Category Archives: Fungi

Blogs referring to fungi on campus

Thames Valley Fungal Group – species list from last foray

It’s taken a while but here is the list of fungi found on the Thames Valley Fungal Group foray on 7th October 2018.  The new reports have yet to be added to the main species lists.

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Black footed polypore (Picipes badius)

The black footed polypore gains it’s name from the black stipe supporting the fruiting body. It’s a saprophytic species growing on dead hardwood. This quite large and colourful fungus has not previously been reported on campus so I was excited … Continue reading

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2015 powdery mildew species review

Alist of all powdery mildew species I have found in 2015 is now available on the Whiteknights biodiversity blog. Please take a look.

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UK Fungus Day @UniofReading notes 3

I’m still working through numerous photos and trying to edit them – several of today’s blog batch are those our MSc Plant Diversity (#MScPlDiv) students tried to identify the next day.  Note that not all the names scribbled on the … Continue reading

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UK Fungus Day @UniofReading notes 2

Here is the second gallery of fungal finds from our UK fungus day activities.  A range of both small and crust-like fungi through to large boletes.  There are part of the morning collections and a few of the afternoon foray … Continue reading

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UK Fungus Day @UniofReading notes no. 1

UK Fungus Day was marked by excellent weather for seeing and collecting fungi.  The group walked through the Wilderness on the morning foray and then in to central campus for the afternoon foray. The group consisted of Thames Valley Fungi … Continue reading

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Living fossils on campus

Some species have been described over the years as ‘living fossils’ because they are the last survivors from groups that were once common in the fossil record. The Coelacanth is an example. It belongs to a group of fish first known only from the … Continue reading

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The Lichen Symbiosis Part 4

Lichens are fundamental in the development of many ecosystems, and in some areas can provide food for some relatively large organisms. They are often intrinsically linked with primary succession, being the pioneering life forms that can create soil, by actively degrading rock, and releasing the minerals … Continue reading

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The Lichen Symbiosis Part 3

Lichen Reproduction This is no simple matter, only the fungus of the lichen reproduces sexually. Lichens have a number of ways to spread throughout the environment, both sexually and non-sexually. The sexual stage is also complicated by the fact the … Continue reading

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Shuttlecocks – fungi designed them first!

At this time of year the fruiting bodies of the powdery mildew species, Phyllactinia guttata, are easy to find on the underside of hazel leaves (Corylus avellana) on campus. The minute fruiting bodies – known as clasmothecia – can be seen as … Continue reading

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