decay fungi

[jlo]

anyone recognise this. its fairly common in UK on Beech - Fagus sylvatica.
interested to know if it is found in the US

 

[jlo]

This was the tree the fungi was growing on. A large Beech 4ft diameter and 110ft tall. Though it appeared to be in reasonable health (at first glance - without observing the fruiting bodies growing at its base) and the foliage exibited reasonable vigor, it had shed a large limb fairly recently. Due to its location near a main road it was felled. On inspecting the stump, there was extensive decay to more than 4/5ths of the basal area, justifying its removal. Incidentaly it was cross cut at what would have been 20ft above ground level and the wood showed no sign of decay.

 

[Mark Chisholm]

Beech trees seem to display their decay quite often with fruiting bodies like that. What I find scary as a climber is how that heavy, solid wood can get so pulpy in such a short time.

 

[jlo]

Mark
I agree with your concerns about beech wood going pulpy so quickly, especially as their crowns can still look in good health.........it only becoming apparent how much the tree is decayed when its cut at ground level.... after all the climbing / rigging has been done.. like you say scary.
the decay fungi in the first post was Meripilus giganteus, its fruiting bodies dont last long, one frost and it rots away.
the attached picture is of a beech that had Ustulina duesta decay fungi.....its fruiting bodies are black crusty lumps and often quite small and so easy to miss..... this paticular tree showed no sign of ill health in its crown and there was just a small patch of the fruiting body visible.(which was why it was removed..being roadside) It was 80 feet tall and some of its branches had to be lowered....i never imagined that the decay would be as extensive as this, despite knowing that the fungi was present in this tree..it certainly made me think....as do all the beech i now climb do.