Phaeocalicium polyporaeum is a tiny mycoparasitic fungus, seen here on its most common host, Trichaptum cf biforme, although it has also been reported on Trametes versicolor.
It's a fungus-eat-fungus world out there
Hey, I heard you like fungi, so I put fungi on your fungi 🍄²
Or as the badger would say, mushroom mushroom!
Oh no! A snake!
Great, now I’m gonna be looking even more like a crazy person when walking in the woods, as I crawl around sticking my face up to every Turkey Tail (Trametes Versicolor) that I pass looking for these. Jk, thanks for sharing!
You'll have more luck checking Trichaptum - I've never found them on Trametes yet. There's also a similar looking species, Gliocladium polyporicola, which grows on Stereum hirsutum, so may as well check all the small shelf fungi!
So cute!
How do they affect the host - are they particularly damaging, what exactly are they eating? I tried searching but couldn't find a lot of detail.
Good question - I don't think they're damaging to the host, but it is hard to find good info