Hi Lisa, I have 3 candidates (Genus) for your mystery fungus:TRAMETES, STEREUM
or TRICHAPTUM.  I think all are found on dead wood. Compare descriptions.  Hope
it is one of these.

Rich Hyerczyk


TRAMETES....UNDER SIDE WHITISH WITH PORES
Trametes versicolor, formerly known as Coriolus versicolor and Polyporus
versicolor, is a common polypore mushroom of the genus Trametes.
The top surface of the cap shows typical concentric zones of different colours.
Flesh 1-3 mm thick, leathery texture. Cap with rust-brown or darker brown,
sometimes blackish zones, Older specimens can have zones green algae growing on
them, thus appearing green. Commonly grows in tiled layers. Cap flat, up to 8 x
5 x 0,5-1 centimeters, often triangular or round, with zones of fine hairs. Pore
surface whitish to light brown, pores round and with age twisted and
labyrinthine. 2-5 pores per millimeter


STEREUM.... UNDER SIDE SMOOTH
Stereum species are wood decay fungi that do not have tubes. They are simply
small bracket-shaped membranes appearing on dead wood. The underside of the
membrane contains spores but no ornament, i.e. gills, of any kind.


TRICHAPTUM...UNDERSIDE VIOLET COLORED & PORED
Trichaptum biforme
Ecology: Saprobic; growing in overlapping clusters on hardwood logs and stumps;
late spring, summer and fall; found in all 50 of the United States and all the
Canadian provinces; in eastern North America it is one of the most commonly
encountered fungi. Trichaptum biforme is a voracious decomposer of dead wood. It
causes a straw colored sapwood rot in standing trees.
Fruiting Body: Up to 6 cm across and 3 mm thick; more or less semicircular,
irregularly bracket-shaped, or kidney-shaped; flattened-convex; hairy, finely
hairy or fairly smooth; with zones of whitish to grayish white colors; the
margin sometimes pale lilac; without a stem.
Pore Surface: Purple to lilac, with the strongest shades near the margin; fading
to buff or brownish in age; with 3-5 angular pores per mm; usually eroding and
developing spines or teeth with maturity; not bruising.
Flesh: Whitish; tough and leathery.
Chemical Reactions: KOH negative to pale yellowish on flesh and cap surface.
Spore Print: White.

Hello Rich & Co.,

I have a friend in Sweden, who bought a plant, that has a fungus on it; that
I've seen around here.  I've dropped it in the photos section, under mystery
fungus.  I wanted to identify the fungus to the family or genus level - to see
if they are known to harm their host.  The plant in question has many new
friends that don't appear to be harming the plant.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Regards,Lisa

Newfound Lichen Species Named for Obama


LiveScience.com livescience Staff

livescience.com – Thu Apr 16, 3:53 pm ET
A newly discovered species of lichen - a plant-like growth that looks like moss
or a dry leaf - has been named after President Obama.


Kerry Knudsen, lichen curator of the University of California, Riverside
Herbarium, discovered the species in 2007 while doing a survey for lichen
diversity on Santa Rosa Island in California.


"I named it Caloplaca obamae to show my appreciation for the president's support
of science and science education," he said. "I made the final collections of C.
obamae during the suspenseful final weeks of President Obama's campaign for the
United States presidency."


C. obamae, the first species of any organism to be named in honor of President
Obama, grows on soil and almost became extinct during the days of cattle
ranching that spanned nearly 100 on Santa Rosa Island.


"This species barely survived the intensive grazing of cattle, elk and deer on
Santa Rosa Island," Knudsen said. "But with cattle now removed, it has begun to
recover. With future removal of elk and deer - both of which were introduced to
the island - it is expected to fully recover."


Lichens, which grow slowly and live for many years, result from fungi and algae
living together.


There are about 17,000 species of lichen worldwide, with some 1,500 species
reported from California. More than 300 lichens have been reported from Santa
Rosa Island, almost as many species of native plants on the island.


"C. obamae teaches us that possibly other species of lichens and plants unique
to Santa Rosa Island may have disappeared, without ever being known to science,
since sheep ranching began there in the 1850s," Knudsen said.


Knudsen published his discovery in the March issue of the journal Opuscula
Philolichenum.

Cladonia cristatella, or British Soldiers, has red apothecia (hence,
the Red-Coats).

Sam's photo shows tan-colored apothecia.

I am still going with C. peziziformis.

The genus is Cladonia...thanks Elisabeth.

It looks like a species of Cladonia (cristatela,?)(british soldier
lichen).  Here is the wikipedia entry for it
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cladonia).  You should get yourself a
copy of Lichens of North America if you are interested identifying in
lichens (http://www.lichen.com/book.html).


