Is this a carnivorous plant, lichen or moss fruiting bodies...

....or none of these, please?

Seen growing in a pot of hostas in early June, they were *very* small
(the arthropod (?) in the picture was so tiny, I didn`t see it until I
put the shot on the computer). As the earth was wet and the weather
rather gloomy, I had to use flash, so apologies if the busy-ness of
the shot makes you squint!

http://www.trik.demon.co.uk/images/unknown_query.jpg

Many thanks
Kate

Kate wrote:
> ...or none of these, please?
>
> Seen growing in a pot of hostas in early June, they were *very* small
> (the arthropod (?) in the picture was so tiny, I didn`t see it until I
> put the shot on the computer). As the earth was wet and the weather
> rather gloomy, I had to use flash, so apologies if the busy-ness of
> the shot makes you squint!
>
> http://www.trik.demon.co.uk/images/unknown_query.jpg
>
> Many thanks
> Kate

(I'm hoping I can get my guesses in before the
knowledgeable folk reply.

I don't know what the red blobs are, but I would guess
they're fungi.

The wee beasty looks like a springtail - he might be only
2-3 mm long.

In the centre and left of the top red blob, there's a greenish
"leaf" which looks like a liverwort to me, but it also looks
to be covered in slime, so I'm guessing you've got slime
mould there.

There's a green patch on the lower right, which looks like
moss, but I'm going to go with liverwort again.

There also seems to be loads of greyish dots esp. on the
right side, which I'd like to suggest is mildew.

I think you're over-watering a bit.

Kate wrote: news:echsgs$jvo$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk

> ...or none of these, please?
>
> Seen growing in a pot of hostas in early June, they were *very* small
> (the arthropod (?) in the picture was so tiny, I didn`t see it until I
> put the shot on the computer). As the earth was wet and the weather
> rather gloomy, I had to use flash, so apologies if the busy-ness of
> the shot makes you squint!
>
> http://www.trik.demon.co.uk/images/unknown_query.jpg
>
> Many thanks
> Kate

It's a very small Sundew. Did you warn the springtail?

--
p.a.

I did guess at a carnivorous plant, Peter, but I have only seen much
larger versions, so wasn`t sure. I had a look at Google Images, but
couldn`t see any like it. The picture was taken last year, when June
was much wetter than in 2006 and it has disappeared now (so has the
springtail!), which is a shame. If I had been sure that it was a
sundew, I would have dug it up and re-planted it...

Sleepalot : the liverwurst (!) has always thrived in the hosta pots.
I prise it up every so often but it keeps coming back. The hostas
don`t seem affected by any of the interlopers, even the mould,
although some of what you suggest is mildew could just be the flash
reflecting off the wet earth - possibly.

Thanks for the info
Kate

"Peter Alaca" <P.Alaca@aug.nn> wrote in message
news:44ecafde$0$15728$dbd45001@news.wanadoo.nl...
> Kate wrote: news:echsgs$jvo$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk
>
>> ...or none of these, please?
>>
>> Seen growing in a pot of hostas in early June, they were *very*
>> small
>> (the arthropod (?) in the picture was so tiny, I didn`t see it
>> until I
>> put the shot on the computer). As the earth was wet and the
>> weather
>> rather gloomy, I had to use flash, so apologies if the busy-ness of
>> the shot makes you squint!
>>
>> http://www.trik.demon.co.uk/images/unknown_query.jpg
>>
>> Many thanks
>> Kate
>
> It's a very small Sundew. Did you warn the springtail?
>
> --
> p.a.
>

Kate wrote:
> I did guess at a carnivorous plant, Peter, but I have only seen much
> larger versions, so wasn`t sure. I had a look at Google Images, but
> couldn`t see any like it. The picture was taken last year, when June
> was much wetter than in 2006 and it has disappeared now (so has the
> springtail!), which is a shame. If I had been sure that it was a
> sundew, I would have dug it up and re-planted it...

