Nice! Is that a Himalayan blackberry, or actually the native? The leaflets look pointed and shiny in this shot. The two also sometimes cross, to produce an intermediate that has been called Cascade berry. There is a rust that attacks Himalayan blackberry, and kills it (God, send it to us!) but presumably this is another type of fungus as it does not look like oxidation of metal. Maybe something that comes out of the soil.
Wow - that's gorgeous! And it's not attached to the ground or other surface, just the leaf? I ask this because the structure reminds me of a Thelephora fruiting body, and the colour of some of the local Hydnellums, but both of those would be attached to the ground or other surface, encasing the leaf simply because it was in the path of growth. It doesn't resemble the structure of any slime moulds I've encountered. Very intriguing! I'm looking forward to its identity being revealed! frog
Wow...this is incredible looking! Does it feel 'dusty' or soft? Or is it kind of waxy or maybe rubbery in texture? Any way you can get an under-side view? I'm wondering...to see if there's pores....or something else?
There's no real sign of disease in the leaf, I'd agree with Frog's suggestion that it is something ground-based which just happens to be surrounding the leaf. More information and photos would help a lot!
Assuming for the moment that it is growing from either ground or wood, not from the leaf, I'm still thinking Thelephora. We found a Pycnoporellus once growing atypically resupinate, on the top of fallen log (perhaps log had rolled over), with a structure looking very much like this. However, the only Pycnoporellus in this region I know of is bright orange, so this seems unlikely. frog
