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Shelf fungus |
I found this really cool shelf fungus on one of my wanderings this week. I imagine someone else removed it from its host tree and then left it. I suppose it’s possible it fell off on its own, as a couple of nearby trees could have served as a host, though I suspect not. Fungi tend to hold on pretty tight and can damage a living tree. It’s even possible the fungus was deliberately removed it to try and save the host tree from further damage. Or, it might have been on a tree cut for firewood. It’s impossible to say.
I think fungi are always fun to look at. They are easier to see in winter because they aren’t hidden by greenery and summer growth. And in a dull brown winter like this one, something that is bright orange is always a treat. This one was a good 7-8 inches long and 4-5 inches wide. It looked fresh, too. Shelf fungus are common here (and probably elsewhere, too) but this one was larger than most.
4 comments:
Nice to find a spot of color in this unsnowy winter, like a long long November. By the way, removing a fungus from a tree will not save it, since the visible growth is simply the fruit of the invisible mycorrhizal threads that infest the rotting wood already.
Oh that's beautiful, Carolyn!
WW: There's no denying that this is a very weird winter. I didn't know that a fungus had already done its wor, even if it is removed. Thanks for that!
Jeannette: Thanks!
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