Bay Polypore

Habitat

Found on decaying wood, specifically dead or living deciduous trees, including large fallen trunks and branches. It shows a strong preference for hardwoods such as beech, but also occasionally occurs on conifer wood. Often found on well-decayed, barkless logs, it can also appear to be growing from the ground when emerging from buried wood. It may grow solitary, in small groups, or in tufted clusters.

Photos

Appearance

Cap

2 to 20 cm wide, ranging from circular to funnel-shaped, often with a sunken center and wavy or lobed margins. The surface is smooth and shiny when dry, slightly sticky when fresh, and colored chestnut, reddish-brown, or dark brown, often becoming darker toward the center.

Stem

1 to 8 cm long, typically eccentric or off-center and fairly slender. It is distinctively black and velvety or fuzzy at the base, with the blackening often extending toward the apex as it matures; the upper portion is initially pale brown or cream.

Pores

Extremely small and dense (usually 6 to 10 per mm), making them difficult to see. They are white to cream when young, aging to pale buff or light tan.

Tubes

Very short and shallow, reaching up to 3 mm in depth, and decurrent where they meet the stem.

Flesh

Thin, white to cream-colored, and very tough, leathery, or corky in texture. It may turn brownish as it ages.

Spore print

White.

Edibility

This species is considered inedible due to its very thin, corky, or leathery flesh that is too tough to eat. While some descriptions report a mild or indistinct flavor, others note a bitter taste. It is commonly confused with other closely related polypores with brownish caps and black-based stems, such as P. leptocephalus, P. melanopus, and P. varius.

Nutrient Source

It obtains nutrients by breaking down dead organic matter, primarily from hardwood and conifer trees, causing white rot.

Common Names

Danish

Kastaniebrun stilkporesvamp

Dutch

Peksteel

English

Bay Polypore

Finnish

kastanjakääpä

German

Kastanienbrauner Schwarzfußporling

Norwegian Bokmål

kastanjestilkkjuke

Norwegian Nynorsk

kastanjestilkkjuke

Spanish

políporo bayo, poliporo bayo

Swedish

stor tratt-ticka, stor tratticka

Welsh

Cyfrwy Caled

Synonyms

• Boletus badius
• Boletus batschii
• Boletus durus
• Grifola badia
• Polyporellus badius
• Polyporus badius — Bay Polypore
• Polyporus durus
• Polyporus nigripes
• Royoporus badius
• Royoporus durus