I discounted sundew because of the size, and the lack of basal
leaves. Shows what I know.

> Sleepalot : the liverwurst (!) ...

Liverwort
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marchantiophyta

If your liverwurst goes green and slimey, that's a whole other thing!

.... has always thrived in the hosta pots.
> I prise it up every so often but it keeps coming back. The hostas
> don`t seem affected by any of the interlopers, even the mould,
> although some of what you suggest is mildew could just be the flash
> reflecting off the wet earth - possibly.
>
If you don't want all those extras, just sieve a handfull of
dry soil, and you'll get some grit. Spinkle a layer of that
on the plant pot soil surface, and it'll look "nicer".

If it were me, I'd lose the hostas, and try to bring on the sundew.

On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 21:43:25 +0200, "Peter Alaca" <P.Alaca@aug.nn>
wrote:
>Kate wrote: news:echsgs$jvo$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk
>
>> ...or none of these, please?
>>
>> Seen growing in a pot of hostas in early June, they were *very* small
>> (the arthropod (?) in the picture was so tiny, I didn`t see it until I
>> put the shot on the computer). As the earth was wet and the weather
>> rather gloomy, I had to use flash, so apologies if the busy-ness of
>> the shot makes you squint!
>>
>> http://www.trik.demon.co.uk/images/unknown_query.jpg
>>
>> Many thanks
>> Kate
>
>It's a very small Sundew. Did you warn the springtail?

Hi Peter

Are you sure? I grow plenty of sundews (native and non-native) and
none start with seedlings like this. Native Drosera grow from rosettes
and these blobs appear not to have any rosette chape to them. Also, I
don't see any chlorophyl-bearing leaves and the filaments are not
tipped with a bead of glue, as they should be in a sundew.

Looks much more like an 'eye-lash fungus' to me - there are many
species of differing sizes but they all tend to grow on detritus and
dead wood. Try this:

http://www.gardenbythesea.org/about/mushroom/115.html

Chris R.

<no@emails.thx> wrote in message
news:ipmpe2tt4cofvl6sfhrcaltlura3es2lb5@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 21:43:25 +0200, "Peter Alaca" <P.Alaca@aug.nn>
> wrote:
>>Kate wrote: news:echsgs$jvo$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk
>>
>>> ...or none of these, please?
>>>
>>> Seen growing in a pot of hostas in early June, they were *very*
>>> small (the arthropod (?) in the picture was so tiny, I didn`t see
>>> it until I put the shot on the computer). As the earth was wet
>>> and the weather rather gloomy, I had to use flash, so apologies if
>>> the busy-ness of the shot makes you squint!
>>>
>>> http://www.trik.demon.co.uk/images/unknown_query.jpg
>>>
>>> Many thanks
>>> Kate
>>
>>It's a very small Sundew. Did you warn the springtail?
>
> Hi Peter
>
> Are you sure? I grow plenty of sundews (native and non-native) and
> none start with seedlings like this. Native Drosera grow from
> rosettes and these blobs appear not to have any rosette chape to
> them. Also, I don't see any chlorophyl-bearing leaves and the
> filaments are not tipped with a bead of glue, as they should be in a
> sundew.
>
> Looks much more like an 'eye-lash fungus' to me - there are many
> species of differing sizes but they all tend to grow on detritus and
> dead wood. Try this:
>
> http://www.gardenbythesea.org/about/mushroom/115.html
>
> Chris R.

In my photo everything is so wet that, with the reflection of the
flash, I find it hard to tell if there are beads of glue or not. I
did a search on-line and in all the pictures I saw the eyelash fungus
wasn`t as deeply cupped, nor were the "lashes" curving inwards and
outwards as much as those on the things in my shot - which were, BTW,
about the size of the head of a large, glass-headed pin. I would like
it to be sundew, but as you say, Chris, there are no leaves, so if
anyone has other suggestions as to what they are, I would be most
interested.