--- In chicagolichens@yahoogroups.com, "Sam Houston" <sphwolf@...>
wrote:
>
> Please see "Oklahoma" photos. I have added "Green Fungi1 a,b,c" and
> "Green Fungi2 a,b".
> Please help with ID.
>

If the photo was taken in Chicago I'd say that it looks like Cladonia
peziziformis, a fruticose lichen.

I am not sure that it grows in Oklahoma, or maybe it does.

--- In chicagolichens@yahoogroups.com, "Sam Houston" <sphwolf@...> wrote:
>
> Please see "Oklahoma" photos. I have added "Green Fungi1 a,b,c" and
> "Green Fungi2 a,b".
> Please help with ID.
>
They appear to be Lichen fruiting bodies to me. Their growth habit on
rock indicates Lichen too, but I don't know what species they are. I'm
sure someone here will know though. I joined this to learn about
Lichens, but I know mushrooms and fungi pretty well, and those don't
look like any fungi or mushrooms that I'm familiar with.

John

Please see "Oklahoma" photos. I have added "Green Fungi1 a,b,c" and
"Green Fungi2 a,b".
Please help with ID.

I wanted to announce our first trip to look for lichens in 2009. It
will be held over the weekend of March 28 (Saturday) & 29 (Sunday)
2009.

Location is Chiwaukee Prairie in Kenosha County, WISCONSIN.

Kenosha County. T1N-R23E, Sections 7, 8, 17-20, 29-32. 410 acres.

From the Wisconsin DNR: "The natural area features a mosaic of plant
communities, ranging from southern sedge meadow, wet prairie, and wet-
mesic prairie in the low areas, to dry-mesic prairie on the slightly
elevated sandy ridges. Portions of the site are classified as
calcareous fen, inhabited by calcium-loving plants. Oak opening
dominated by bur and black oaks occupies higher, drier ground along
the southern and western parts of the preserve. "

"The northernmost portion, Kenosha Dunes, contains open and
stabilized sand dunes."

I won't be able to visit the prairie beforehand, so I am not sure
what we will find.  I usually don't have much luck with lichens in
prairie habitat, but the Oak trees and Kenosha Dunes portion sounds a
bit more promising.  I am hoping the flora will be similar to the
lichens I recently reported from nearby Illinois Beach State Park (86
species including the very rare Cetraria arenaria. We'll see.

If you are interested in joining us please let me know ASAP! So as
not to fill up everyone's mail-box with "not able to attend"
responses, please only respond if you ARE going to attend this event.

A snow/rain date is scheduled for April 18-19.


The starting time is 10:00 am and will end around 3:00 pm. each day.

You will have to find a hotel/motel/campground if you'd like to stay
for both days.

Bring a snack and water, notebook and hand lens and DRESS FOR THE
WEATHER!

More information, including directions, at www.chiwaukee.org


Following the trip a species list will be posted.

--- In chicagolichens@yahoogroups.com, "jgoehler25" <jgoehler25@...>
wrote:

> >
> Sam, It looks like it may have once been some kind of chantrelle or
> false chantrelle. It has that upward trumpet shape and bright orange.
> But it is hard to tell with out seeing the underside.
> Jess
>
Hi Jess,

Not a Chanterelle, as these are growing on/consuming wood,
Chanterelles don't grow on wood, they grow in soil in a mycorrhizal
association with trees.

John

Hey Sam,
Your orange fungus looks like it may have once been a Chantrelle or a
False Chantrelle. It has that bright orange color and that upward
trumpet-shape. It's difficult to tell with out seeing the underside.
Also, there was another photo you had of what looks like a Selaginella
(the green and yellow organism) Its a type of bryophyte.
Jess

--- In chicagolichens@yahoogroups.com, "Sam Houston" <sphwolf@...>
wrote:
>
> --- In chicagolichens@yahoogroups.com, "chicagolichens"
> <chicagolichens@> wrote:
> >
> > Sam, it looks like you have photos of an orange colored mushroom
(?)
> > that isn't a lichen as far as I know.  Maybe others can comment.
> >
>
> Well, I wondered if that was maybe what it was but I wasn't sure.
> Hopefully others will comment.
> In the meantime I have a mushroom expert that I correspond with from
> time to time so I'll ask his opinion and see if he also thinks it's
a
> mushroom.
>
Sam, It looks like it may have once been some kind of chantrelle or
false chantrelle. It has that upward trumpet shape and bright orange.
But it is hard to tell with out seeing the underside.
Jess

--- In chicagolichens@yahoogroups.com, "chicagolichens"
<chicagolichens@...> wrote:
>
> Sam, it looks like you have photos of an orange colored mushroom (?)
> that isn't a lichen as far as I know.  Maybe others can comment.
>

Well, I wondered if that was maybe what it was but I wasn't sure.
Hopefully others will comment.
In the meantime I have a mushroom expert that I correspond with from
time to time so I'll ask his opinion and see if he also thinks it's a
mushroom.

