Winter Polypore

Appearance

Cap: 2–8 cm; broadly convex with a tucked-under margin at first; becoming flat, or shallowly depressed; round in outline; dry; bald or very finely hairy; dark yellowish brown to dark brown.

Pore Surface: Running slightly down the stem; white; not bruising; with 2–3 round pores per mm; tubes to 3 mm deep.

Stem: Central or somewhat off-center; 2–4 cm long; 2–5 mm wide; equal; dry; bald or finely hairy; whitish to grayish or pale brownish; tough.

Flesh: Whitish; thin; very tough.

Spore Print: White.

Distribution

Saprobic on decaying wood of hardwoods and especially frequent on dead birch wood; growing alone or gregariously; fall and spring, but found nearly year-round; widely distributed in North America.