On a fallen oak with the Stereum hirsutum host. 31 October 2013 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. Fruiting Body Brain like, brown, to about 8 cm across Flesh Brown, gelatinous when fresh, hard when dry Smell Indistinct Taste Indistinct Season Autumn Distribution Very rarely recorded Habitat Parasitic on Stereum hirsutum, on rotten wood from broadleaf trees, especially oak. Spore Print White Microscopic Features Spores ellipsoidal, smooth (9-10) x (7-8) µm2. Basidia subspherical, 2-4 spored, with long sterigmata Edibility Unknown Notes Although rarely recorded, I started scouring oak and beech trees after a collection was reported in West Sussex, and over the course of one week I made three separate collections, suggesting that the species is not as rare as the records suggest. 
On a fallen oak. 4 October 2016 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
On a fallen oak. 1 October 2016 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
On a fallen oak. 3 October 2016 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
Spores in Melzer's solution viewed with a x100 immersion objective. 1 October 2016 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
Basidium in Congo red viewed with a x40 objective. 1 October 2016 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
8 October 2020 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
Spores in Congo Red solution viewed with a x100 immersion objective. 9 October 2020 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. |