Specimen #20 Volvox

Figure 1. Volvox

Name: Volvox

Common name: Globe algae

Family: Volvoacaceae

Collection date: November 15, 2015

Location: Hiram, OH

Description: Chlorophyte green algae with 2 flagella

Key used: "Identification of Algae in water samples"

Keying steps:
1b)
2b)
3a)
40b)
41b)
49b) 
80b)
51a)...Volvox

Links:
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/optics/olympusmicd/galleries/brightfield/volvox.html
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/index.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/art97b/volvoxms.html

Specimen #19 Stereum striatum

Figure 1. Stereum striatum

Name: Stereum striatum

Common name: N/A

Family: Stereaceae

Collection date: September 18, 2015

Habitat: found on tree bark

Location: Hiram, OH

Description: "Fruiting body very thin, leathery and pliant when fresh, annual but persistent; bracket-like to cup-like. Cap 0.3-3cm broad but sometimes fused laterally to form lines10cm or more; flat and circular to fan-shaped in outline. Surface dry to whitish to buff or pale brown, sometimes zoned concentrically when moist; covered wit long, loosely-arranged white hairs. Flesh very thin and tough. Underside smooth, buff to pale brown or in some forms of yellow to yellow-brown. Stalk absent present only as a very small knob."

Key used: Arora, David.(1986). Mushrooms Defined second edition. Ten Speed Press.

Keying steps:

1b) Not as above; Spore-bearing surface not composed of tubes, or if composed of tubes then the tubes forming a united layer, fruiting body fleshy, tough, woody

2b) Fruiting body knob-like, hoof-like, bracket-like, shelf-like, or crust-like; stalk absent, rudimentary, or attached at side or top of cap; growing on wood or roots.

4b) Pore surface exposed; not growing on birch then margin not crust-like

5b) Not as above; pore surface differently colored and/or not separable and elastic-gelatinous

6b) Fruiting body normally with a cap, but sometimes resupinate, especially if growing on the undersides of logs.

7a) Spore bearing surface composed of shallow veins which may form very broad "pores or pits"...Stereaceae & Allies pg. 0604

Crust or Parchment fungi

1b) Not as above

2b) Not as above

4b) Not as above

5b) Not as above

7a) Spore bearing surface smooth to slightly uneven or sometimes cracked

8b) Fruiting body usually found on wood

9b) Not as above

10b) Not as above found on hardwoods and/or fruiting body not "bleeding"

11a) Cap silky-sitrate, thin; found on horn beam in eastern North America

Links:

http://mushroomobserver.org/name/show_name/904

http://www.messiah.edu/Oakes/fungi_on_wood/crust%20and%20parchment/species%20pages/Sterium%20striatum.htm

Specimen #18 Wood Ear Fungus

Figure 1. Auricularia auricula

Name: Auricularia auricula

Common name: Wood Ear

Family: Auriculariales

Collection date: September 18, 2015

Habitat: "Solitary or in groups or clusters on logs, dead branches, stumps, etc.(attached centrally or laterally); very widely distributed on both hardwoods and conifers, and often common in cool weather." 

Location: Hiram, OH

Description: "Fruiting body rubbery to pliant or flabby to somewhat gelatinous when fresh, hard when dry; 2-15cm broad; cup-shaped to ear-shaped or sometimes with several earlobe lobes originating from a central point of attachment. Outer surface sterile, often veined or ribbed, minutely silky silky or with fine downy hairs, pale brown, liver-brown, drying blackish. Inner(fertile) surface smooth to slightly wrinkled, somewhat gelatinous when wet, tan or yellow-brown, grayish-brown, brown, liver-brown, or tinged purple; blackish when dried. Flesh thin, rubbery. Stalk absent or rudimentary."

Key used: Arora, David.(1986). Mushrooms defined second edition. Ten Speed Press.

Keying steps:

1b) Not as above

2b) Not as above

3b) Not as above

4b) Not as above, fruiting body cupcake, earlobe, disclike

6b) Not as above, fruiting body is sometimes slit down one side but not consistently so, and not usually growing erect, sometimes growing on dung.

7b) Fertile surface same shade of brown, black, tan, dingy yellow, or violet, or sometimes with a pinkish or lilac tinge

8b) Flesh rather tough (not breaking easily) and fertile surface dark brown to black ... Sarcosorna & Allies pg. 826

1b) Not as above

2a) Fruiting body shallowly cup-shaped or ear-shaped or like a piece of seaweed, dark brown to reddish brown or purplish but not normally black unless it dries out, 2-10cm broad; flesh thin and rubbery or rubbery-gelatinous; Sterile surface (exterior) minutely hairy; spores borne on basidia...pg. 675 Auricularia auricula

Links:

http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/auricularia-auricula-judae.php

http://www.mushroomexpert.com/auricularia_auricula.html

Specimen #17 Comb Fungus

Figure 1. Hermicium ramosum on rotting wood

Figure 2. Close up above view 

Figure 3. Close up view of the icicles

Name: Hericium ramosum

Common name: Comb Fungus

Family: Hericiaceae

Collection date: September 18, 2015

Habitat: "Solitary or in small groups on fallen hardwood branches, logs, and stumps; widely distributed solid to be most common in North America.

