Tree Cross Section

From a year ago: a cross section of a beech tree (Fagus sp) that has been attacked by the fungus Auricularia mesenterica (see here for some close-up photos of the actual fungus).  

Originally the cross section would be all brown but the fungus has digested the hard brown lignin from all but the left and lower left margins leaving most of the cross section whitish.  The dark linear markings appear to be lines of defence where the tree attempted to seal off the advance of the fungal hyphae.

Photo taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2013-02-25.

Crust Fungus

From four years ago: an orange crust fungus, probably Peniophora incarnata, growing on the cut end of a log.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2010-03-26.

Mushroom

An Amanita sp mushroom, possibly Amanita excelsa.

Here is the stem:

And here are the gills:

Photos taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2013-10-26.

Toothed Crust Fungus

From a couple of years ago: a white toothed crust fungus, possibly Irpex lacteus, on a fallen branch. The hook shape of the teeth is probably a result of the teeth continuing to grow downwards after the branch had fallen and the orientation of the fungus had changed.

 Photo taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2011-12-10.

Jelly Fungus

A jelly fungus, probably Exidia thuretania, growing on a fallen twig. Myxarium nucleatum is similar but tends to be clearer and often contains white nuclei.

I took the following specimen:

Which yielded the following spores (magnification x600, field width 86um):

These average about 16 x 5.5um which agrees with the 13-18 x 5.5-7um given for Exidia thuretania but is a bit larger than the 8.5-14 x 3.5-5um given for Myxarium nucleatum.

First photo and specimen taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2014-02-01.