A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Fomitiporia robusta (formerly Phellinus robustus)
Who said fungus can't be fun, particularly when it looks like Mickey Mouse?! This large bracket is called a Horsehoof Fungus, and it occurs naturally in Queensland. Basidiomata perennial, solitary, firm and woody, attached by a broad lateral base. Creviced when old, at first cinnamon brown, darkening to black, margin entire, reddish brown. Pore surface plane, often creviced, with a sterile border 2–5 mm wide, reddish brown to dark brown. This solitary specimen was found on a fallen tree trunk, most likely Queensland Red Cedar (Toona ciliata). This woody fungi species is slow growing, so the largest bracket must be a good age to have reached that size. The smaller brackets (Mickey's ears) are growing horizontally to the tree trunk, so have grown after the tree fell.
Moist and well-shaded area of subtropical rainforest on the Westcliff Track, Bunya Mountains National Park, southeast Queensland. Here's some park info - http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/bunya-...
Here's another spotting I found close by - a larger specimen that had been dislodged from its tree. http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/951...
5 Comments
Thanks, Jae. And Sukanya, it was unintended wit.
Very apt for a Horse (hoof) spotting...the word Trifecta...I had to look it up :)
And why not...Spooky is fun.
oh boy! Great spotting, Neil.
I love it. What's next? Shall we go for the trifecta? I have no idea what me next spotting will be, so if we do 3 for 3, then that will be spooky.
This coincidence business is getting spooky...first the Rhinoceros beetle, now the Horsehoof fungus :) https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/14...
The two hemispheres are a lot more similar than I thought.