Kate

no@emails.thx wrote: news:ipmpe2tt4cofvl6sfhrcaltlura3es2lb5@4ax.com

> "Peter Alaca" wrote:
>> Kate wrote:

>>> ...or none of these, please?
>>>
>>> Seen growing in a pot of hostas in early June, they were *very*
>>> small (the arthropod (?) in the picture was so tiny, I didn`t see
>>> it until I put the shot on the computer). As the earth was wet and
>>> the weather rather gloomy, I had to use flash, so apologies if the
>>> busy-ness of the shot makes you squint!
>>>
>>> http://www.trik.demon.co.uk/images/unknown_query.jpg
>>>
>>> Many thanks
>>> Kate
>
>> It's a very small Sundew. Did you warn the springtail?

> Hi Peter
>
> Are you sure?

Well, I waited a long time before answering,
because it is so tiny (look at the springtail),
but I found nothing else what looked like it.
So I posted my answer in the hope of a
good reaction.

> I grow plenty of sundews (native and non-native) and
> none start with seedlings like this. Native Drosera grow from rosettes
> and these blobs appear not to have any rosette chape to them. Also, I
> don't see any chlorophyl-bearing leaves and the filaments are not
> tipped with a bead of glue, as they should be in a sundew.

I agree, but I am not sure about the glue.
Difficult to say.

> Looks much more like an 'eye-lash fungus' to me - there are many
> species of differing sizes but they all tend to grow on detritus and
> dead wood. Try this:
>
> http://www.gardenbythesea.org/about/mushroom/115.html

I must say that I didn't think of a fungus, and this
photo is not convincing. But if the hairs of Scutellinia
scutellata can be much longer than on that photo, it
is a posibility. Elsewhere I saw that they are upto 1000 um.
Don't know if that is as long as in Kate's picture.
I searched for other examples and this is the hairiest I
could find http://tinyurl.com/muhyd
Pretty hairy, but still not as Kate's. But look at the
young one in the middle.

--
p.a.

Kate wrote: news:eciq2n$htf$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk

> <no@emails.thx> wrote in message
> news:ipmpe2tt4cofvl6sfhrcaltlura3es2lb5@4ax.com...
>> On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 21:43:25 +0200, "Peter Alaca" <P.Alaca@aug.nn>
>> wrote:
>>> Kate wrote: news:echsgs$jvo$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk
>>>
>>>> ...or none of these, please?
>>>>
>>>> Seen growing in a pot of hostas in early June, they were *very*
>>>> small (the arthropod (?) in the picture was so tiny, I didn`t see
>>>> it until I put the shot on the computer). As the earth was wet
>>>> and the weather rather gloomy, I had to use flash, so apologies if
>>>> the busy-ness of the shot makes you squint!
>>>>
>>>> http://www.trik.demon.co.uk/images/unknown_query.jpg
>>>>
>>>> Many thanks
>>>> Kate
>>>
>>> It's a very small Sundew. Did you warn the springtail?
>>
>> Hi Peter
>>
>> Are you sure? I grow plenty of sundews (native and non-native) and
>> none start with seedlings like this. Native Drosera grow from
>> rosettes and these blobs appear not to have any rosette chape to
>> them. Also, I don't see any chlorophyl-bearing leaves and the
>> filaments are not tipped with a bead of glue, as they should be in a
>> sundew.
>>
>> Looks much more like an 'eye-lash fungus' to me - there are many
>> species of differing sizes but they all tend to grow on detritus and
>> dead wood. Try this:
>>
>> http://www.gardenbythesea.org/about/mushroom/115.html
>>
>> Chris R.
>
> In my photo everything is so wet that, with the reflection of the
> flash, I find it hard to tell if there are beads of glue or not. I
> did a search on-line and in all the pictures I saw the eyelash fungus
> wasn`t as deeply cupped, nor were the "lashes" curving inwards and
> outwards as much as those on the things in my shot

That was one of the things why bI was thinking of Sundew

- which were, BTW,
> about the size of the head of a large, glass-headed pin.

