Identification help

[weekender]

Hi everybody
I have seen a fungi growing on a tree, well three actually, in various sizes the largest being about the size of half a dinner plate with a red'ish/rusty brown top half with a velvet like texture and the underside is a cream colour. sorry i cant name the tree (didnt think to look :rolleyes: ) and i havent got a photo which would have made life easier, one of the three as the others have, started off growing in a ball type shape faning out into the half dinner plate shape if that helps. . . any ideas???

Weekender

[Goose]

Sounds possibly like artists conk?
I think that is the name, try "drawing" on the underside with your fingernail, it leaves dark lines hence the name, I think.
PS I am only speculating, don't assume it is the right one!

[Toddy]

How about Betulina piptoporus? They can get pretty huge.
http://www.aie.org.uk/fungi_base/bpolypore/aie_fungi_piptoporus.html

Cheers,
Toddy

[rich59]

This sounds like some fungi near me growing on - I think it is an old - maple. The ball shape at the start reminds me most of ganoderma australe. The brown velvety top may be the spores. Ganoderma applanatum is the artists conk and has a pretty sharp edge to the creamy bottom. Here is a bit of art work off the net:-

http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/images/ganodart.jpg

[weekender]

I think a photo is going to make the ID of the fungi a lot easier so i will try and get one today. the plot thickens ??