with the symbiont this time of year. 3. To the list of trees being both endo- and ectomycorrhizal "at different stages" such as Salix, Alnus and Populus, Betula should also be added, because the seedlings of all four pioneer tree species (mostly) depend on generalistic endomycorrhizal microfungi, followed by more or less tree species specific ectomycorrhizal macrofungi in the later phases of the tree species specific life cycles. 4. Concerning the Swedish research by Lena Jonsson about "seedlings regenerating in the forest" forming mycorrhizae with "whatever fungi there are in the area" and "late stage" ectomycorrhizae "colonizing saplings in healthy mixed aged forest", this can only be valid, if one implies, that the mycelia of the "late stage" ectomycorrhizal macrofungi are for the greater part connected to and for their sugars totally dependend on the roots of trees, which are in later phases of their life cycles, because fruiting of the ectomycorrhizal macrofungi with energy absorbing FB's from the roots of the seedlings alone would immediately kill the young tree. And she does not take the differences between tree species specific reproduction and regeneration strategies into account, with trees with big seeds with 2-5 years energy reserve at one side, and trees with small wind transported seeds at the other.

Also see : Match test G. pfeifferi.

First one a Stereum species, second one a Pluteus species, maybe P. salicinus.

David, No, with colour depictions of all species, only one on the genus Boletus and one on the genus Leccinum (I cited before), both by Krieglsteiner, et al. For images of the Wood bolete, see : Rogers mushrooms, Wood-bolete and Pulveroboletus lignicola.

David & Tony, As you say, on Abies, so it's not an ectomycorrhizal bolete, but the saprotrophic Pulveroboletus (= Buchwaldoboletus) lignicola, living on/of degraded dead wood of coniferous trees.

David, Five ? Which are, apart from the two Spiky anteaters and the Platypus, the other two ?

Rob, No, you also have the Short-beaked and the Long-beaked Echidna or Spiny anteaters, which together with the Platypus belong to the Monotremes, of which all adult animals are toothless, to answer Janey's question too.

In Dutch it's called the Dwarsliggerzwam (= lintel or crossbeam fungus), because it often fruits on wooden crossbeams under rails of railways, in which it causes a extensive brownrot, so that is why it's called the train wrecker in the USA.

Rob, Yes, it is a mammal, that lays eggs.

Correct, most ducks have a bill with serrated ridges used as a sieve to filter particles of plants from the water.

Mikey, You don't get it, do you ? Do you really think this is the backside of the elderly lady with the dog in the picture ?

To add a bit more. When oaks are accompagnied by Boletus (= Xerocomus) badius and/or Xerocomus chrysenteron s.l., along with Russula ochroleuca, R. parazurea and/or Paxillus involutus, and the tree specific specific symbionts are gone, it's a sign of the trees entering the final phase of their life cycle, which can not only be triggered by aging, but also by diminishing health because of nitrification and other forms of air and water pollution.

Rob & Rob, ... i.e. ears, with which they - apart from the reception of the "cooing" and loud noises - don't hear very well.

... such as Boletus (= Xerocomus) badius ?