Orange Jellybaby (Clavaria-like) fungus, on moss - exciting!

Thanks for suggestion Spathularia Grüni /Kagi ... hmmmm, could be but they are mostly yellow. I have another suggestion - what do you think about Dacryopanix???

OK I have a small update. I re-examined the material which was in fridge for 3 days. They have not changed much physically, but the outer layer became slightly more developed and we can be sure that this is a Basidiomycete since I saw basidioles. None of them was mature. The medull became completely whitish-yellow now (central orange zone faded away) and there were some invaginations inside (like it is still shaping up). The medullary tissue remains undifferentiated, in parallel bundles, but they are elongated, more straight and still with perpendicular septae (- rectangular hyphae)

I attach the images.

The specimens started to mold slightly :-(. Yesterday I did not put them in the fridge, so as to accelerate the development process. The best specimen has been dried yesterday so safe from contaminants. Today, I thought, dass die surface was more pruinose ... maybe they make it to sporulate before parasite takes them out.

Andreas, KOH on surface - no color change. It wasn't gelatinous (mucoid or watery) just soft tissue

Yet I found some other strange finger-like organism growing close to them from the soil. Maybe Ceratiomyxa ?!. I may find time to examine under the microscope!

You hit the nail on its head re last fungus. I see if I can do more re species level! Interesting!

Thanks!

Ceratellopsis

We are going for it. Hope we find it in goid shape 🙏😊

Found them. 3 populations. Here are quick mobile photos 😍

I take some pics with slr. They did not change that much. Cu

Hello... Sorry for letting you wait.

Here are some close-up images of the fruiting bodies, 6 days after the first encounter. The have not changed much. They seem to have more a coral-fungus approach then that of a jelly baby fungus. The flesh is soft and breaks away easily, but decivesly not gelatinous. I have dried some more specimens and placed few in the fridge. Not the heavy pruinosity near the stipe.

Under the microscope, there is more or less the same picture of before, but what we assume that are basidioles are more wriggly (curved/flexuose).

Thanks, I try to stay away from FB coz I waste a lot of time, but I think everyone is running out of ideas, and maybe I should post there. However, while the fungus remains in a sterile condition, we can't expect miracles. And I don't feel like going again to the island of Comino for the third time !!

Hi Andreas, thanks for yr help. I have sent material to Alvarado and I can send this to him too. However if u wish to have a sample to examine under yr lens, I can send you one fruiting body. When they dry they are quite small and shrivelled so hope they rehydrate well. Let me know (send address). The samples in the fridge are also healthy and will check their maturity tmrw

Hi Andreas, Thank you for keeping this in mind and I also have not forgotten this fungs on two aspects.

1. If you need to have a voucher specimen (dry) just to have a look, I can send it. I will sent to Alvarado soon. I suspect it is a new species, I posted on MEditerranean fungi FB and they could not come with good suggestions (somewhat trending on Clavaria).

2. I went to check again the micro of my specimens stored in the fridge and stubbornly no reproduction. The basidiole-like hyphae could indeed be immature asci after all.

So this fungus will go to Spain with my next batch.

Let me know if you need a specimen (Message privately yr address or on info@maltawildplats.com)

Yes, I expect the hymenium to be in the outer layer. I have not dried 2 specimens so I can do this test but remember that the hymenium is not developed and we might have false negative J test. To be continued .... thanks for your help - much obliged (and applies to all members who have contributed on this coral-lichen thing!)

Neolecta is the closest I could judge.

Neolecta irregularis / Mitrule irrégulière | Récolté par J. … | Flickr

Hello guys... I am really busy concluding my thesis (on macromycetes) of which deadline is in a few weeks now. I think many remember this post and its mysterious orange coral-like fungus, where I sent samples for DNA analysis. Few days ago I received the DNA ITS1 results and disappointingly Dr Alvarado told me it was noisy or contaminated and suggested to repeat. I have the fasta file (I can share with whome is interested to compare) but maybe its wise to wait the repeat. I am quite sure I did not contaminate the specimens.

Hello again - PCR and sequencing were successful on persisting a bit more with Pablo (he is really a good guy) and I have a name for this collection. I don't know if it is actually it or a very close relative (new species) but the answer is Clavaria salentina (a recent description from Sicily). It looks alike and a bit different too.

Clavaria salentina - A.M.B. PESARO

Genere Clavaria Specie salentina Agnello & Baglivo, 2010 Posizione sistematica: Ordine Agaricales, Famiglia Clavariaceae. Exsic. n. 201 Erbario Maletti.…

www.ambpesaro.it

Quel manto arancione presso una masseria identificata come nuova specie di fungo

MESAGNE – La sua caratteristica colorazione arancione, contribuisce a fare del variopinto mondo delle biodiversità, comprese nella macchia mediterranea, un…

www.brindisireport.it

I look forward to contribute more to this lovely community