Sam, it looks like you have photos of an orange colored mushroom (?)
that isn't a lichen as far as I know.  Maybe others can comment.

Please see "Oklahoma" here in the photos for two pics of orange
lichen/fungi. The tallest one was about 5mm (3/16") tall. Please help
with ID.

John Denk wrote:
> Hello Jack,
>
> Thanks for that ID. I checked the image on your site, and it does look
> very similar.
>
> By the way, the gray, cracked mass in that shot is, I think, a fungus,
> looks like Xylobolus frustulatus, Ceramic Parchment Fungus.

I think Rich called my attention to that when I first posted it.

js


--
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
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Margaret M. Glynn wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Am I looking at the wrong picture--which part is the star-like moss?  I
couldn't find it.

Did you find this yet?  I don't have the picture or link to it but it is
pretty conspicuous.

js



>
> Margaret M. Glynn
> Independent Consultant
> The Body Shop® At Home
> http://www.thebodyshopathome.com/web/mmglynn



--
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Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver http://schmidling.com

Hello Jack,

Thanks for that ID. I checked the image on your site, and it does look
very similar.

By the way, the gray, cracked mass in that shot is, I think, a fungus,
looks like Xylobolus frustulatus, Ceramic Parchment Fungus.

John

--- In chicagolichens@yahoogroups.com, Jack Schmidling <jack@...> wrote:
>
> vblaine@... wrote:
> > Couldn't find the photo in question.  Is it in a particular album?
  Is there a link?
>
>
> It is on my web site.... http://schmidling.com/lichen.htm
>
> Scroll down to the Pixie-cup
>
> js
>
> --
> PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
> Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
http://schmidling.com
>

Hi Valerie,

There's a link in my original posting, and the photo is in my group
album, or here's the address:
http://tech.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/chicagolichens/photos/view/7159?b=8&m=f&o=\
0
  .

John

--- In chicagolichens@yahoogroups.com, vblaine@... wrote:
>
> Couldn't find the photo in question.  Is it in a particular album?
Is there a link?
>
> Valerie

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your replies. Since my original posting 2 years ago, I had
worked out that it was a Cladonia, but hadn't felt comfortable with
any species name. I know it's hard to ID some things to species from
just a photo. I'm pretty good with most natural history
subjects(especially plants and fungi), but I don't have any field
guides to lichens, so I'm fairly lost when it comes to them.

John

The star-like plant in John's photo is a moss.  With the thick leaves I
would say it is a Polytrichum species.

The pyxie-cup lichen is a Cladonia.

Rich

vblaine@... wrote:
> Couldn't find the photo in question.  Is it in a particular album?  Is there a
link?


It is on my web site.... http://schmidling.com/lichen.htm

Scroll down to the Pixie-cup

js

--
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver http://schmidling.com

John Denk wrote:

> But yes, I'm sure they were a lichen. Glad that someone finally
> responded to my post. :-)

I suspect Rich will be along for i.d. but I am also interested in the
star like plant in the photo.  I suspect it could be a liverwort but
don't know that one either.

js


--
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--- In chicagolichens@yahoogroups.com, "Anita" <hortus111@...> wrote:
>
> John, are you sure those are lichen? They look like they might be a
> spiderwort. I'm a beginner at this, so don't laugh too hard if I'm way
> wrong.  Anita
>
Hi Anita,

Perhaps you meant Liverwort? Spiderwort is a wildflower.

But yes, I'm sure they were a lichen. Glad that someone finally
responded to my post. :-)

Thanks,
John

-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Anita" <hortus111@...>

John, are you sure those are lichen? They look like they might be a
spiderwort. I'm a beginner at this, so don't laugh too hard if I'm way
wrong. Anita

Anita wrote:
> John, are you sure those are lichen? They look like they might be a
> spiderwort. I'm a beginner at this, so don't laugh too hard if I'm way
> wrong.

I think you mean Liverwort, no?  Spider wort is a tall flowering plant.

It resembles the  PIXIE-CUP LICHEN (Cladonia chlorophaea) but is
different enough to probably not be.

There is a picture of a Pixie on my lichen page...

http://schmidling.com/lichen.htm

For comparison.

js


--
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver http://schmidling.com

John, are you sure those are lichen? They look like they might be a
spiderwort. I'm a beginner at this, so don't laugh too hard if I'm way
wrong.  Anita