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What is this growth on fallen tree branches? (lemmy.world)

submitted 6 months ago by cosmicrookie@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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I went for a walk in the woods and found multiple fallen branches with this fairly long growth on them.

I assume that it is a fungus of some sort but does anyone have more info on what kind it is?

I found so many that I eventually stopped taking pictures of it. But I haven't seen this before so I was surprised, as I spend quite a lot of time in the woods.

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[-] uservoid1@lemmy.world 124 points 6 months ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_ice

Hair ice, also known as ice wool or frost beard, is a type of ice that forms on dead wood and takes the shape of fine, silky hair

[-] cosmicrookie@lemmy.world 37 points 6 months ago

That is really surprising because it didn't feel that cold. It's actually +1C at the moment so did not even consider ice!

[-] Madison420@lemmy.world 33 points 6 months ago

It says in the article it can persist for days.

[-] cosmicrookie@lemmy.world 29 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Yes! I am not doubting it at all. I am just surprised at it being ice (even after reading the Wikipedia link)

[-] shadmere@lemmy.world 33 points 6 months ago

Though apparently only forms because of a fungus!

[-] mihnt@lemmy.world 55 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

If you can't explain it or it's weird as hell, it's always a fungus.

[-] faintwhenfree@lemmus.org 8 points 6 months ago

!The fungus shapes the ice into fine hairs through an uncertain mechanism and likely stabilizes it by providing a recrystallization inhibitor similar to antifreeze proteins!<

I always find these interesting that we still haven't figure out fungi fully.

[-] meekah@lemmy.world 5 points 6 months ago

Wer haven't figured out anything fully

[-] WestwardWind@lemm.ee 5 points 6 months ago

You should submit some of your photos to Wikipedia. They're very clear compared to some of the handful in the article

[-] Valmond@lemmy.mindoki.com 1 points 6 months ago

Probably because the mass is very low.

[-] SharkAttak@kbin.social 14 points 6 months ago

You didn't touch, did you?! Ooh god, I bet op did.

I'm so sorry.

[-] PixxlMan@lemmy.world 7 points 6 months ago

Nah he just ate it. Delicious!

[-] MyOtherUsername@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago

Rip OP.

[-] lemmefixdat4u@lemmy.world 10 points 6 months ago

Exidiopsis effusa is the fungus involved, but the feathery white hairs are ice. The fungus facilitates the production. Here's the article.

[-] ani@endlesstalk.org 6 points 6 months ago

I spend quite a lot of time in the woods

Let me ask the real questions OP: what do you do in the woods?

[-] cosmicrookie@lemmy.world 16 points 6 months ago

It will be in the news soon enough...

Just kidding. I just walk our dogs there (quite often)

[-] OceanSoap@lemmy.ml 5 points 6 months ago

Super cool find, op!

[-] cosmicrookie@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago

Thanks! But I am even more happy to learn about this type of fungus-generated ice! Nature is wild!

[-] PopcornPrincess@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago

There’s a fungus among us.

[-] 56_@lemmy.ml 2 points 5 months ago

I just saw this for the first time today, 11 days after seeing this post. A person I was with suggested it grew mostly on beech wood.

[-] cosmicrookie@lemmy.world 0 points 5 months ago

That's amazing!

[-] HurlingDurling@lemm.ee 1 points 6 months ago

Lyons Mane maybe?

[-] sagrotan@lemmy.world 0 points 6 months ago

Harry who? Harry Fungus!

this post was submitted on 27 Dec 2023

201 points (96.3% liked)

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