Identification: Strange cracked cap UK mushroom

Discussion in 'Fungi, Lichens and Slime Molds' started by miss_myxomycete, Dec 7, 2009.

  1. miss_myxomycete

    miss_myxomycete Active Member 10 Years

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    Hi folks,

    A friend (who works at Kew Gardens!) found these near where she lives and posted them on a natural history website, to which someone (a keen and good amateur fungi enthusiast) has had a shot at i.d.ing them. I'm dubious about his conclusion, tho' he's a lot more knowledgable than me and has valid reasons for his tentative i.d. Anyway, any ideas from you wonderful fungi enthusiasts out there? There is nothing remotely like them in our standard fungi books here in UK.

    Friend says : "I went and picked a bit of my mysterious fungi and it literally snapped off almost clean- no give what so ever, the cap is very
    hard... made a spore print and it is pale, pale cream ... the host is a flowering cherry planted on a tarmacked pavement, and well
    visited by dogs (unfortunately). The homeowner that looks out onto the tree told me that it comes up every year ... hmmm...."
     

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  2. Frog

    Frog Generous Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Interesting!
    By "host" do you mean it was growing from the wood?
     
  3. miss_myxomycete

    miss_myxomycete Active Member 10 Years

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    She originally said "it's at the base of a street tree". By then using the word host, she must assume it is growing from the tree itself (roots?). I'm sorry it's not totally clear from the pics, looks like soil to me but must be right next to the tree.
     
  4. Frog

    Frog Generous Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    I'm stumped and intrigued.
    Before looking closely at the photos, I was thinking they looked like Gomphus, but the photos are showing true gills.
    General appearance is like a Phylloporus or Paxillus, but your mushroom seems to have an annulus.
    ... still thinking...
    :-)
    frog
     
  5. Psathyrellaceae

    Psathyrellaceae Member

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    Those poor Armillaria have had a rough life.

    Armillaria, "Honey Mushrooms" can be quite variable in appearance!
     
  6. Frog

    Frog Generous Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Thank you Psathyrellaceae - yes it does look overall Armillaria-esque, and honeys are very variable. I can't count how many times I've wrestled over a mushroom and have it turn out to be Armillaria :-)

    But since I've not seen them with this kind of cracked cap effect before, I am still in doubt. I wish we had some spore colour evidence in these photos. The blown-out-and-upward with age seems contradicted by the cap looking solid across the top as if it was normally a heavily decurrent arrangement.

    But sadly no I still have no alternate suggestions to offer.

    cheers,
    frog
     
  7. Psathyrellaceae

    Psathyrellaceae Member

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    California has dry weather... I find lots of different species in many genera that get this cracked pileus... Agrocybe, Leratiomyces, Armillaria, Omphalotus, Gymnopilus, etc..

    You are welcome to your doubts, but I am sure.... ;)
     

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