A Plethora of Dryads (evidence)

July 7, 2014 fodrambler Leave a comment

Today I went out to photograph a disease that is bothering my Horse Chestnut friends. No honestly I did. I wanted to know what it was.

I might do a post about it but I don’t know how interested you are in “Embarrassing Bodies” type stuff. This is okay it is not life threatening.

While I was poking about under the trees I came across a beautiful fungus that I wouldn’t have found otherwise. Do you know what a Dryad is? It is a Tree Spirit and even if you haven’t ever seen a Dryad I bet you have seen a Dryad’s Saddle before now. Dryads ride about on these…

Polyporus squamosus

This is a proper fungi and extraordinarily lovely and it is a super duper find but there is only so much that you can do with one specimen.

I went at it from every angle and I am pleased with my pictures but that isn’t what this post is about.

Before I show you my angles I just wan’t to clarify one thing, Wikiwotsit says another name is “Pheasant’s Back” fungus. I have never in my life heard this referred to as “Pheasant’s Back”

This is a Pheasant’s Back.

And this is a Fungi (No feathers)

Wikiwotsit talks a lot of shmuck that just gets repeated everywhere but I do love them and I put my pictures on their Wikimedia so that People can get access.

The angles:

But that isn’t what I want to talk about.

The Dryads that inhabit Ash trees have a specific name, they are called the Meliae. Names are important and even if you think that you understand everything you wanna be careful when you sleep in the woods.

I had a most beautiful Ash close to my camp in my wood. It wasn’t dead but it was getting there.

When I first saw it I thought that it’s hollow trunk had been used as a fireplace.

I am pretty sure that this damage is the result of the fungi and not a fire at all. I have tried to get that confirmed and I have met with no response which usually means that I am wrong but I don’t think that I am wrong. So not 100% sure.