Rare Glue fungus at Inverkirkaig
Stuart Belshaw recently found a rare fungus of hazel trees at Inverkirkaig. This fungus, which has only been recorded in Assynt four times in the past is called Glue fungus, Hymenochaete corrugata.
The Glue fungus is so called because it glues dead hazel twigs to living branches in the canopy. This tactic prevents the twigs falling to the ground where they would be available to other fungi to decompose. A good way to avoid competition with soil fungi and other wood rotting species that function in the damper conditions at ground level.
Observational evidence suggests there is a very close association between Glue fungus and the Hazel Gloves fungus, Hypocreopsis rhododendri. Hazel Gloves is confined to long-standing hazel woods and is a very rare species in world terms. It is a Red Data List and UK BAP priority species. The west coast of Argyll is the heartland of Hazel Gloves. While it has not been found as far north as Sutherland it may have simply been overlooked as few will have looked for it.
Glue and Hazel Gloves fungi occur on ancient hazel trees that have not been severely cut or coppiced in the past. The west coast of Scotland Atlantic hazel woods are sites of world importance for both fungi and lichens.