Asked my gardener friend about it, and her response:
Originally posted by my friend:
oh sorry im in no way a mycology expert, i can only tell you its a tree fungus that attacks trees that have dead centers usually, and one of the first signs to know a tree is dying. they dont cause the problem they are just opportunistic.
See, I didn't even know the word "mycology" so she's ahead of me.
It certainly was on a dead tree...I didn't inflict any injury so about the bruising I guess it's up to your imagination
I have a collection of beautiful ones but little knowledge about them.
Laetiporus sulfureus (formerly Polyporus sulfureus)
This fungus forms massive clusters of bright, sulfur-yellow to salmon to bright orange shelf-like fruiting structures that turn white with age. These initially form in the summer or autumn on the wood of the tree but fall off during the winter. The underside of the fruiting structure has millions of tiny pores in which the spores are formed. New ones form on the wood the following summer and autumn. The margins of young fruiting structures are edible but should be collected and consumed only by experts sure of their identification. The bark where the fruiting structure forms is slightly depressed and cracked. Fruiting occurs long after most of the damage has been done. Infected trees are very prone to wind breakage even before the fungus begins to form fruiting structures and should be removed at the first sign of infection. Ash, beech, cherry, butternut and walnut, elm, pine, spruce, maple, oak, locust, and other trees are susceptible.
Thank you all...I have some books but they are not arranged well. These fungi are really beautiful I think. The website is very helpful for that reason.
I think it is a "Coriolus versicolor". Note that they are inedible.
However, its actual genus depends on the country of origin. (Glimpses)
I went looking for this one and it appears to have a huge following as a cancer tx - the laetiporus sulfureous seems to match what I saw. Thanks again.
