Fungal Findings

[treesandsurf]

Was called to look at this Oak (Quercus spp.). There was some larger deadwood in the canopy, and apparently the tree looked 'sicked' when it was leafed out. Found the following after scratching away several inches of soil (debris) that was mounded over the root collar. Any ideas?

First guess is A. mellea but the coloration (very white) of the fruiting body and the fact that only found one in an isolated area threw me for a bit of a loop. There was presence of 'shoestring' like mycelium on surface of bark and soil.

Will be returning for a more comprehensive root crown inspection soon.

jp

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Jim?

 

[Ed Roland]

There was presence of 'shoestring' like mycelium on surface of bark and soil.

opcorn:

 

[pdqdl]

I'm a bit more interested in that section of trunk that looks sunken on the left side. I'd excavate a little bit more there. It looks like there may be some old damage or girdling roots there.

Fungi are NOT my specialty, but you should always picture the gills, the attachment to the stem, and the base of the stem, as well as the view from the top. Very diagnostic for a lot of mushrooms.

 

[jomoco]

I'm a bit more interested in that section of trunk that looks sunken on the left side. I'd excavate a little bit more there. It looks like there may be some old damage or girdling roots there.

Fungi are NOT my specialty, but you should always picture the gills, the attachment to the stem, and the base of the stem, as well as the view from the top. Very diagnostic for a lot of mushrooms.

So do the right thing and take a sample to county ag for positive ID of Armillaria mellea, which I'm fairly sure it is unfortunately. Though the caps should be a light brown almost honey color.

Documentation and professional recommendation is your job as an arborist.

jomoco

 

[Vrutter]

I'll bet it's not Armillaria. Looks like girdling roots.

 

[scott t]

I'm not an arborist but did you look at the fact that if it was gridling root it could cause root rot there for popping out mushroom (IMO) here we get them if root rot begin like i said no expert just my opinion.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I asked an amateur myccophage I know and he said a shot of the gills on the underside and the base where i comes from the mycillia would be more helpfull in the ID process.

higher rez pics would help too. Just crop it down to the shroom to get the files size down.

 

[tomtrees58]

So do the right thing and take a sample to county ag for positive ID of Armillaria mellea, which I'm fairly sure it is unfortunately. Though the caps should be a light brown almost honey color.

Documentation and professional recommendation is your job as an arborist.

jomoco

:agree2: tom trees

 

[treesandsurf]

Thanks for the recommendations. I originally was called to look at several other trees and this one popped up in the process of going through the property. Will be back in several weeks to do a RC exam. Will take higher res pics of the gills of the fruiting body then.

I'm also doubtful it is A. mellea but we'll see.

jp

 

[TreeTopKid]

I attended a lecture by Christopher Lulley PHD. Who was speaking at depth with regards to fungus identification and he actually pointed out to me personally to never attempt to identify fungal rot by the mushroom alone because there are so many variants, and very often they are not connected to the disease of the tree at all. That mushroom is definitely not Honey Fungus BTW. They are a different color, and appear in clusters.

 

[treeseer]

Yeah better pics and gill shots etc would help. re Armillaria many freak over it but it can often be managed and walled off.

I'm not an arborist but did you look at the fact that if it was gridling root it could cause root rot

Hmm...like this maple story about Ruby?

I never did ID the yellow mushroom--I showed the client this story and he stopped talking to me--maybe he thought I was hot for his wife!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Armillaria clumps up

To me this is too white also