Polyporus brumalis - Winter Polypore

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Polyporales

Polyporus brumalis is a winter polypore that grows on fallen branches of deciduous trees. The pores of these thin-capped polypores cannot be detached from the upper layer of the cap.cTough and inedible, these are not fungi to gather as food; however, the dried caps are sometimes used as table decorations or as inert contributors to pot pouri.

Because it first appears in November, this fascinating funnel-shaped fungus is often referred to as the Winter Polypore.

Well camouflaged among the fallen leaves, these brown funnel caps can be difficult to find, but when you do come across one there is often a small group on the same fallen log.

Identification Guide

	Cap The upper surface of the cap of this occasional polypore is smooth and usually grey-brown but very variable in colour and often zonate. As they age, the fruiting bodies become much darker. 2 to 8cm in diameter and 2 to 9cm thick, the fruiting bodies usually have inrolled and wavy margins. The flesh is white and leathery, becoming very hard in dry weather.
	Tupes and pores Beneath the cap, the white tubes are packed together at a density of 2 or 3 per mm; they are between 0.5 and 2mm deep and terminate in white pores that turn buff as they age.
Spore print	White.
Odour/taste	Not distinctive.
Habitat	Restricted to dead hardwood - usually fallen branches and particularly beech.
Season	Late autumn through to spring.
Occurrence	Very infrequent.
Similar species	Polyporus ciliatus is very similar but has much smaller, more densely packed pores.