UBC Botanical Garden Forums Amazon.com aStore for UBC Botanical Garden 
  #1  
Old October 25th, 2006, 02:10 PM
Souren's Avatar
Souren Souren is offline
Registered Plus (3-29 posts)
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Hampshire, England
Posts: 11
weird growth on lawn grass! what is it???

I recently installed a garden for a young couple with pet rabbits, living in Basingstoke, Hampshire. Part of the job was new turf. The soil is clay over chalk. Strangely, the previous lawn, though not great, did not have anything like this (I'm hoping the photo can be uploaded).
Further info: after a very hot & dry July, when everything went into aestivation, we've had a very warm and wet autumn, almost like a second spring. All sorts of weird things are happening, such as catkins appearing on salix (willow), etc etc.
I'd be grateful if anyone could identify this strange growth.
Kind regards
Souren
Attached Thumbnails (click on thumbnail to enlarge)
Click image for larger version

Name:	Fungus.JPG
Views:	112
Size:	392.9 KB
ID:	17793  
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old October 25th, 2006, 02:47 PM
Michael F Michael F is online now
Plant Enthusiast (1000+ posts)
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Britain zone 8/9
Posts: 7,347
Re: weird growth on lawn grass! what is it???

Possibly a slime mould (Mycetozoa)
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old October 25th, 2006, 02:49 PM
Souren's Avatar
Souren Souren is offline
Registered Plus (3-29 posts)
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Hampshire, England
Posts: 11
Re: weird growth on lawn grass! what is it???

... possibly due to recent moist conditions? Any thoughts on what could/should be done to remedy this?
Many thanks
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old October 25th, 2006, 02:52 PM
Daniel Mosquin's Avatar
Daniel Mosquin Daniel Mosquin is offline
UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Burnaby, BC
Posts: 6,929
Re: weird growth on lawn grass! what is it???

Possibly Physarum cinereum.

As mentioned on that page, control measures aren't necessary.
__________________
Please consider supporting UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research's mission of excellence in plant research, education and conservation.

Daniel Mosquin
Education and Technology Manager
UBC Botanical Garden | UBC Centre for Plant Research | Nitobe Memorial Garden | BC Flora | John Davidson
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old October 25th, 2006, 02:56 PM
Souren's Avatar
Souren Souren is offline
Registered Plus (3-29 posts)
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Hampshire, England
Posts: 11
Re: weird growth on lawn grass! what is it???

So, just ignore it? i.e. it will go away during winter? The other thing is, the rabbits, though unlikely to chew on affected turf, may come in contact. I realize this is not a horticultural question, but would one expect any negative effects on the pet rabbits?
:o)
Thank you for your reply
Souren
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old October 25th, 2006, 02:59 PM
Souren's Avatar
Souren Souren is offline
Registered Plus (3-29 posts)
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Hampshire, England
Posts: 11
Re: weird growth on lawn grass! what is it???

p.s thanks for the further info - looks just like it!!!
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old October 25th, 2006, 03:06 PM
Michael F Michael F is online now
Plant Enthusiast (1000+ posts)
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Britain zone 8/9
Posts: 7,347
Re: weird growth on lawn grass! what is it???

Might be safest to put a temporary small fence round it to keep the rabbit off, though I'd suspect if it was poisonous, the rabbit would have enough instinctive sense not to eat it provided other food is readily available (most cases of animal poisoning occur when starving animals are forced to eat poisonous plants through having nothing else available).
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old October 25th, 2006, 04:48 PM
oscar oscar is offline
Generous Contributor (100+ posts)
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Surrey, England
Posts: 514
Re: weird growth on lawn grass! what is it???

rabbits arn't that smart, one ate most of my Euphorbia wulfenii....well it was nibbled and there was a dead rabbit about 5' away
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old October 26th, 2006, 12:21 AM
japa2222 japa2222 is offline
Registered Plus (3-29 posts)
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Colorado
Posts: 26
Re: weird growth on lawn grass! what is it???

What about mowing your lawn before that Fungi produces Asci.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old October 26th, 2006, 09:48 AM
Daniel Mosquin's Avatar
Daniel Mosquin Daniel Mosquin is offline
UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Burnaby, BC
Posts: 6,929
Re: weird growth on lawn grass! what is it???

Strictly speaking, slime molds aren't fungi - but they certainly can resemble them in appearance!
__________________
Please consider supporting UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research's mission of excellence in plant research, education and conservation.

Daniel Mosquin
Education and Technology Manager
UBC Botanical Garden | UBC Centre for Plant Research | Nitobe Memorial Garden | BC Flora | John Davidson
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old October 26th, 2006, 11:45 AM
MycoRob MycoRob is offline
Contributor (30-99 posts + 20 days registered)
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Denver
Posts: 379
Re: weird growth on lawn grass! what is it???

Yep, Slime molds belong to the Kingdom Protista. Very few people specialize in Protista: Mycologists have stepped up to the plate and taken up some of the slack.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old October 26th, 2006, 11:21 PM
M. D. Vaden's Avatar
M. D. Vaden M. D. Vaden is offline
Contributor (30-99 posts + 20 days registered)
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Beaverton, Oregon
Posts: 653
Re: weird growth on lawn grass! what is it???

Good photo.

Although the differences are very significant, the photo reminds me of beauty berry.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old November 5th, 2006, 11:09 AM
japa2222 japa2222 is offline
Registered Plus (3-29 posts)
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Colorado
Posts: 26
Re: weird growth on lawn grass! what is it???

It will still produce spores either way.
Reply With Quote
Post New ThreadReply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Slimy material in your lawn / grass? Daniel Mosquin Fungus and Lichen Identification 2 November 26th, 2007 08:47 AM
I want to get my lawn off grass Ray HortBoard 9 March 6th, 2007 02:40 PM
Compact Grass Lawn Sassy HortBoard 2 June 21st, 2006 10:04 PM
Information about Grass/Lawn Candace HortBoard 1 January 31st, 2006 10:53 AM


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:58 PM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright 2001-2009, University of British Columbia Botanical Garden & Centre for Plant Research