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Post by NellyDee on Jul 24, 2016 14:09:46 GMT
There were patches of these in Sutherland's Grove, Balcaldine. Maybe trees fallen long ago? I found it interesting how raised patterned circles are formed around raised centres, presumable where the branches were once. So do you think these circles are some sort of growth that has developed after the trees fell, or am I completely on the wrong track?
 Tree roots by Helen Skelton, on Flickr
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Post by ayjay on Jul 28, 2016 21:22:58 GMT
I hate to see questions unanswered but I'm unsure of several things on this one.
What is the mossy area between the rings? It almost looks like a tree trunk which is laying horizontally and mostly buried in the ground.The rounded ends look strangely polished where they're not covered in bird poo - is that possibly resin drawn up by the heat of a fire?
The "patterned circles" look like bark which has continued to grow after a branch? has been cut, there also looks to have been some charring to the bark at some stage, could the charring explain the rounded ends (and lack of any obvious sign of growth rings)?
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Post by rowanberry on Jul 29, 2016 8:26:03 GMT
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Post by NellyDee on Jul 29, 2016 9:15:54 GMT
Yes it was more than likely that is was fallen trees, what puzzled me was that there were a number of these groups in various places among the moss on the forest floor. it was in a very ancient forest. The black by the way is more than likely aphid honey dew, notice the cones are also black as were lots of the leaves and it was very wet - raining. the rings are where branches must have been, but usually there is a flat or dipped centre within the circle so I got curious as to way the raised bumps.
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Post by Cotham Marble on Jul 29, 2016 9:38:15 GMT
It looks to me like a still living root that has suffered abrasions from foot traffic or machinery which has caused the 'knuckles', the cambium is slowly healing over causing the ring like bulges. There could be some fungal growth perhaps something like one of the less fleshy gandodermas but maybe that's just a visual effect.
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Post by NellyDee on Jul 29, 2016 10:08:49 GMT
Think you have got it in one CM. There would have been quite a lot of foot traffic, it is a very accessible and popular ancient forest and a very beautiful place to wander. I googled gandodermas and have to say some of the photos do look like the bulge within the circle.
It was at Sutherland's Grove, Barcaldine. Sutherland was a forestry commissioner from 1919-1943 and his ashes are scattered here. There was a couple of people there looking for and photographing the very small more unusual fungi, must say I only saw lots of Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca, but then I was not prepared to crawl around on my knees nor get up close and personal with the trees, it was raining heavily.
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