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Grifola frondosa

 

Sometimes referred to as Hen of the Woods, the fruitbody of Grifola frondosa is relatively short-lived compared with most polypores. It is usually found at the base of an oak tree. This fungus attacks living trees and causes a white rot, and it smells unpleasantly sickly when it is decaying.

Although this is an edible polypore it is only worth gathering when the fruiting bodies are young and fresh.

Description

In circular tiers from a common branching stem, the tongue-like fronds of this soft polypore form a cauliflower-like rosette 20 to 50 cm across. Individual fronds are 4 to 10 cm across and 5 to 10 mm thick, and they vary from tan to olive or cream in undulating concentric zones.

Tubes and Pores

The white tubes are 2 to 3 mm deep and usually rounded; they terminate in pale cream pores that are decurrent to the stem.

Spore print

White.

Odour/taste

Pleasant sweet odour when young; less so when decaying. The taste of older specimens can be quite acrid.

Habitat

At the bases of oak trees and other hardwoods.

Season

Summer and autumn.

Occurrence

Infrequent.

Similar species

  1. Could possibly be confused with the much paler Cauliflower Fungus, Sparasis crispa, but that grows only at the bases of conifers, and most frequently Scots pines.

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