Trametes gibbosa

Common Name: Elegant Polypore

Synonyms: Trametes elegans

Substrate: Downed wood. Logs

Spore Color: White

Comments:

This is most likely listed in your field guides as Trametes elegans. This polypore can tend to take a number of different forms. The surface will sometimes apprear smooth, othertimes lumpy. Sometimes it will have an enlarged bump on the middle of the surface where it connects to the tree, othertimes not. Sometimes the pores will be circular, othertimes maze-like. I think you get the idea. There are likely several different mushrooms that are out there under the name T. gibbosa/elegans, but this name is an efficient dump for polypores you find in the woods with a white surface.

Lookalikes: 

Pictures:

9/28/11 - Paynestown SRA - Bloomington, IN

9/8/12 - Matter Park - Marion, IN

9/16/12 - Leonard Springs - Bloomington, IN

8/25/12 - Racoon Lake SRA - Rockville, IN

7/8/11 - Indiana - Notice the elongated pores

Can become moss covered when older.

6/4/10 - Brown County State Park - Nashville, IN