On a beech tree. 26 October 2022 New Forest, Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. Cap Bracket shaped, sometimes growing in overlapping tiers, upper surface shiny as if lacquered, dark red brown, darkening with age, margin rounded, yellowish or pale brown when young, underside white, pores 3 per mm, to about 30 cm across Flesh Fibrous, firm but not hard, brown Smell Fungal Taste Bitter Season Annual, sporulating from late summer to autumn Distribution Rare Habitat On trunks of deciduous trees, favouring beech and oak Spore Print Brown Microscopic Features Spores ellipsoidal, truncated, warty (10-13) x (7-9) µm2 Edibility Inedible Notes This fungus couild be confused with G. pfeifferi, and G. lucidum. G. pfeifferi has very tough flesh. G. lucidum has a distinct lateral stem. I am grateful to Stuart Skeates for identifying the young specimens found in 2009, before they had developed the characteristic colours. 
On a beech tree. 26 October 2022 New Forest, Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
1 August 2010 Berkshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
1 August 2010 Berkshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
9 August 2009 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
9 August 2009 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. |