Solitary Chicken?

[pajr777]

Hello, I am a mycology newbie, and I am glad to have found such an active and knowledgable forum

I suspect this is chicken of the woods but it appears slightly thicker than most of the images in the Gallery, and it was a solitary rather than in the usual groups.



Could it be anything else?

[cybershot]

If you compare this with images of Piptoporus betulinus - Birch Polypore (sometimes referred to as Razorstrop Fungus) you will find a more probable candidate for your specimen.

Welcome to WAB.

David

[ron1863]

Hi and a warm welcome to WAB. As David said, it's Piptoporus betulinus - Birch Polypore, a very common fungus in my region.

[Beamish]

Hi,

Ötzi the Iceman carried a piece of P.b. with him. Probably for medicinal purposes.

Regards, Martin

[pajr777]

Thanks for the ID and the welcomes.

Lesson #1: Look around the fungus as well as at the fungus! I have now spotted a rather large Birch Tree attached to my specimen

Next time I need to sharpen a knife or start a fire I will be on the lookout for Piptoporus betulinus

[hamadryad]

youll know chicken when you see it! its the brightest star in the mycological galaxy! bright and I mean bright sulphur yellow and often large.

This piptoporus makes a really good wound dressing if you ever need one in the woods, very absorbent.

welcome to mycology, i hope your prepaired for the rot to set in and swallow you whole! this is addictive, and a subject with so much depth and breadth youll never lose interest or fail to find new areas to explore.

[pajr777]

Originally Posted by hamadryad

youll know chicken when you see it! its the brightest star in the mycological galaxy! bright and I mean bright sulphur yellow and often large.

I think I've found it this time!



I read somewhere not to eat it if it's growing on yew, and I can't identify the tree trunk so I didn't harvest any.

[alge]

Yup looks good match to me for Laetiporus sulphureus, its an old specimen though so probably woody and not nice. The ones i tend to find are orange when young with yellow around the edges (as in my avatar) going completely yellow with age. Funny you should mention yew it may be coincidence but i tend to find it close to but never on the yew.

alex

[NickCantle]

It's L. sulphureus alright, but as Alex says it's a tad gungy so I think you made a wise decision leaving it However, check it in June time next year and you may be pleasantly surprised

[Gerel]

Would you expect it to re-occur on the same tree each year then Nick? I've got a few oaks with big but very old and dead specimens on them from last year, but when I checked them for new growth this year was disappointed.



Steve