False Turkey Tails

Description:

Stereum ostrea, also called "false turkey-tail" and "golden curtain crust", is a basidiomycete fungus in the family Stereaceae. It is a plant pathogen and a wood decay fungus. With concentric circles of many colors, it highly resembles Trametes versicolor, "turkey-tail", and is thus called the "false turkey-tail". (Wiki) This is crust fungus species, not a polypore. The upper suface of fruit-bodies feels ridged but smooth, and 'velvety' with very short hairs (visible in the first photo). As was also the case with my other recent spotting of Stereum ostrea at the Bunya Mountains, these specimens weren't the classic fan-like oyster shape either, nor the reddish colours I've read about, so I'm wondering if the fruiting bodies distort and fade with age? A good local reference - http://australianfungi.blogspot.com/2007... PS: I only took a few photos here and abandoned my hike shortly after. It was blowing an absolute gale and debris was falling from the trees, so I came back the following day instead.

Habitat:

Spotted along the Mt. Mathieson Trail at Mt. Mathieson, Spicers Gap, in wet sclerophyll forest. This particular location was very well-sheltered and shaded. The area is part of Main Range National Park, and the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area.

Notes:

Turkey tail or not? - http://www.mushroomexpert.com/trametes_v...