Another fungi ID

Eric Frei

Here we go, bit of a change from all the tree ID questions.

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Sean Freeman

Although intiially I thought Lenzites betulina, it is more likely to be Lenzites acuta certainly has the macro characteristics that would match Lenzites sp.....that's my guess anyhow.

Eric Frei

The underneath isn't gill-like but more so poroid.

Picture below from the web of the gill like underside of Lenzites betulina

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Sean Freeman

The web is not a reliable resource for fungal id in Oz.

Not saying I'm correct just that i would not base the ID on pics from the web.

An Introduction to Fungi on Wood Ian Hood 2003


Do you have view from above or a cross section?

Eric Frei

No sorry I do not, was just sort of passing by and not really reporting on it or anything, it was quite high on the trunk (would need ladder to get top view), also there were lots of smaller ones growing, lots of weeping lesions, when you tapped on the bark ... hollow, the bark was separated from the sapwood, seems it feeds on the phloem perhaps.

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Sean Freeman

As some might know i'm a bit obsessed with fungi....well anyway I try to be as accurate as I can be, chatting to some other fungi fascinated types, seems like I was probably not correct (unbelievable as that might be not least to me)

I'm more inclined on this warm winter Sunday to think the fruiting body is possibly one from a wide of range of polypores, probably not Lenzites sp, just not enough info (fro me) to make a good guess at the id.

Eric Frei

Well, I returned to the site. Even shot a little tap test video out of my camera.

Here's the pictures and story.

A real close up of the underneath



And top



And I removed that nice big one carefully



And it brought some bark with it



And a borer was living in this set up!



Close up of the borer



Back up the tree I noted that the bark/sapwood combo was soft and punky and had lifted from the heartwood with a void between them so with a knife and scrench started my delicate and precise excavation like a surgeon with a scalpel.



Now I was digging away carefully and next thing this albino cricket looking bug came out. I killed him with the knife, stabbed him.



More careful removal and coming up to the wound wood roll.



This is showing how careful I am slicing the decayed sapwood from the new woundwood, note the thin slice and how the red bark wasn't pulled off.



This is the big picture, we got the heartwood, decayed sapwood, dead bark, new bark, wound wood etc all in the same shot showing what is happening here.



And the distance picture showing the wide and long dead section that is decaying and separated from the heartwood with lots of bugs getting involved.



And last but not least is a tap test short video I shot out of the picture camera so you can hear and see what goes on.

YouTube - norfolk tap test

YouTube - norfolk tap test

Over time that whole area will be a dead section like when a canoe is cut out of the tree. You'll have the sides with new wood rolling over. Often there is debate about removing this dead section and tracing back to living bark like I did in that little section. It would look ugly but would it be beneficial? What do you think?

And of course what do you think the fungi is?

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Therrin

Wow, this thread is really interesting Ekka. Good stuff!

R.I.P. creepy looking albino cricket.

Garry Brockley

Nice one im betting on ganoderma or stereum for the fungi oh maybe not

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kiwi_tree_steve

cool thread!! good to keep our knowledge going in this area!

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"You have to feel and touch a tree" Shigo

Eric Frei

Come on, we're arborists here lets see some answers to the everyday questions people expect answers to.

One more question, what do you think caused this large wound to the cambium?

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Garry Brockley

it looks like a long term problem as there are no signs of branches trying to grow on this side of the tree unlike the otherside, therefore was it badly damaged as a youngster and never recovered on one side just kept on opening up the wound?
or was there a tree or object next to the tree for many years then removed and consequently got sunburned drying out the cambium on that side?

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Eric Frei

Bingo.

There's no signs of mechanical damage like say an excavator bashing into it.

If other trees impacted it during felling operations branches higher up would likely be broken and you'd expect some branches on that lower portion to be broken ... but there's none lower and no damage higher... also if something were to impact it, it would at one point and not follow the circumference of the tree that far around so I rule out impact.

There's few branches that side, that low. Tells me it was shaded out or they were pruned off when small. Examining the area there's little evidence of branches being pruned off so I conclude that this side of the tree was shaded out.

The wound also stops at the first whorl of branches, which tells me that the shade cast from the branches higher up was sufficient to prevent sunburn or that the trunk was accustomed to sunlight further up.

I then conclude that it's likely the tree was shaded out by either other vegetation or structures for the lower 5m portion.

I then ring the premises and discuss this with them to find out that it was a heavily wooded property prior to clearing and leaving behind the significant trees, and the tree was opened up on the NW face to sunlight it had never seen before.

We are witnessing the affects of that.

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ejrea

Not a fungi expert, but the first photos looked a bit like Antrodiella zonata, the following ones less so. Thought I would throw that in the mix anyway.

Eric Frei

Just today I had this fungi on my mind and decided I'll take it to the herbarium tomorrow in a brown paper bag.

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Eric Frei

Just got a response from Nigel Fechner from Queensland Herbarium who has ID it as ...
Thanks Nigel.

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Eric Frei

And my specimen is now in their collection.

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