A mystery of Nature on Altyre Estate Scotland

A mystery of Nature on Altyre Estate
At first we thought it was a piece of shredded fabric that clung to several twigs on the ground. A closer inspection gave the impression that it was in fact a fungal growth. The mystery substance only appeared on twigs of which the bark was broken or absent. On contact with the hand it was found that the cotton wool like material melted immediately which showed that it was in fact an ice formation but how do you explain its formation? I'd love to know.

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here is a link to our page including a photo:

www.geograph.org.uk...

thanks

snoopyuk

[edit on 5-2-2007 by snoopyuk]

the water was probably in a crack in the wood and so close to the surface and as it froze it did what water does...it expanded out of the crack it was in.

yes , but why would it be so feather like ??, it doesnt seem to resemble ice, it seems to be more organic .

what do you get when you spin ice and sugar together? If the sap is rising in the plant in question and the pressure is enough they could combine into something like this spun sugar like stuff...I bet if it was tasted it would have been sweet.

well i sure wouldnt like to lick it to see !! lol

snoopyuk

Those are Hair folicals coming out of that. WTF are hair folicals coming out a fungus. That's freaky

well then it could be old mans beard or combs tooth...both of which are choice edible fungi with absolutely no toxic look alikes... the family is quite small, there is only one other member, another choice edible native only to the pacific northwest called bear's head and its fruiting can reach 100 lbs. the "hairs" of all 3 of these mushrooms are hollow... however since I have never seen any of them emerging, just the final fruit, I have no idea what it looks like emerging.

[edit on 6-2-2007 by grover]

Hi--

Very interesting!!

I have the idea that this is a fungus--a FROZEN one. I have seen similar here in the US-- tho certainly not as pronounced, or beautiful, as this. There is a fungus similar to this which invades dead fall Birch thees here in the southeast US, and it is locally known as Maiden Hair. What you have there may be a species of it, but yours appears to be "finer" in texture. The stuff will freeze, and it acts as you have described when it does. At the same time the fungus freezes, we also have temps that create Hoar Frost which rises from the surface of bare ground and crystallizes. In conjunction with Hoar Frost is the only time I have seen Maiden Hair frozen, as the decomposition process-- like composting-- keeps the dead fall too warm most of the time for it to occur.

I'd be interested in learning what a Botonist says about yours! Keep us posted if that happens

maidens hair and old man's beard are one and the same.

here is a photo of bears head

www.fungiphoto.com...

and here is an nicely shaped old man's beard

americanmushrooms.com...

[edit on 6-2-2007 by grover]

[edit on 6-2-2007 by grover]

Hey, Thanks Grover!!

Very informative. Now I know it's not just a "local" name. Yep-- it's the same stuff I've seen here--good pics and research!

One of my hobbies is edible wild mushroom hunting...like I said Bears head is only in the pacific northwest but old man's beard and combs tooth which is much more delicate are on both the east coast and europe... and all are choice edibles... Old man's beard makes a pretty good substituite for pasta.

Hi there

thanks to Grover and Ed Littlefox,

very informative, i will be passing the data on to my source.

many thanks

snoopyuk

That is odd. Last year i had a strange shoot appear overnight. This is no word of a lie it grew into a 6 headed sunflower. I was so spooked i would'nt go near it. I wish that i had a pic to show u, but i was that freaked i had to walk around it. My friend took a pic on his camera phone, but by then it was too late and you can just make out the satalites around the stem.I'll try and get it and post it on here..

The sunflower just popped up in my bac garden. I never mentioned it to anyone for ages thinking their probrobly more common than i thought and i can't b the only one who has them growing in their backgarden..