Specimen #8

The Polypores

Figure 1: Porus underneath surface of Ganoderma applanatum. Showing brown bruising when scratched.

Figure 2: Top surface of Ganoderma applanatum.

Name: Ganoderma applanatum 
Common Name: Artist's Fungus or Conk

Family: Polyporaceae

Collection Date: 13th Sept. 2011 

Habitat: Found attached to fallen, rotting branch on hillside.   

Location: South Chagrin Reservation

Description: About 6-6.5 inches across. No stem present. Top of fruiting body dark brown and underneath white/grey and porus. Body also very hard, not easily broken.  

Collector: Olivia Benjamin

Key used: Orson K. Miller Jr. 1977. Mushrooms of North America. E.P. Dutton New York.
Keying Steps:

Introduction Key pg. 273
1b. Spore-bearing surface composed of pores...2

2a. Fruiting body forms large, woody, perennial corks. Shelf-like...3
3a. Cap surface smooth, appearing shellacked; shelf-like fruiting body...4

4b. Cap surface brown; pores bruising when scratched ---> 319. Ganoderma applanatum.

Figure 3: Ganoderma applanatum growing shelf-like on a tree.

Ecology: This fungus are saprotrophs and sometimes parasitic, growing alone or in groups on rotten logs or stumps. It is very common and widely distributed in North America (Kuo, 2004).

Links

Kuo, M. (2004, February). Ganoderma applanatum. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/ganoderma_applanatum.html

http://www.mushroomexpert.com/ganoderma_applanatum.html

http://mushroom-collecting.com/mushroomartist.html