Help with Identification please!

[Blackthorn]

Folks,

Can anyone give me any ideas as to what this Mushroom is? I hope the picture links actually work, its my first time trying this.

I also have attached a picture of what i think is either pine resin or dried sap. I just found it as displayed ( semi hard gooey ball) at the bottom of a tree. Its definetly pine something as it smells very strongly of pine.

Can anyone tell me if this is pine sap or resin. I imagine that resin is really just a hardened piece of sap anyway. But maybe im wrong.

Any help would be appreciated.

Blackthorn

 

[Ogri the trog]

Hi Blackthorn,
Sorry to say that I can't help with the mushroom identification as I'm only just starting out on that path myself. The more experienced however might want to know where it was found, tree species or type of surrounding area etc as the host often dictates the fungi that grow on it. Possibly could be a beefsteak fungus
As far as the sap/resin goes, if it smells so strongly of pine, then that is what it is. Wait until later in the year and when you find some more - of the hardened stuff that is. Amaze your friends by chipping a bit off the tree and popping it into your mouth as a natural chewing gum. It does tend to go through a powdery stage before it actually gets chewy, but it's not unpleasant.
You can also use it in the making of a natural glue strengthened with charcoal.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Ahjno]

Hi Blackthorn,

Nice mushroom you've got there
I'm just started with this whole mycology thing, so can't say what it is (sorry). But do have Roger Philips 'bible' here at the moment from my local library.

To ID a mushroom he has a small checklist:

Do you've got more info about:

How the hood feels (sticky, smooth, fiber or scale like)?
Colour of the meat (milky sap, fibers, crums)?
What does it smell like?
Habitat (what tree / plant did you found it on, what soil, broadleaf or pinewood, etc.).

If you have more info, this would certainly help our experts to answer you question (I'll give it a try aswell, because I like a challenge). Lots of mushrooms look-a-like

A quick link for you, if interested
www.rogersmushrooms.com

EDIT:
Must learn to type faster ... and not surfing rogerssite while answering a thread at the same time ...

 

[Blackthorn]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Johan the link is great, had come across this before but forgot to bookmark it.

From the site the nearest estimation i can make is that the mushroom is possibly an Artist's Fungus (Ganoderma adspersum). I found it on a Beech Tree last week and there were others that had grown quite big. One was almost a foot wide.

To feel it is really solid both top and bottom. When you tap it it sounds a bit hollow but when i cut it open it was sort of flakey/gills looking and very hard.

Ogri,,,thats exactly why i wanted to know what the pine was coz i want to make that glue. Would be very chuffed with myself if i could. Thanks for the tips guys.

Blackthorn.

 

[Ahjno]

I think you're right about that mate. It's as you say Ganoderma Adspersum, or Ganoderma applanatum.
The latter one is often mixed up with the first.

Have a look at one of the links in this search result (for: Ganoderma), can be used with firelighting
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/search.php?searchid=305114

Thank you for showing your find and giving me some practice :You_Rock_

 

[Blackthorn]

Johan

Thats a good link. It would be great if it were Ganoderma Adspersum, or Ganoderma applanatum as they both seem to be useful for firelighting.

The sample which i put up on the picture has been drying on the top of my boiler for the past week after i cut it into smaller chunks. It was bloody hard to cut too. Hard as old boots. It seems to want to burn when i give it a try and id love to see what its like after a bit of carbonising in a char cloth tin as that guy Den suggests on the link.

Might try to do this some time this week. I'll let you know how it goes if i manage to do this. Ive got a few bits of it if you fancy a piece for experimenting yourself.

Blackthorn