Burnt Polypore
(Beech Snap Disease, or Smoky Crust Cap)
Description
Fruit-body annual, usually imbricate, leathery caps on a leathery, porous crust spreading over the substrate. Cap 2-6 x 1-3 cm, 3-6 mm thick. Upper surface usually concentrically zoned, felted-chamois-like, ochre-grey or brown-grey to black, with acute white, later black, margin.
Tubes 1-2 mm long, grey. Pores 4-6 per mm, circular, light to dark grey, turning black when damaged, paler towards the margin. flesh thin, tough, whitish. Smell somewhat sour, fungus-like.
Spore-print colour white to light yellow.
Occurrence
Common on stumps and standing and fallen trunks and branches of deciduous trees, occasionally on Spruce.
Saprophyte.
Related and/or similar species
- Bjerkandera fumosa