Menispora ciliata

[Steve]

Here is what I get to be Menispora ciliata, which is probably the dullest fungus I have ever found from its appearance, but with lovely conidia which I used to try to ID it using Ellis & Ellis. I presume it's an anamorphic form of an asco (hyphomycete). As it has 300 FRDBI records, 17 of which are in the Sheffield area (12 are by Chris Yeates) I think this is a good guess. It looks like a bit of dull grey-green felt, and is quite tough. My LED stereo images cut out the greenish tones and make it look just grey. Leaving it overnight to drop spores produced nothing, so I teased a bit out and did a squash to reveal the conidia with long appendages.. We are looking at anything remotely "fungal" in appearance in Greno Wood, and getting surprises (resin from pine, bird poo etc, sterile fungal crusts, crusts composed of hyphomycetes, highly infected basidio crusts full of all kinds of invading hyphomycetes which could give us a very nice list - but will probably be of no interest to the local Wildlife Trust, for whom we are doing the survey). Also, a tremendous wealth of wildlife - "minibeasts" on crust fungi, insects, molluscs etc.
Steve

[Chris Yeates]

Hi Steve

looks fine to me; a key feature is the shape of the conidiophores:

looking rather like narrow versions of the motif found in the Paisley design: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paisley_(design) . The lower conidiophore in the right hand portion of the "triptych" shows one budding off an almost mature conidium . . .

Yes, anamorphic Chaetosphaeriaceae. And the Wildlife Trust should welcome all records / species; I'm sure if a party of entomologists surveyed the site they wouldn't say "we're only interested in the big stuff, so forget most flies, beetles and hymenopterans" - please tell me they wouldn't.

cheers
Chris

[Steve]

Hi Chris,
Many thanks for that.
Yes, we will certainly be showing them the smaller fungi - John Leach has taken a shine to the woods, and there are 6 pubs in Grenoside!
The resupinates are a huge challenge but represent almost 50% of our finds so far, so we are looking at as many as we can manage. In fact we are looking at everything!
If ever you wish to join us in this West Riding wood you would be most welcome.
Steve