Species details
Aspen bracket
Phellinus tremulae
Inedible
Photo: Jerzy Opioła · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo source · License
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Description
A hard perennial hoof-shaped polypore mainly parasitising aspen and causing white heart rot.
Identification features
The fruitbody can be large and thick, laterally attached, with an almost horizontal underside. The upper surface is grey-black to nearly black and very rough, the underside brownish and finely poroid. The flesh is woody and hard.
Identification checklist
The key combination is a hard dark hoof-shaped fruitbody on aspen with a brown poroid underside.
How to separate similar species
It is very similar to other Phellinus-like fungi, especially Phellinus populicola. The host tree is an important clue, but additional characters may be needed for reliable identification.
Habitat
Grows year-round as a parasite on living and dead parts of decididuous trees, especially aspen.
Fruiting period
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December