cinnabar red polypore

Description:

Semicircular to kidney-shaped; planoconvex; 2-13 cm across; up to 2 cm thick; upper surface finely hairy to suedelike, becoming roughened or nearly smooth (often pocked in age), bright reddish orange to dull orangish with age; undersurface bright reddish orange, with 2-4 round to angular (or sometimes slot-like) pores per mm, occasionally extending onto the substrate below the cap; tubes to 5 mm deep; stem absent; flesh tough, reddish to pale orange --- It is a pretty unmistakable mushroom when fresh, since bright orange colors are fairly rare among the polypores. Look-alikes include Hapalopilus nidulans, which is dull orange, stockier and usually smaller, and features a dramatic purple reaction to KOH; and Pycnoporus sanguineus, which is thinner and more brightly colored, and features a shinier surface that is distinctively "seared."

Habitat:

It is common in many areas and is widely distributed throughout the world

Notes:

location: North America, Europe edibility: Inedible fungus colour: Red or redish or pink, Orange normal size: 5-15cm cap type: Other stem type: Lateral, rudimentary or absent spore colour: White, cream or yellowish habitat: Grows on wood Pycnoporus cinnabarinus (Jacq. ex Fr.) Karst. syn. Plyporus cinnabarina Jacq. ex Fr. syn. Trametes cinnabarinus (Jacq. ex Fr.) Fr. Zinnoberschwamm Polypore ou Tramète rouge cinabre, Cinnabar Polypore. Fruit body 3–11cm across, 2–8cm wide, 0.5–1.5cm thick, semicircular or fan-shaped, leathery becoming corky when dried; upper surface covered in fine soft hairs when young, later smooth and slightly wrinkled, bright red or orange-red becoming less bright with age. Tubes 2–6mm long, pale orange. Pores 2–3 per mm, circular or angular, cinnabar- or saffron-red. Spores white, oblong-ellipsoid, 4.5–6 x 2–2.5um. Hyphal structure trimitic. Habitat on dead deciduous trees, especially cherry, beech and birch. Season autumn. Very rare. Not edible. Distribution, America and Europe