Polyoporus brumalis Winter Polypore
This annual fruit body is to be found between winter and early spring, usually on prostrate branches and stumps of deciduous trees, most notably birch and beech.
It can appear as a solitary specimen and in trooping or tufted groups. The cap is initially convex becoming flattened with a depressed centre, varying in size from 10 to 80mm across, it may be semi-circular, circular or lobed and/or barely wavy. The cuticle is velvety with a pretence at being concentrically, zoned particularly towards the margin, which can remain inrolled. The colour varies around shades of grey-brown.
The underside is poroid with pores desposed between 2 to 6/mm, mainly round and sub-decurrent. The colour varies from white to cream ultimatly becoming pale brown.
The stem can be centraly disposed but may be excentric, particularly with semi-circular caps, pale yellow-brown it is often swollen at the base.
The flesh is white to cream, tough but elastic.
The spores are white, cylindrical to sausage shaped, smooth, contain drops and do not react in the presence of iodine. The major axis varies from 5-7mm, the minor axis from 1.5-2.5mm.
It is claimed to be widespread & common, I have found it only twice, both times on Bramshill Plantation.