Exciting find

[Chris Yeates]

Though not by me! See http://www.ascofrance.com/forum/45097/micropeziza. As far as I know this is the third collection of this fungus, the first here in Yorkshire and the second in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany; now here in Switzerland.
You can read more about this species here: http://www.ascofrance.com/uploads/forum ... 6-0002.pdf (now in the public domain).

I would encourage people with microscopes to spend some time looking at fungi on ferns. The rusts, mostly Milesina species are, by and large, very much under-recorded - see viewtopic.php?f=9&t=122&p=854&hilit=Milesina#p854; and there is a fine range of "disco's" to be found on dead stems and fronds. I have repeatedly looked for this fungus, but have yet to re-find it (am resolved to try much harder!).

Of particular interest would be any finds of the very similar fungus (morphologically that is) which has been found on marsh cinquefoil, Comarum palustre and which is mentioned in the PDF paper on page 133; futher details here: http://www.ascofrance.fr/search_forum/17319. While so similar in general appearance the great difference in substrate would suggest it is not conspecific with Micropeziza filicina. It is remarkable how things have moved on since I first dipped by toe into the mycological pool: the interconnectivity with mycologists in other countries, the freer availability of so much literature, all of which has been opened up via the internet. People starting out now and finding things difficult (and they are when you begin) should imagine what it was like without sites like these and with just a handful of books . . . .

Chris

[Flaxton]

I am sure there is a second sample out there waiting for you Chris.
Mal

[Chris Yeates]

I am sure there is a second sample out there waiting for you Chris.
Mal

Even better were someone else to find it, say in Wales or Scotland (both countries have their share of good fern stands ). Uwe Lindemann has been in touch and tells me there was a third (so four now) find in southern Germany a few weeks ago . . .
Chris

[Flaxton]

Does Bracken qualify or is that something totally different?
Mal

[Chris Yeates]

Does Bracken qualify or is that something totally different?
Mal

I don't think we have enough finds to know. All the previous finds have been on Athyrium or Dryopteris, which although not closely related do have similar, relatively quickly decomposing, rachides. Bracken is, as we all know a rather tougher customer - its longer-lasting litter being a considerable part of why it can be an ecological problem. As I indicated we cannot even be certain that Micropeziza filicina is limited to fern hosts; this why I posted, hoping some others will look out for it.

Chris