Crusts towards Hookwood

This looks like a sample of Steccherinum ochraceum, sensu latu, mixed in with other crusts (hmm, that's less usual) on a fallen and decaying oak log just by a large kids shelter on the big Yew near the first junction.

See also: https://www.mushroomexpert.com/steccherinum_ochraceum.html

This appears to be the young, developing phase. The spines should be 0.5 - 1 mm, almost bumps rather than spines at first, with a salmon colour is fairly characteristic of this stage, but the darker more ochre or orange colours, perhaps with longer spines (or are these different micro-species such as S. bourdotii?), appear later, when the crust may get up to 3 mm thick.  However, I didn't check whether the margins were easily separable from the substrate, so I may have to go back anyway. 

Kibby states that this "species" is widespread and common, particularly in the south, which Hugill and Lucas agree with.   

It was accompanied by a crust of the same colour but apparently very different morphology: Could this perhaps be some fresh but nibbled Steccherinum nitidum? Not absolutely typical.

Beyond the bin-to-corner track, heading into the Birch dominated section, I came across a dead Oak branch which I think was covered in Stereum gausapatum, the Bleeding Oak Crust. However I think I should stick to Stereum sp to be on the safe side!

The good red-brownish colour is fairly indicative, in comparison to the more greyish Stereum rugosum. However the spores really do need measuring. 

Heteroradulum deglubens

 

Firmly located in Auriculariaceae, this genus of about 9 species worldwide is clearly rather unusual for a crust. It does have this very recognisable appearance of pinkish colour with a white slightly frilly edge, developing blunt scattered spines and outgrowths, and a characteristic physical response to rubbing of blushing, as seen here. 

Its the second time I've ever seen this crust, both being in this one week. No doubt many more to come. 

By contrast, Corticium roseum has no white border, is pleated rather than spined or thrown up, and is a more consistent pink, which bleeds somewhat carmine when cut.

Christmas Eve with a few of the standard fungi

 

Byssomerulius corium, commonly known as the netted crust, is a normally resupinate crust with such an interesting structure. Here are a few thoughts. It has an easily separable basidiome, peeling off like an elastoplast, which seems quite strange really, as it is an outgrowth of the mycelium and presumably needs connection and support.    

The central surface tends to become off-white and then gently folded or quite obviously ridged fairly quickly while the margin tends to remain a snowy white and finely fringed. This combination is generally enough to recognise this very common crust. Watch out for the similarly coloured and shaped Basidioradulum radula, the toothed crust, with the more violent disruption of the central surface into teeth up to 5 mm long, and its very close adherence to the substrate.

The Cauliflower Fungus, Sparassis crispa

 

In Bod Petryal, at the base of a Scots Pine, of course!

A brown rotter, potentially causing problems, starts off a reddish brown colour and turns pale, then falls or is perhaps ripped apart by animals

Crusts towards Hookwood

 

Walked slowly parallel to Puttenden Road towards Hookwood Farm. All within 100 m of edge of the car park.

This is a very easily detached, rubbery/elastic and quite coherent layer of pores. On the underside of an unknown fallen branch half buried in the litter layer of the forest floor.

Diplomitoporus lindbladii is just one candidate in the field!

 

Crusts in Fox Wood

 

This waxy looking surface on a dead oak branch of a tree on the north boundary of Fox Wood among the line of Hornbeams suggests the decorticating fruiting body (basidiome) of the "crust fungus" Vuilleminia comedans (s.l.). It is described as soft, jelly-like and slippery. There are several photos on the internet showing this sort of colouring and thickness of the basidiome, as opposed to the translucent and very thin layers of the (apparently?) early stages. Presumably we are not talking about a parasitisation by a Hypomyces species? 

The decortication seems very effective, allowing the basidiome to release its basidiospores and presumably colonise new "branch territory"! This species is said to be widespread and very common, so I obviously need to look for it more effectively. I imagine it is recycling the nutrients back into the leaf litter, perhaps ultimately for the tree's benefit. 

There were extensive growths of Schizopora paradoxa on some of the dead trunks of Hornbeam:

and a closer view of the above:

This next should be Eichleriella now Heteroradulum deglubens, despite being found on Birch. 

A good pinky tinged crust with a white margin on first sight, it blushes instantly to a dark red when rubbed - and also has bluish patches, as stated in Hugill and Lucas. Not commonly photographed in the FB groups at all despite its attractiveness, in my opinion.

Phlebia uda KOH test

I went back to Fox Covert and retrieved a section of the branch with suspected Phlebia uda fruiting bodies on it from last week.

I applied 4% KOH to the crust surface after a few hours drying of the branch (will return it to the woods tomorrow). Label 1 is the area of crust surface where the chemical was applied, it fairly rapidly turned dark (little bit purple) brown, and the "teeth" appeared to collapse. Label 2 was a couple of adjacent areas where the chemical soon appeared to produce a sort of cherry colour, still apparently dry and without any tooth collapse. It wasn't the completely iconic purple on h ttps://www.crustfungi.com/html/species/mycoacia-uda.html

Area 3 is one area of unaffected dry spiny crust for comparison. So that seems to fit with expectations? Oddly, rubbing the crust surface with a (sweaty) finger seemed to produce a similar cherry colour, quite quickly, which I haven't heard of before.

I shall have to do some microscopy!

Mycoacia or Phlebia uda, Jackrogersella, etc.