What's This Ear?

[Harold Gough]

Yesterday I found this on a rotting Sycamore log. I find the presence of white outgrowths unusual.

This is a crust fungus, probably Smoky Bracket Bjerkandera adjusta

EM-1, Olympus 4/3 50mm f2 macro at f10 or f13, daylight.

The stereos are crosseye.

Harold

[Gate Keeper]

Re: What's This Ear?

As it appears not to have been eaten, could I assume it is poisonous? My apologies for not being able to name it one. A lovely portrayal of nature at work, thank you.

[Harold Gough]

Re: What's This Ear?

As it appears not to have been eaten, could I assume it is poisonous? My apologies for not being able to name it one. A lovely portrayal of nature at work, thank you.

Thanks.

That's not a good guide. Like many other related species, it has a leathery texture and would be unpalatable to humans and possibly also to invertebrates. Slugs and maybe some rodents can eat mushrooms, and some plants, toxic to us. Many insects eat what might kill us. Another factor is that the population density of slugs in that woodpile is fairly low.

Harold

[Gate Keeper]

Re: What's This Ear?

As I am not Bear Grylls, I certainly wouldn't chance eating that fungus.


Thanks