Artist’s fungus (Ganoderma applanatum)

Description

Artist’s fungus fact file

• Description
• Biology
• Range
• Habitat
• Status
• Threats
• Conservation
• Find out more
• Glossary
• References
• Print factsheet

Artist’s fungus description

Artist’s fungus (Ganoderma applanatum) forms bracket-like fruit bodies that are reddish brown in colour ⁽⁴⁾. The hard waxy crust has a knobbly surface ⁽³⁾, and the flesh is dark reddish-brown, with a fibrous texture ⁽⁴⁾. Spores are released from pores located on the underside of the fungus. The pores are initially white, but become brownish as they age ⁽⁴⁾. Artist’s fungus releases massive amounts of brown spores, which collect on other fruit bodies and on the trunk of the host tree. This often gives the impression that the area has been liberally sprinkled with cocoa powder ⁽³⁾. An unusual form of this fungus occurs fairly frequently, in which layers of whitish flesh occur throughout the fruit body. Patterns scratched into these white layers are permanent, and this practice explains the common name of this species, 'artist's fungus' ⁽³⁾.

WARNING: many species of fungus are poisonous or contain chemicals that can cause sickness. Never pick and eat any species of fungus that you cannot positively recognise or are unsure about. Some species are deadly poisonous and can cause death within a few hours if swallowed.

Also known as

Flat tinder fungus.

Size

Bracket size: 4 - 10 x 3 - 8 cm ⁽²⁾

Artist’s fungus biology

Fungi are neither plants nor animals but belong to their own kingdom. They are unable to produce their own food through the process of photosynthesis, as plants do; instead, they acquire nutrients from living or dead plants, animals, or other fungi, as animals do. In many larger fungi (except lichens) the only visible parts are the fruit bodies, which arise from a largely unseen network of threads called ‘hyphae’. These hyphae permeate the fungus’s food source, which may be soil, leaf litter, rotten wood, dung, and so on, depending on the species, and take up nutrients ⁽³⁾.

The inedible fruit bodies of artist’s fungus are found throughout the year ⁽⁵⁾. They grow alone or in overlapping groups on the trunk of the host tree ⁽³⁾. This parasitic fungus causes a white rot in host timber and eventually kills living trees ⁽³⁾.

Artist’s fungus range

Artist’s fungus has a wide distribution in Britain but is not common ⁽⁴⁾. It is also found in Europe and North America as well as Trinidad, Panama, Columbia and Venezuela ⁽³⁾.

You can view distribution information for this species at the National Biodiversity Network Gateway.

Artist’s fungus habitat

Parasitic on a range of living or dead broad-leaved trees, but favours beech ⁽⁴⁾. In many parts of its range it occurs in mountainous areas ⁽³⁾.

Artist’s fungus status

Artist’s fungus is widespread in Britain ⁽³⁾.

Artist’s fungus threats

Artist’s fungus is not threatened at present.

Artist’s fungus conservation

Artist's fungus has not been the target of any known conservation measures.  

There may be further information about this species available via the National Biodiversity Network Gateway.

Find out more

For more information on Artist’s fungus and other  fungi see: Jordan, M. (1995) The encyclopaedia of fungi of Britain and Europe. David and Charles, London.

Authentication

This information is awaiting authentication by a species expert, and will be updated as soon as possible. If you are able to help please contact:
arkive@wildscreen.org.uk

Glossary

Fruit bodies

In fungi, the fruit body is the visible part of the fungus which bears spores (microscopic particles involved in both dispersal and reproduction).

Parasitic

An organism that derives its food from, and lives in or on, another living organism at the host’s expense.

Photosynthesis

Metabolic process characteristic of plants in which carbon dioxide is broken down, using energy from sunlight absorbed by the green pigment chlorophyll. Organic compounds are made and oxygen is given off as a by-product.

Spores

Microscopic particles involved in both dispersal and reproduction. They comprise a single or group of unspecialised cells and do not contain an embryo, as do seeds.

References

1. National Biodiversity Network Species Dictionary (September, 2003)
   http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nbn/
2. Courtecuisse, R. (1999) Collins guide to the mushrooms of Britain and Europe. HarperCollins Publishers, London.
3. Dickinson, C. and Lucas, J. (1979) The encyclopaedia of mushrooms. ORBIS Publishing, London.
4. Buczacki, S. (1989) Fungi of Britain and Europe. Collins, London.
5. Jordan, M. (1995) The encyclopaedia of fungi of Britain and Europe. David and Charles, London.