Dichomitus campestris

Dichomitus campestris

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Polyporales (insertae sedis)

Family: Polyporaceae

Look out for this rare resupinate polypore if you visit Scotland in the autumn. It is very unusual to see this polypore in the south of Britain or Ireland, but it is known to occur in several mainland countries of northern Europe.

Like so many of the polypores, this inedible crust fungus causes white rot of fallen branches of hardwood trees, and in particular Beech.

Synonym: Trametes campestris.

Colour is an unreliable guide to identification of this particular fungus, because its fertile (outer) surface ranges from cream through yellow to a reddish brown, and when old the fruitbodies turn dark brown.

Identification Guide

Description

Nearly always a resupinate crust, but occasionally forming brackets. In resupinate form roughly circular or oval, up to 6cm across and projecting 1 to 3cm from substrate.

The circular or elongated tubes are spaced at 1 to 2 per mm and often irregularly spaced, terminated in creamy yellow to brown pores.

Spores

Creamy white or yellowish.

Odour/taste

Not significant.

Habitat

Saprobic on dead broadleaf trunks and fallen branches, particularly of oaks.

Season

Usually annual, releasing spores in late summer and autumn.

Occurrence

Rare in Britain except northern Scotland.