Ramaria-aurea_5

Description:

Ramaria aurea (Schaeff.:Fr.) Quel.Yellow Coral, DE: Goldgelbe KoralleSlo.: zlata grivaDat.: Oct. 02. 2014Lat.: 46.35961 Long.: 13.75851Code: Bot_836/2014_DSC4052Habitat: old mixed wood, dominant Fagus sylvatica mixed with Abies alba and Picea abies; locally almost flat terrain, calcareous ground, in shade, relatively cold and humid place, partly protected from direct rain by tree canopies, average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 3-5 deg C, elevation 1.200 m (3.900 feet), alpine phytogeographical region.Substratum: leaf litter and soil under a Fagus sylvatica.Place: Lower Trenta valley, former Planina Lepo, next to the trail from Trenta village to Prehodavci pass, northwest slopes of Mt. Lepo pije ridge, East Julian Alps, Posoje, Slovenia EC.Comments:Determination of Ramaria species is always a challenge for me even in case of quite common and best known' large, some shade of yellow-orange vividly colored Ramaria finds. These species cannot be overlooked in the field. They are very prominent.For almost two centuries such fruit bodies had been known as either Ramaria aurea or Ramaria flava. Both names origin from Fries from late 18th century. They had been commonly known as 'yellow one' and 'orange-yellow' Ramaria. Only in seventies of 20th century Petersen's and Schild's research discovered that these two widely accepted names actually covered several distinct species. A new key was published by Schild in his paper 'Was ist Ramaria aurea und Ramaria flava?' in 1978 (Ref.3, full text available on net). The paper deals mostly with Ramaria sanguinea, Ramaria flavescens, Ramaria aurea, Ramaria flava and Ramaria fagetorum - but there are more of them described. Most Ramarias are quite variable in habitus, colors of different parts of their fruit bodies may change significantly during their lifespan, not all traits are stable, etc., so a reliable determination to species level based solely on macroscopic traits is eventually possible only for professional specialists for this genus. Observation of microscopic properties, particularly of spores and hypha septa, is indispensable. Initially, the fruit bodies on my pictures looked very similar to Ramaria flavescens, not only to my opinion. This species is quite common in Slovenia and in fact (some if not many) habitus pictures in literature and internet supported this guess. Yet, microscopy revealed simple hypha septa and the spores were too wide. Hence this assumption was bad. Both these microscopic properties fit well to Ramaria aurea. Also vividly yellow upper part of the stump (see Fig.5. and the key in Schild's paper, Ref.: 3) and better fit of measured spore dimensions to Schild's data speak for Ramaria aurea. Spores are still a little bit too wide. They would fit even better to similar Ramaria largenti (having spores dimensions 10-16/4-6.5 microns according to Schild) but this species thrives in coniferous forests, while my find grew under Fagus sylvatica. Also Ramaria largenti is more orange. So Ramaria aurea seems to be the best fit.Growing in a group of four sporocarps within a range of approximately three by one meter; fruit bodies up to 14 cm tall and 9-15 cm wide; stump massive, up to 4-5 cm tall and 4 cm in diameter; branches fragile; no discoloring noticed when injured, cut or bruised; smell mild, pleasant and quite specific; taste initially mild, after some time slightly rancid but not bitter; SP very faint, color could not be determined.Hypha of subhymenium and stump have simple septa. Spores warty, large for genus Ramaria. Dimensions: 11 [12,4 ; 13,1] 14,5 x 5,2 [5,9 ; 6,2] 6,9 micr., Q = 1,8 [2,1 ; 2,2] 2,4; N = 26; C = 95%, Me = 12,7 x 6,0micr.; Qe = 2,1. Basidia narrowly clavate. Dimensions: 47.8 [55.8 ; 59.8] 67.8 x 9.3 [10.9 ; 11.7] 13.3 micr., Q = 4.1 [4.9 ; 5.3] 6.2; N = 25; C = 95%; Me = 57.8 x 11.3 micr.;Qe = 5.1. Olympus CH20, NEA 100x/1.25, magnification 1.000 x, oil (spores); NEA 40x/0.65, magnification 400x (basidia, hypha), in water.AmScope MA500 digital camera.Ref.:(1) Personal communication with Mr. Anton Poler and Bojan Rot, www.gobenabovskem.com.(2) J. Breitenbach, F. Kraenzlin, Eds., Fungi of Switzerland, Vol.2.,Verlag Mykologia (1986), p 354.(3) E. Schild, Was ist Ramaria aurea und Ramaria flava?, Z. Mykol.., 44(2) (1978), pp 171-178. (4) S. Buczacki, Collins Fungi Guide, Collins (2012), p 462.(5) R. Phillips, Mushrooms, Macmillan (2006), p 346.(6) G.J. Krieglsteiner (Hrsg.), Die Grosspilze Baden-Wrttembergs, Band 2., Ulmer (2000), p 66.