Thread: Help Id This Pls

Can anyone tell me what this Fungus is?

I noticed Oak leaves on the ground. Did this conk/rhizomorph come from an Oak? If it did there are 3 pathenogenic possibilties (the following fungus I.D. is NOT the only possibilty, there are many "non-injurious" fungal conks that grow symbiotically with trees, however even their presence indicates some level of decay).
1) Armillaria - when the bark is removed from the location of the conk there will be white/cream colored mycellia on the vascular tissue, known as "white rot". The rhizomorph root structure (conk) is very dark inside and out. There should also be mushrooms growing in scattered locations throughout the root zone of the tree.
2) Ganoderma applanatum - The fungus of this disease also causes "white rot". It most often invades through wounds however the fungal conks appear at ground level. The conk will be dark on the top but much lighter underneath. The disease progression can create columns of decay 10 to 15 ft. up the trunk. This disease can be spread through root grafting.

3) Ganoderma lucidum - This fungus is very closely related to "applanatum" however the fungal conk is an annual occurence that can grow to 14". It is red/brown in color (much like your picture). This disease can be wound related OR stress related, and can enter the tree in numerous fashions. "Lucidium" is much faster moving than "applanatum" and can cause very rapid decline.
The bottom line to any of these is there is no chemical control, level decay should be determined as the tree can become a hazard. Since root grafting can move some of these funguses removal if diagnosis is confirmed should be done quickly. Hope this helps.

That is on a Douglas fir tree heres some others I found on the site.

I also found this on a Bigleaf maple

"Fungus 1 & 2 could be "Indian Paint Fungus" (a.k.a. Stringy Brown Rot) fairly common on doug firs that are in stands (airborne pathogen). Check to see if the interior of the conks are red, the bottom side of the conk will be "toothed". "Fungus 3" looks like abnormal callus formation (kinda of hard to tell). A genetic issue that really is not pathenogenic. As with all rots, decay is a given. The degree to which decay has occured is the real problem, i.e. hazard tree (?).

Urban,
Thank you for your input.
I thought #1,2 were Schweinitzii Butt Rot, never heard of Indian paint fungus?
Is it possible for #3 to be Ganoderma? common on BL Maple.

It's hard to tell from the pictures if the conks are shaped like manure piles, or more flat. If "cone" shaped it very well could be Schweinitzii. I don't think #3 is Ganoderma. Most often the conks of Ganoderma are brown with a white/cream colored edge. This conk(?) looks too dark and it's also seems(?) more round than flat. Ganoderma conks look like frisbees that are flat on the tree side.

that first one is tough - it looks like an old conk that is decomposing. Reminds me of an old Fomitopsis conk, as does the last one, but not likely on a macrophyllum. The 2nd one is probably Schweinitzii, just formed strangely around that root section and didn't form its typical shape.
Sometimes that Fomitopsis and Heterobasium (and Ganoderma) can be hard to id when the conk forms in a corner or crevice and only part of it shows - there's no 'top' or 'bottom' visible. Either way, you're looking at some decay in those roots.

on second look there is some semblance of Ganoderma on the maple, just above the hammer. And the larger one on the right. The black ones could be older conks, rotting away?

Originally Posted by Arbortek

I also found this on a Bigleaf maple

In the top right hand of this photo the Black patch looks like Rhizomorphs which would be indicative of Armillaria spp if they were thin dark lines threading over the base of the tree.

Have you got any photos of the underside of that healthy Basidiocarp? Also are those black shriveled Basidiocarps actually lay on the floor at the base of the tree?

Originally Posted by Arbortek

Can anyone tell me what this Fungus is?

This looks like a basidiocarp of Ganoderma Oregonese with part missing. It's can be quite large. How big was this? This is common on Douglas fir.

Originally Posted by TreeTopKid

This looks like a basidiocarp of Ganoderma Oregonese with part missing. It's can be quite large. How big was this? This is common on Douglas fir.

This is very common on Douglas fir.