Bitter Bracket

Appearance

Cap: Irregular bracket; up to 10 cm across; sometimes roughly semicircular but more often shell shaped and very occasionally in the form of a lopsided spinning top; 1 to 3 cm thick; upper (infertile) surface finely velvety, uneven; white, becoming light ochre with age; margins rounded in young specimens, more acute as fruit bodies age; lower (fertile) surface with tubes and pores; watery droplets are exuded mainly from margin region and from the pores.

Tubes: The tubes are white and 2 to 6 mm deep.

Pores: The tiny pores are also white and spaced at 3 to 4 per mm.

Spores: Elongated ellipsoidal to cylindrical, smooth, 3.5-4.5 x 2-2.5µm; inamyloid.

Spore print: White.

Odor/taste: Strong fungal odor; very bitter taste.

Distribution

Widespread and fairly common in Britain and Ireland, Postia stiptica is found throughout most of mainland Europe and is most common in central and northern Europe. The Bitter Bracket is also recorded in many parts of Asia, North America, and Australia.

Habitat

Usually on felled trunks and large fallen branches of conifers; very occasionally on the timber of hardwood trees.