Fungus in Cardiff’s Thompson’s Park
I’m a big fan of fungi and took these pictures in Thompson’s Park, Cardiff, in August, but I recently revisited, so I’m using that excuse to share them now. I had often seen this fungus, which I always thought was Trametes versicolor, turkeytail, on a tree stump in the park (see my January fungus foray here). But fellow blogger Earthstar tells me it’s giant polypore, Meripilus giganteus.
This is the tree stump
I don’t know the species of the stump, but most stumps tend to have elder (Sambucus nigra) sprouting from the hollows
Fellow blogger Countryside Tales suggests it’s probably a sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), which would explain the rough bark.
I was surprised on this occasion to see all the mass of bracket fungus that had been on the stump was now on the ground. I have no idea if it was removed by natural events or had been stripped by humans (adult or child).
Fallen fungus
It at least gave me a chance to have a closer look…
Fallen fungus
The meaty white underside of a clump of the fungus
A closer look
Another bunch of the Meripilus giganteus
A closer look – very colourful
When I returned a week or so ago, the fallen fungus had long gone, but there was new growth starting on the stump…
White beginning of a new bracket
Another beginning
There was also plump growth of another fungus I have seen here before…
The jelly ear fungus is now thriving again – I think it is Auricularia auricula
More of the jelly ears
Aren’t rotting stumps wonderful?
The Squirrelbasket 
Loveyl blog, Pat. There are so many wonderful fungi around at the moment. I think the fungi in your top photos are Giant Polypores – see my pics here for a comparison. They darken as they age and eventually become like sludge!
https://earthstarblog.wordpress.com/2016/08/29/roath-parks-giant-polypores/
Thanks for correcting me on that one! It would also explain, I think, why they start off white? The only other polypores I have seen are beech polypores.
All the best 🙂
You’re welcome! They are certainly very pale to begin with, yes.
Such great ecosystems for all sorts of life, old tree stumps. I think your mystery stump could be a sycamore.
Thanks for that. Yes, the bark does look very like sycamore! Hadn’t thought of that.
All the best 🙂
I agree, rotting stumps are wonderful–important habitat! neat photos
Thank you 🙂
I am also a fan of Fungi..Fungi make an extraordinarily important contribution to managing disease in humans and other animals…..
have them at your next party ,I hear they are ” FUN GUYS ”
( couldn’t resist ) Awesome interesting and informative write..thanks for sharing
kjforce
Lovely to hear from you – hope you are doing well.
And the old jokes are always the best!
🙂