The size of Scutellinia scutellata is from 0.2 - 1 cm.

> I would like
> it to be sundew, but as you say, Chris, there are no leaves, so if
> anyone has other suggestions as to what they are, I would be most
> interested.

--
p.a.

	#1
Kate	Is this a carnivorous plant, lichen or moss fruiting bodies... ....or none of these, please? Seen growing in a pot of hostas in early June, they were very small (the arthropod (?) in the picture was so tiny, I didn`t see it until I put the shot on the computer). As the earth was wet and the weather rather gloomy, I had to use flash, so apologies if the busy-ness of the shot makes you squint! http://www.trik.demon.co.uk/images/unknown_query.jpg Many thanks Kate

	#2
sleepalot	Re: Is this a carnivorous plant, lichen or moss fruiting bodies... Kate wrote: > ...or none of these, please? > > Seen growing in a pot of hostas in early June, they were very small > (the arthropod (?) in the picture was so tiny, I didn`t see it until I > put the shot on the computer). As the earth was wet and the weather > rather gloomy, I had to use flash, so apologies if the busy-ness of > the shot makes you squint! > > http://www.trik.demon.co.uk/images/unknown_query.jpg > > Many thanks > Kate (I'm hoping I can get my guesses in before the knowledgeable folk reply. I don't know what the red blobs are, but I would guess they're fungi. The wee beasty looks like a springtail - he might be only 2-3 mm long. In the centre and left of the top red blob, there's a greenish "leaf" which looks like a liverwort to me, but it also looks to be covered in slime, so I'm guessing you've got slime mould there. There's a green patch on the lower right, which looks like moss, but I'm going to go with liverwort again. There also seems to be loads of greyish dots esp. on the right side, which I'd like to suggest is mildew. I think you're over-watering a bit.

	#3
Peter Alaca	Re: Is this a carnivorous plant, lichen or moss fruiting bodies... Kate wrote: news:echsgs$jvo$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk > ...or none of these, please? > > Seen growing in a pot of hostas in early June, they were very small > (the arthropod (?) in the picture was so tiny, I didn`t see it until I > put the shot on the computer). As the earth was wet and the weather > rather gloomy, I had to use flash, so apologies if the busy-ness of > the shot makes you squint! > > http://www.trik.demon.co.uk/images/unknown_query.jpg > > Many thanks > Kate It's a very small Sundew. Did you warn the springtail? -- p.a.

	#6
no@emails.thx	Re: Is this a carnivorous plant, lichen or moss fruiting bodies... On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 21:43:25 +0200, "Peter Alaca" <P.Alaca@aug.nn> wrote: >Kate wrote: news:echsgs$jvo$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk > >> ...or none of these, please? >> >> Seen growing in a pot of hostas in early June, they were very small >> (the arthropod (?) in the picture was so tiny, I didn`t see it until I >> put the shot on the computer). As the earth was wet and the weather >> rather gloomy, I had to use flash, so apologies if the busy-ness of >> the shot makes you squint! >> >> http://www.trik.demon.co.uk/images/unknown_query.jpg >> >> Many thanks >> Kate > >It's a very small Sundew. Did you warn the springtail? Hi Peter Are you sure? I grow plenty of sundews (native and non-native) and none start with seedlings like this. Native Drosera grow from rosettes and these blobs appear not to have any rosette chape to them. Also, I don't see any chlorophyl-bearing leaves and the filaments are not tipped with a bead of glue, as they should be in a sundew. Looks much more like an 'eye-lash fungus' to me - there are many species of differing sizes but they all tend to grow on detritus and dead wood. Try this: http://www.gardenbythesea.org/about/mushroom/115.html Chris R.