Bracket Fungi ID

[jhewitt15]

this bracket fungus was growing out of a dead tree. The bracket is very solid and hard.





The bottom of the bracket was very hard as well.

Please help.

[flaxton]

Originally Posted by jhewitt15

this bracket fungus was growing out of a dead tree. The bracket is very solid and hard.





The bottom of the bracket was very hard as well.

Please help.

This is a Ganoderma almost certainly applanatum the Artist Bracket but it could just be Ganoderma australe and would need spores to confirm.

Mal

[Andy Overall]

Originally Posted by jhewitt15

this bracket fungus was growing out of a dead tree. The bracket is very solid and hard.





The bottom of the bracket was very hard as well.

Please help.

Almost certainlyGanoderma australe it is very widespread and frequent. Ganoderma applanatum on the other hand is not at all frequent and can often be recognised by the presence of cone-like protrusions which are insect galls on the under side of the bracket. Also, apart from checking spore size, G. applanatum when cut in section reveals distinct growth zones of a thin pileal layer and then short tubes which is then repeated in number, depending on the age of the bracket. G. australe lacks this charaterisitc as well as the insect galls.

Andy

[mykonik]

Originally Posted by Andy Overall

Almost certainlyGanoderma australe it is very widespread and frequent. Ganoderma applanatum on the other hand is not at all frequent and can often be recognised by the presence of cone-like protrusions which are insect galls on the under side of the bracket. Also, apart from checking spore size, G. applanatum when cut in section reveals distinct growth zones of a thin pileal layer and then short tubes which is then repeated in number, depending on the age of the bracket. G. australe lacks this charaterisitc as well as the insect galls.

Andy

I would have said G. australe as well Andy !

Nick

[flaxton]

and again and again

[flaxton]

Nick and Andy for future reference.

Both these species start off as unidentifiable (to most of us) lumps. Applanatum develops into a large thin fruit-body whereas australe usually develops into a thick fruit-body. This photo shows a thin specimen so, other than the fact that it is much less common, what makes this "almost certainly" australe

Up in my neck of the woods we get quite a lot of applanatum and although the young specimens can look the same once they are fully mature they are relatively easy to differentiate (or I used to think so). I usually take a spore sample just to confirm.

Mal

[Fungus Ken]

Originally Posted by flaxton

... what makes this "almost certainly" australe
Mal

Other than going by probability, because Ganoderma australe tends to be the more common, I'd be sitting on the fence myself.

Certainly in the North West G. australe is much more common. But it obviously depends where you are foraying.

Ken