Species details
Laeticutis cristata
Laeticutis cristata
Conditional / expert preparation
Photo: Syrio · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo source · License
Description
An irregular fan-shaped polypore whose brownish colours often become olive-greenish with age.
Identification features
The underside has short tubes with fine pores running down a short, often lateral stem. Fruitbodies frequently fuse and the flesh is firm and tough.
Identification checklist
Check the irregular fan- or shell-like form, pore-bearing underside, short lateral stem and olive-green ageing colours. Several caps are often fused together.
Detailed features
- Cap
- An irregular fan-shaped fungus whose brownish colours often shift to olive-green tones with age.
- Hymenophore
- The underside has short tubes with fine pores running down a short, often lateral stem. Fruitbodies often fuse together and the flesh is firm and tough.
- Flesh
- Whitish, firm and tough, sometimes becoming greenish with age.
- Smell
- No distinctive smell.
- Spore print
- White.
Size
- Cap diameter
- 5–12 cm
- Stem height
- 1–3 cm
- Stem diameter
- 0,5–1 cm
Habitat
On the ground in deciduous and mixed woodland, often with oak and beech and near roots; late summer and autumn.
Fruiting period
August, September, October
Ecology
- Host trees
- Oak (Quercus), Beech (Fagus)
- Substrate
- Forest soil, Roots
- Notes
- On the ground in deciduous and mixed woodland, often with oak and beech and near roots; late summer and autumn.
How to separate similar species
Sheep polypore is usually paler and lacks the same characteristic olive-green ageing. Fused polypore forms dense joined clusters with different orange-brown tones. For polypores compare pores, growth habit and flesh.
Similar species
Interesting facts
Did you know? The olive-green tone developing with age is an important clue together with fine pores and a short stem.