The sun shone in a nearly clear sky most of the morning and early afternoon, but on the forest footpath at the base of Reelig Glen while the light above was welcome there was very little heat penetrating down to the shadows beneath the very tall trees. Seventeen TDFC members took the short path, anti-clockwise, round the deepest part of the glen.
John Miller led us and explained the interest, the biology and the physics of some of Scotland’s, and Britain’s, tallest trees. The depth of the glen and the protection this offered and the natural prevelance for the trees to stretch up toward the light, and the fashion for planting favoured tree species over the past 140 or so years has made Reelig Glen the calm place we now enjoy, and the fruitfulness for
The species list below demonstrates the variety Reelig offered even in mid-February.
| 13/02/16 | Reelig Glen | |||
| NH 54 | NH 55 42 | NH 55 43 | Notes | |
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| Birds | ||||
| Erithacus rubecula | Robin | √ | ||
| Milvus milvus | Red Kite | √ | ||
| Buteo buteo | Buzzard | √ | ||
| Certhia familiaris | Treecreeper | √ | ||
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| Mammals | ||||
| Talpa europaea | Mole | √ | √ | Mole hills |
| Sciurius vulguris | Red Squirrel | √ | Drey & cones | |
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| Fungi | ||||
| Xylaria carpophila | Beechmast Candlesnuff Fungus | √ | ||
| Sparassis crispa | Cauliflower fungus | √ | ||
| Exidiopsis effusa | Hair ice fungus | √ | √ | B.Ing – Lots of hair ice seen |
| Eutypa scabrosa | √ | B.Ing | ||
| Melanomma pulvis-pyrius | √ | B.Ing | ||
| Propolis versicolor | √ | B.Ing | ||
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| Ferns | ||||
| Asplenium (Phyllitis) scolopendrium | √ | |||
| Asplenium trichomanes | √ | |||
| Blechnum spicant | √ | |||
| Dryopteris affinis agg | √ | |||
| Dryopteris dilatata | √ | |||
| Dryopteris filx-mas | √ | |||
| Polystichium aculeatum | Shield-fern, Hard | √ | ||
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| Conifers | ||||
| Abies alba | Fir, European Silver | √ | ||
| Abies procera | Fir, Noble | √ | ||
| Larix decidua | Larch, European | √ | Champion | |
| Picea abies | Spruce, Norway | √ | Champion | |
| Picea jezoensis | Spruce, Hondo | √ | ||
| Picea sitchensis | Spruce, Sitka | √ | ||
| Pseudostuga menziesii | Fir, Douglas | √ | Dughall Mòr ; tallest in Scotland (66.4m, 4.56m circumferance) |
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| Taxus baccata | Yew | √ | ||
| Tsuga heterophylla | Hemlock-spruce, Western | √ | ||
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| Flowering Plants | ||||
| Calluna vulgaris | Heather | √ | ||
| Chrysosplenium oppositifolium | Saxifrage, Opposite-leaved Golden | √ | ||
| Fagus sylvatica | Beech | √ | ||
| Geranium robertianum | Herb-robert | √ | ||
| Hedera helix | Ivy | √ | ||
| Ilex aquifolium | Holly | √ | ||
| Juncus effusus | Rush, Soft- | √ | ||
| Luzula sylvatica | Wood-rush, Greater | √ | √ | |
| Oxalis acetosella | Wood-sorrel | √ | ||
| Ranunculus repens | Buttercup, Creeping | √ | ||
| Rhododendron ponticum | Rhododendron | √ | ||
| Rubus fruticosus | Bramble / Blackberry | √ | ||
| Rubus idaeus | Raspberry | √ | ||
| Rumex obtusifolius | Dock, Broad-leaved | √ | ||
| Tilia europaea (x) | Lime | √ | Tallest in Britain | |
| Vaccinium myrtillus | Bilberry | √ | ||
| Veronica montana | Speedwell, Wood | √ | ||
| Viola riviniana | Dog-violet, Common | √ | ||
Tags: Champion trees, Hair Ice, Reelig Glen
Dear David
Many thanks for the parcel which arrived this morning.
I have some doubts about the real connection between hair ice and Exidiopsis effusa. However the material you sent did have a small flat fruit body of E. effusa and there were also traces of Eutypa scabrosa, Melanomma pulvis-pyrius and Propolis versicolor.
The last two are common but the others are not! What a shame that you were in Inverness-shire not Ross!
The only grid squares now needing our attention in E. Ross are NH 13,23,24,25,37,47 and 57. The response has been very good!
Thanks again, and all good wishes
Bruce
(Fungal records added to species list above – DWM)
TDFC members have now 7 record for the supposedly rare hair ice, which appears to be relatively common in the cold humid conditions we have this year.
Hair ice forms in conditions of high humidity when the temperature is near 0°C. It forms on branches which have no bark. The crystals are in the region of 0.02mm diameter which matches the diameter of medullary rays or [1] in wood.
The crystals should recrystalise into larger crystals and should melt if the temperature rises above 0°C – they don’t do either which indicates the presence of an antifreeze! Hair ice will often form on the same branch over several years but stops forming if the branch is treated with a fungicide.
So the formation scenario is:
Ice crystal are forced out of medullary rays and are stabilised by a substance which acts as an antifreeze, released by the mould Exidiopsis effuse.
The latter needs further research to confirm.