Location: Hiram, OH

Description: Fruting body 3-5cm broad and 6-15cm high when mature, comprised of open frame work of rather delicate base or "trunk," pure white when fresh, discoloring creamy to buff or yellowish-tan in old age. Flesh white spines more or less evenly distributed in lines along the branches (like teeth on a comb), sometimes also in small tufts at the branch tips. Spines rather short, 3-10mm.

Key used: Arora, David.(1986). Mushrooms Defined second edition.Ten Speed Press.

Keying steps:

1b) Not as above, not growing on cones, stalk if present usually thicker

2b) Not as above

3b) Growing on wood

4a) Fruiting body branched framework or unbranched cushion of tissue from which spines are suspended (icicle-like) lacking a distinct cap..Hericium pg. 613= Hericium ramosum

Notes: "Edible and delicious when slow cooked."

Links:

http://www.mushroomexpert.com/hericium_coralloides.html

http://www.midwestmycology.org/Mushrooms/Species%20listed/Hericium%20species.html

Specimen #16 Wolf's Milk

Figure 1. Lycogala epiderdrum

Name: Lycogala epiderdrum

Common name: Wolf's Milk

Family: Tubiferaceae

Collection date: September 18, 2015

Habitat: Log

Location: Hiram, OH

Description: Round brown, or pink, sac-like structure alone or in groups

Key used: Keller, Harold W. and Brown, Karl L.(1799). Myxomycetes of Ohio: Their systematics, biology, and use in teaching. Ohio Biological Survey.

Keying steps:

1b) Fruiting bodies not as above; spores occurring in a mass within fruiting body and enclosed (at least during the early stages of development) by a perineum

2a) True capillitium absent, pseduocapillitium composed of irregular elements sometimes present...Order Liceales

1a) Fruiting body an aethalium or pseudoaethalium

2a) Pseudocarpillitum present and usually rather evident, but not taking the form of a columella-like structure

3a) Fruiting body an aethalium, pulvinate to subglobose, with no evidence of individual sporangium-like units

4a) Pseudocapillitium consisting of flattened hyaline tubules; spores pallid...Lycogala epidendrum

Links:

http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/wolfs-milk-slime-toothpaste-slime

http://www.mushroomexpert.com/myxomycetes.html

Specimen #15 Metatrichia vesparium

Figure 1. spore cases

Figure 2. Metatrichia vesparium found on a dead log

Figure 3. Capillitium outside of empty spore cases

Name: Metatrichia vesparium

Common name: none

Family: Trichiaceae

Collection date: September 14, 2015

Habitat: dead log

Location: Hiram, OH

Description: "Groups of sporangia on well-decayed wood. Clustered spore cases on fused stalks; sporangial dehiscence in a different stage, dome-shaped lid still intact and unopened, others partially open with circumscissile dehiscence and tangled masses of capillitial threads, still others with lid removed and spore case empty resembling a wasp's nest

Key used: Keller, Harold W. and Brown, Karl L. (1799). Myxomycetes of Ohio: Their systematics, Biology, and use in Teaching. Ohio Biological Survey.

Keying steps:

1. Not as above

2. True capillitium present

3. Fruiting bodies larger

4. Spore mass more or less brightly colored; capillitium not conspicuously sculptured...Order Trichiales

1b) Fruiting body a stalked or sessile sporangium

2b) Sporangia with a well developed stalk

6a) Sporangia red, maroon or red-brown

7a) Sporangia with a distinct, performed operculum often firmly united into clusters of several to many

Links:

http://sanamyan.com/myxomycetes/metatrichia_vesparium.php

http://nagrzyby.pl/atlas/1679

Specimen #14 Cladonia foliacea

Figure 1. Close up of the squamulose lichen

Figure 2. K test with a negative result

Name: Cladonia foliacea

Common name: None

Family: Cladoniaceae

Collection date: September 14, 2015

Location: Hiram, OH

Description: Squaumulose lobes white green to pale green in color.

Key used:  Brode, Irwin M. & Sharnoff, Sylvia D.(2001). Lichens of North America. Yale University Press. New Haven & London.

Keying steps:

Key G. Squamulose Lichens pg. 134

1. Thallus dull or shiny, but not gelatinous when wet 

3. Thallus pale green, gray, brown, olive, or black without yellowish or orange tint

17. Squamules ascending or erect, flat or cylindrical, with the lower surface easily seen

18. Thallus composed of flat, clearly dorsiventral squabbles

20. Squamules not more than 3 times longer than broad, apothecia occurring singly, thallus cortex K-(atranorin absent) relatively common

21. Squamules lobed or finely divided, apothecia raised on a stalk or stipe; thallus cortex C-, KC-(gyrophoric acid absent as main compound) 

Links:

http://www.stridvall.se/lichens/gallery/Cladonia/NIKA4164

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/r146153.htm