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Thursday, 3 December 2015

Jellydisc fungus

This purple fungus is on a Beech tree in Centre Vale Park woodland Todmorden. I think it is Purple Jellydisk--Ascocoryne sarcoides  which is a fungi often seen on dead Beech wood. Perhaps someone could confirm this?

The middle photo is taken with flash, the others without.  You can just make out the fungi on the lower trunk in the bottom photo.

Also significant are the black inky spots on the lower right root flare and a larger inky streak on the centre of the trunk. These are the signs of Phytopthora disease and this Beech is quickly dying from this fungal-like pathogen.






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4 comments:

  1. Peachysteve4 December 2015 at 06:52

    Hi Philip,
    There are two very similar Ascocoryne species (the other being Ascocoryne cylichnium).
    Really only separable with microscopy.
    It's certainly one of them.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Philip4 December 2015 at 11:59

    Hi Steve,
    Thanks for that other possible species.
    At first I considered it to be Beech Jellydisk-- Neobulgaria pura, but this seemed more flattened and didn't have the convoluted shapes.Colour can be deceptive as the illustrations in Roger Philips don't seem to be as violet coloured as mine.

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  3. Peachysteve5 December 2015 at 06:57

    There is another form of Beech Jellydisk Neobulgaria pura var. foliacea which has a more folded appearance but I think the colour separates the two.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Philip5 December 2015 at 14:31

    Thanks Steve.

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