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Meripilus giganteus |
Meripilus giganteus is a very large polypore that appears on stumps and at the base of some living broad-leaved trees - most notably beech. The caps can be half a metre wide. |
| You may also find this polypore listed under the scientific
names Polyporus gigantea or Grifola giganteus. These
polypores are short lived and very quickly rot away.
In this picture the fruiting bodies are attached to the base of a beech tree. Sometimes they grow attached to shallow roots at a distance of several metres from the trunk. |
If cooked very slowly, young specimens are reportedly edible; however, they have been known to cause stomach upsets in some people and so are probably best avoided altogether. |
Description |
This massive polypore grows as a rosette of
fan-shaped caps at or near the base of hardwood trees and on stumps.
The individual tan or light brown caps range from 10 to 30 cm across and 1 to3 cm thick, while the complete fruiting body typically grows to between 50 and 80 cm and occasionally more than a metre across. |
Tubes and Pores |
The off-white tubes are 4 to 6 mm deep and terminate in tiny round white pores packed to a density of between 3 and 5 per mm. When bruised, the pores turn black. |
Spore print |
White. |
Odour/taste |
No distinctive odour; taste slightly acidic. |
Habitat |
At the base of beech trees and stumps; also sometimes on oak. |
Season |
Summer and autumn. |
Occurrence |
Fairly common. |
Similar species |
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