Identifying Stereum gausapatum

 

There was a particularly interesting effused or resupinate crust on the dead but still strongly attached branch of an oak tree opposite the drive to the old hunting lodge. 

This was definitely bleeding so it should be one of the following two species. However, there are often some considerable difficulties in distinguishing the differences between Stereum rugosum (Pers.) Fr. and Stereum gausapatum (Fr.) Fr..  

Stereum gausapatum often appears generally darker and perhaps browner rather than yellower in many images but by no means all. Both are often photographed as a light brown or peachy colour. Descriptions in books are highly contradictory.

According to Buczacki it is markedly wavy and sharp-edged meaning? margin with a paler edge. However I cannot see most of this replicated in any of the Facebook photos, except the pale edge, which may not be totally unique to gausapatum. 

Does Stereum gausapatum guttate more than Stereum rugosum? This is certainly suggested.

If the crust is obviously perennial then it is more likely to be Stereum rugosum the only perennial species, that does seem to be agreed.

Stereum rugosum or gausapatum possibly.

This is a branch to watch in future years if possible. I am wondering whether the crusts are more concentrated around the edge of the blackening - which itself is perhaps development of the sclerotisation of previous fungal growth.

This crust bleeds reddish when cut, scraped or rubbed hard. On a broad-leafed tree this should indicate either the Oak Bleeding Crust, Stereum gausapatum or the Broadleaf Bleeding Crust, Stereum rugosum. The first may have a tendency to perenniality and consequent layering, while the latter may have a tendency towards guttation, and is reputed (?) to be darker in colour. It's all tricky!

and closer:

towards end of branch...

Rubbed on left, scraped on right:

and closer:

Stereum subtomentosum possibly in Fox Wood, Dene Park

 Having a quiet undisturbed walk in Fox Wood.

Thinking this might be Stereum subtomentosum, although I didn't get any obvious yellowing it did sort of gradually turn a little darker over a few hours in the house. The decision was mainly guided by the narrow attachment of the bracket to the log, about 5 mm across on a 40 mm bracket.

The upper surface is tomentose, but not very obviously so, which fits with FOTE. Oddly enough however, not even a mention of this species in Geoffrey Kibby's book.

The undersides:

The brackets had dried quite hard and woody 24 hours later.

Updated a month later - today I definitely thought I saw a yellowing when the hymenophore was rubbed hard. This however was particularly obvious when I tried a very young cap indeed, that hadn't yet even developed the red-brown colours of the mature cap. Examples are towards the top right, with one top-left. That's the trick! p. 972 FOTE.  

In Buczacki, there is mention of a black line between the hymenophore and the tomentum. I saw little sign of this on the cross sections I cut, except possibly in one section on the "older" tissue near the stipe, so I am not sure how useful this indicator might be.  

In the photo below you can see older and younger caps. In the older caps the white edge is now much less clear, and the central section near the stipe is now much more green-grey.

Be careful - on Google Images there are much paler brackets to be found - the bright red-brown of these caps may not be characteristic of the species.

Postia tephroleuca aka Postia lacteus or ??

 

Walking up through Fox Wood at Dene Park today as the main woods were so busy, I came across a partly buried log, about a foot in diameter, with what appeared to be a couple of old Daedalea quercina brackets on the end and two very white lumpy brackets on the side.

I suspect these to be a Postia species, based on the superficial resemblance to a couple of images in the ID books. 

Starting off with the solid features of species in the genus, I measured the depth of the tubes at just under 1 cm. The two members of the species characterised by tending towards blue colourations on the cap, Postia caesia and Postia subcaesia have much shallower tubes of the order of 6 mm or less in brackets than can often be thinner. Also no signs of blue, nor an obviously tomentose cap surface, so we I think we can fairly safely eliminate these two species.

That leaves us with Postia stiptica and Postia tephroleuca. The log should have been deciduous wood, so for an apparently white Postia, that would push us away from Postia stiptica, which grown primarily on conifers, towards Postia tephroleuca, perhaps more commonly referred to as Postia lacteus. 

I tried to taste a small bit of the flesh, but didn't come away with much of any sort of taste, which again suggests P, lacteus rather than P. stiptica, generally described as distinctly astringent.

And after taking it home, there were definite tinges of grey developing on the cap surface, a third indication of Postia tephroleuca. Finally the pores appeared slightly laciniate, rather than rounded as in Postia stiptica, a feature noted for Postia tephroleuca by Geoffrey Kibby.

However are the pores far too large?? If so, could it be Aurantioporus fissilis??

More Dene Park crusts

I wonder whether this is an example of Stereum rugosum, with its largely resupinate nature, slightly turned up edges and fairly uniform pinkish colour?

If so it should be multi-layered as it is perennial. I so wish I had scratched it - maybe I did, but unsuccessfully?

I don't know the species of tree unfortunately, but it looks a bit hazel-ish..

 

This one is very pale, but I don't know anything else that has such a hairy upper surface, so I am assuming that this is yet another colour variation of Stereum hirsutum, (Willd.) Gray, the Hairy Curtain Crust or False Turkey Tail.

Leaf mines at Pembury Walks and Newbars Woods

 A walk in dull and eventually rainy weather from Half Moon Lane across Pembury Walks to Newbars Wood.

A fairly typical Phyllonorycter nicellii mine (in my view), upperside then underside. Although fully established, it might be at quite early stage as I haven't seen any creasing on the underside tent surface, and there is no upfolding of the leaf obvious. The alternative identification is that of a long mine of Parornix devoniella. Whatever species it is, the edge of the mine at the leaf margin is particularly well placed I feel!

And here is another pair of mines. Are they both Phyllonorycter or perhaps both Parornix?

Squirrel damage on Aspen

 Mammals or trees?

Most of the individual Aspens planted in Dene Park have been damaged by Grey Squirrels. Fun animals to watch but these animals do spell real trouble for trees in the UK.

And a closer view, showing the bark damage and the top subsequently ripped out: