Phlebia rufa

| |
Phlebia rufa

24 September 2025 Eyeworth Pond, New Forest, Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin.

Fruiting Body

Resupinate, tightly attached to the substrate, surface wrinkled, poroid or tooth like, cream, beige, pinkish brown or reddish brown, margin white, fringed, forming irregular mats up to 20 cm or more across

Flesh

Gelatinous, soft when fresh, hard when dry

Smell

Faint, indistinct

Season

Autumn to spring

Distribution

Common

Habitat

On dead wood from deciduous trees, favouring oak

Spore Print

White

Microscopic Features

Spores ellipsoidal to sausage shaped, smooth (4.5-6.5) x (2-2.5) µm2. Basidia slender, club shaped, four spored. Cystidia slender, club shaped. Hyphal system monomitic, clamps present.

Edibility

Of no culinary value

Notes

The two collections shown were infested with pinkish brown mites. I have seen other collections similarly infested, suggesting an association.

Phlebia rufa

Spores in Congo Red solution viewed with a 100X immersion objective. 24 September 2025 Eyeworth Pond, New Forest, Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin.

Phlebia rufa

7 November 2021 Beech, Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin.

Phlebia rufa

A close up of the hymenium showing the teeth like structures that are easily seen with a loupe. 7 November 2021 Beech, Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin.

Phlebia rufa

Spores in Melzer's solution viewed with a 100X immersion objective. 7 November 2021 Beech, Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin.

Phlebia rufa

NB: The pinkish brown blobs are mites. 29 September 2020 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin.

Phlebia rufa

A close up of the hymenium. 29 September 2020 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin.

Phlebia rufa

Spores in Melzer's solution viewed with a 100X immersion objective. 29 September 2020 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin.

Phlebia rufa

Cystidia in Congo Red solution viewed with a 40X objective. 29 September 2020 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin.