Turkey tail

Turkey tail

Trametes versicolor
POLYPORE FAMILY (Polyporaceae)

Click on each photo thumbnail to enlarge.

This fungus has a multicolored fan shaped cap that resembles a turkey tail in full display. This cap is 1-4 inches wide. It is fan shaped and is overlapping leathery concentrically zoned with contrasting shades of yellow, red, brown and blue. Photo D shows nice detail of the concentric rings. The zones of the fungus are alternately velvety and smooth. It has no gills but white to pale yellow tubes or pores. Photo D shows a detail of the pores. There is no stalk.

Turkey tail fruits in overlapping clusters on hardwood stumps and logs during summer and fall but faded fruiting bodies often persist through winter and spring. It is common throughout Fontenelle Forest.

No two caps are alike in pattern. It holds its colors for years. False turkey tail which resembles turkey tail lacks the pores underneath.

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