Wrinkled Crust

Description:

Phlebia radiata is an orange to pink crust fungus that spreads itself across the dead wood of hardwoods and conifers across North America. It has a wrinkled surface in which the wrinkles radiate outward, more or less, from a central location. It does not develop pores, and it does not develop a cap structure or even, usually, a folded-over edge ( http://www.mushroomexpert.com/phlebia_ra... )

Habitat:

Ecology: Saprobic; spreading across logs and stumps of hardwoods or conifers; annual; causing a white rot; spring, summer, fall, and winter; widely distributed in North America. Fruiting Body: 1-10 cm or more across; irregular in outline; up to about 3 mm thick; surface wrinkled, with the wrinkles and folds radiating from a more or less central point; orange to pink (more rarely tan with orangish edges, or purplish); occasionally developing a slightly folded-over, hairy edge

Notes:

Phlebia radiata, Wrinkled Crust. What an uninspiring name for a beautiful fungus! However, the photo shown here is only one colour form of the Wrinkled Crust, and it is often a dull brown colour. This lovely specimen was found on a dead branch of Oak in the Silbe Reserve. This growth form in the fungi is described as "resupinate", as most of the lower surface is closely attached to the substrate. Each fruit-body can reach approx. 10cm in diameter ( http://www.guernsey.net/~cdavid/botany/f... )