Peculiar fungal growth on primula leaves?

[Tig]

I have been clearing up fungi around the garden this morning and by chance spotted that some of the 'blue' primulas I had as mini plugs from T & M last year appeared to have frilled edges! On closer inspection I could see what looks like some kind of fungal growth actually sprouting from the tips of the outer leaves and along the spine on them - I've never seen anything like it before and can't find anything that looks like it - any ideas, or anyone else had this problem?



close-up

[andy]

How weird !!!! My only suggestion is that Primulas can be propagated from leaf cuttings and that's maybe what the plant has tried to do....and failed or it could be some form of fasiation.

Interesting to see what others say

[Barbara]

I've never seen anything like that before Tig.

[Jasmine]

Never seen anything like that before Tig and we have some amazing fungi dotted about the garden.
I have those 'blue' primulas too (they were T&M plugs from last year) but mine all look ok to me.

[Tig]

The rest of mine are OK Jas, there were two plants which had got this weird growth planted within a foot of each other. I'm wondering if there is something in the soil where they are

That's an interesting thought Andy, at first I did wonder if the edges of the leaves were trying to root, but on closer inspection could see the 'seaweed' like growth patterns.

[owdboggy]

I think it is a form of a thing called proliferation. This occurs when there is minor damage to the leaf surface, similar in some ways to fasciation.

[Tig]

Thanks for that OB. I wonder if there is some viral infection in the soil nearby? I could have imported something in one of the pots of new things planted this year I suppose

[Chuckles]

Very peculiar looking Tig I wonder if it would be worth sending a pic to the RHS for feedback

[Tig]

I think you have to be a RHS member to get feedback from them Chuckles

[Chuckles]

Yes I think you are right Tig I used to be a member and would of done it for you. I'm sure we have members on here that are and surely someone would do it for you

[Jasmine]

I can try for you if you want Tig.

[Jasmine]

I've done it! From what I remember it takes a while for them to get back!



EDIT:

Just had this...

Thank you for emailing the RHS Members’ Advisory Service. 

Your email has been successfully received and we're working on it now. Our typical response time is seven to ten working days, however, enquiries that need identification, research and analysis can take as much as four weeks.

[Tig]

Thanks Jas, it'll be interesting to find out what they think.

[Auricula]

I'd have done it for you too... but I've been tooooo busy to be on here much, lately ( excuse for not doing wordsearch Tig + I've got no printer ink to print it out )It's very odd, whatever it is

[Chuckles]

Great stuff Jasmine it will be really interesting to hear what they have to say and of course you'll know if you have a problem to deal with Tig. I used the service once when I was a member, can't recall what for now though

[Jasmine]

I've asked them to ID a snowdrop before but I don't think the answer was very conclusive if I remember right.

[Ladygardener]

It'll be interesting to find out what they say Tig. It's very strange.

[Rosefriend]

Have I missed it or has there been an answer for the growth Tig or Jasmine ??

RF

[Tig]

I'm assuming that the RHS haven't got back to Jasmine yet.

However, I did have a response from a very nice person on a fungi site within 48 hours - but was waiting to see what the RHS said before I posted. I think I now know what it was

[Rosefriend]

Nov 14, 2013 20:02:29 GMT Tig said:

I'm assuming that the RHS haven't got back to Jasmine yet.

However, I did have a response from a very nice person on a fungi site within 48 hours - but was waiting to see what the RHS said before I posted. I think I now know what it was

Oh - looking forward to finding out - hope it isn't catching !!

RF

[Jasmine]

Guess who got back to me yesterday!!!

This is the email the RHS sent....

Dear Mrs G,

Thank you for your enquiry to the Royal Horticultural Society's Members' Advisory Service. The photographs that you enclosed of the abnormal growths present on the edges of your primula leaves are going to be fruiting bodies of a fungus. From the images I would suspect this is going to be caused by a Thelephora species, most likely Thelephora spiculosa. This is usually seen on dead twigs and leaves, but I have not found a record on apparently green and healthy tissue. It would suggest that these leaves were probably in close contact to the ground and may have been beginning to yellow at the edges. I would not expect that this fungus will cause your primula plants to die.

I hope that you find this information useful.

Yours sincerely,

Geoffrey Denton
Plant Pathologist - Plant Health

[Rosefriend]

Nov 15, 2013 7:07:07 GMT Jasmine said:

Guess who got back to me yesterday!!!

This is the email the RHS sent....

Dear Mrs G,

Thank you for your enquiry to the Royal Horticultural Society's Members' Advisory Service. The photographs that you enclosed of the abnormal growths present on the edges of your primula leaves are going to be fruiting bodies of a fungus. From the images I would suspect this is going to be caused by a Thelephora species, most likely Thelephora spiculosa. This is usually seen on dead twigs and leaves, but I have not found a record on apparently green and healthy tissue. It would suggest that these leaves were probably in close contact to the ground and may have been beginning to yellow at the edges. I would not expect that this fungus will cause your primula plants to die.

I hope that you find this information useful.

Yours sincerely,

Geoffrey Denton
Plant Pathologist - Plant Health

Wonder if that tally's with what Tig already knows Jasmine !!??

Good to hear that at least the plants won't die!!

RF

[Jasmine]

I'm looking forward to hearing what Tig has been told Rosefriend!
The RHS take so long to get back to you - I guess they must get a lot of queries.

[Rosefriend]

Nov 15, 2013 8:20:53 GMT Jasmine said:

I'm looking forward to hearing what Tig has been told Rosefriend!
The RHS take so long to get back to you - I guess they must get a lot of queries.

I remember Chuckles asked something for me years ago and it took ages and ages..

RF

[Tig]

This was my reply from First Nature on 26th October

"Yes, they are indeed fungi, and I'm pretty sure I know the species:
their scientific name is Thelephora terrestris and they are commonly referred to as Earthfan fungus. There are details on my web page at:

www.first-nature.com/fungi/thelephora-terrestris.php

They do sometimes grow on decaying vegetation, although I have not seen them before on primula leaves."

So at least they concur ... somewhat.

Thanks Jasmine

[Ladygardener]

At least you've both got similar answers, it does seem like it was very strange for it to grow on your Primula Tig.

On the subject of Primula, I've had to take quite a few blotchy yellow leaves off some of mine, a lot of them in fact. Is this normal? I don't remember it being this bad before. Perhaps it's got something to do with all the rain. I've kept the Primula 'tho. I wonder now if I should destroy them.

[Tig]

I'm always removing the old yellow leaves off mine LG, I think it is just normal ageing as new growth in the centres takes over. They'll be fine I'm sure.

[Jasmine]

Oh that's interesting Tig!
I am just spending a minute or 2 being gobsmacked that anyone would know enough about fungus to spot a Thelephora of any sort!!! There's a career for everyone I guess!

[Tig]

I love true experts Jasmine - they are so enthusiastic about their 'passion' that even if they don't know something they will go out of their way to find the answer in order to enhance their own knowledge.

[Ladygardener]

Thanks Tig, that's what I'm doing, removing the yellow and brown leaves.

As to fungi, some of them are very beautiful and you were right about the one I had at the allotment. Like dog sick when exposed to the light it just seemed to disappear.