Subject identification help - Please

Walter Piorkowski · Post by **Walter Piorkowski** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 12:00 pm

Canon Pro90IS camera
EM3500 close-up lens
Natural light
Some Photoshop enhancements

On a hike this past summer I came across a small cluster of these growing up out of a decaying log. The largest was approximately ¾ inch tall. They were extraordinarily delicate and broke up easily. The fine dust on the surface was easily dispersed with the slightest touch. Was the dust spores? I could not tell, having misplaced my sample. On a later hike a few weeks later, they had vanished. I believe they may be one of the lichens but have never seen anything like these in my books. Any ideas?

Walt

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 12:21 pm

Cladonia ochrochlora possibly. The upright podetia are unbranched and pointed. They are covered with farinose to granular soredia.
Podetium - a stalklike outgrowth of the thallus of certain lichens, bearing the apothecium.
Soredia - a mealy particles the podetia are covered with.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 8:02 pm

I am not sure these are lichens, they appear to be more like some fungi. I have noticed similar growths on old logs and even in the soil along some of the trails here in the mountains of North Carolina, some are drab while others can be quite colorful and striking in their appearance. Nice photograph.

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 10:10 pm

I have never seen lichen give off dust, but plenty of fungi give off spore dust.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 5:19 am

The dust-like particles could be isidia, which are also found on the lichen Cladonia, as MacroLuv has suggested, so I would not rule it out as being a lichen, it just does not appear as one to me. However, a closer view of the subject would have revealed much more information but the fact that it had vanished in a couple of days leads me to also believe that it was probably a fungus of sorts because lichens seldom vanish on their own.

Walter Piorkowski · Post by **Walter Piorkowski** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 9:40 am

Thanks for your interest guys. I, like MacroLuv, was leaning towards the lichen genus Cladonia because, at least in photoes, it has a similar color and texture to the surface. But as Ken says they should have lasted longer and he has seen differant colors? Hopfully I will see them again next year and capture a suitable samlpe for study.

Walt

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 10:07 am

You are welcome Walter.

What were weather conditions on your later hike? Some fruticose lichens are very brittle when they are dry (e.g. Cladonia species).

DaveW · Post by **DaveW** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 1:03 pm

Walter, it looks a bit like a US equivalent of our Candle Snuff Fungus:-

http://www.uksafari.com/candlesnuff.htm

This one is from California so evidently grows in the US as well as UK and Europe:-

http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Xyla ... xylon.html

One web site lists these Xylaria as coming from Illinois

Xylaria corniformis
Xylaria cornu-damae
Xylaria digitata
Xylaria filaformis
Xylaria hypoxylon
Xylaria longipes
Xylaria cf. multiplex
Xylaria polymorpha

You can try a web search and see if you can get a match.

DaveW

Walter Piorkowski · Post by **Walter Piorkowski** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 4:13 pm

Well, Dave looks like you have the best match yet. I will use the resources you have given me to pin it down. Thank you.

Walt

DaveW · Post by **DaveW** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 3:54 am

This looks a bit similar Walter:-

http://www.morelmushroomhunting.com/xylaria_cornu.htm

DaveW