Journal archives for July 2018

July 7, 2018

Fungus Unknown to Science — RRfu2

Field names are used by some for referring to identifiable species for which a scientific name is not known. As part of numerous fungi forays with the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria we have been doing so for many years. One such species occasionally found by the group was recorded as Mycena 'tiny blue lights'. We found it on the dead rachises of soft tree-ferns and having a reusable name for it allowed us to know what we're talking about and be able to reference previous sightings. Turns out that this tiny mushroom is more widespread than we knew and in 2016 it was described as Mycena lazulina from Japan!

The point is some unnamed fungi are readily recognizable — such is the case with this species. Although it may not have a name it is a yellow disc fungus (to 5mm diameter) fringed with wavy serrations and with a short, dark stipe. It is usually gregarious (sometimes solitary) and so far has only been found growing on dead branches and twigs of Nothofagus cunninghamii.

In the last couple of years I have been tagging unknown but identifiable fungi with RR (my initials), fu (for fungi — not what you were thinking) and a number. RRfu1 turned out to be Cudoniella clavus, previously unknown for Australia. I found pictures of these online while trying to identify another fungus and, once they were confirmed, was able to update my old records.

I recorded these yellow discs for the first time in 2014 and have since tagged them with "RRfu2". They appear to belong to the Helotiales order of fungi, possibly in the Helotiaceae family. As I appear to be the only one to find and photograph them they don't have a field name but 'yellow beech discs' springs to mind. They are uncommon but certainly not rare (I'm surprised nobody else has recorded them before) — I tend to find them at least a couple of times each year (actually 6 times so far this year).

Links
RRfu2 tagged records on iNaturalist
my Unknown But Identifiable Fungi

Posted on July 7, 2018 01:01 AM by reiner reiner | 1 comment | Leave a comment

July 10, 2018

Unknown But Identifiable Fungi

This is a quick list (mainly for me) of identifiable fungi that I come across but that haven't been identified (possibly because they haven't been described yet).

RRfu2
Order: Helotiales
Yellow cup with serrated edge and dark stipe growing on dead Nothofagus branches. Fairly common.
view observations
RRfu3
Order: Agaricales : ?Typhula sp.
Small (~5mm long), simple, furry white clubs growing on wood, fern or soil. Possibly Typhula or Setigeroclavula sp.
view observations
RRfu4
Helotiales
Pale orange, stalked discs on hardwood on wet forests.
view observations
RRfu5
Helotiales
Beige cup with hairy outside.
view observations
RRfu6
Helotiales
White jelly cup.
view observations
RRfu7
Helotiaceae: Crocicreas
Rare and tiny stalked yellow fringed cup usually on fallen twigs. Same as in Bruce Fuhrer's Field Guide but incorrectly attributed Cyathicula dicksonioae/Hispidula dicksoniae. Possibly Crocicreas sp.
view observations
RRfu8
Helotiales
Small brown cup with fuzzy exterior on Eucalyptus wood.
view observations
RRfu9
Helotiales
Small white cup with dark olive/black outside on wood.
view observations
RRfu10
Mycenaceae
Pinkish mushroom on trunks of Dicksonia antarctica. Strong odour of bleach when crushed. Moderately common.
view observations
yellowfurry
Hysteriaceae Rhytidhysteron?
Tiny discs on wood (to around 2mm) with furry yellow outer surface and brown inner.
view observations
greenent
Gilled Mushroom
Green mushroom with cap around 2cm but otherwise looking similar to Cortinarius austrovenetus. Possibly Entoloma rodwayi.
view observations
littlewhitestars
Volutella
Tiny white discs (to half a mm) on wood edged with bristles about as long as the disc diameter.
view observations
RRfu11
Helotiales
Tiny beige discs with serated edges growing on dead Dicksonia antarctica rachis. Possibly also Bionectriaceae : Ijuhya (see observation 199165854.
view observations
redspiky
Agaricomycetes
Red spiky, somewhat flexible growing on wood (or bark). Presumed anamorph.
view observations
Posted on July 10, 2018 11:24 AM by reiner reiner | 4 comments | Leave a comment