The upper surface of this mushroom is brownish-orange to dark brown becoming black. The caps are up to 10 inches wide and 1 inch thick. It often has dark, shiny, crusty, resinous zones. There is no stalk. The pore surface is white and bruises brown. The mature fungus is tough and leathery. When young and fresh this mushroom secretes brownish water droplets (A and B).
This mushroom occurs singly or in groups on fallen hardwood tree trunks and branches sometimes in overlapping clusters. It causes a white to yellow rot of the trees that separates the annual rings in the wood and often smells of anise. It appears on recently fallen wood and on wood that has been down for many years. It is usually seen in the fall. It is common in the hollows of Fontenelle Forest.
The flesh of young specimens is soft and juicy at first. The mature fungus is very tough and leathery.This is also known as Polyporus resinosus.
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