Daedaleopsis confragosa

(Bolton) J. Schröt.

A fair of mature brackets on a fallen birch in Hockley Woods, Essex.
New incremental growth being laid down on the upper surface this bracket on birch in Hockley Woods, Essex
Dramatically-blushed brackets on a goat willow stool along the River Great Ouse, Bedfordshire
Abundant fruiting on a fallen alder stem in Norsey Woods, Essex
The pore surface that blushes when touched on crack willow in Wickford, Essex

A fair of mature brackets on a fallen birch in Hockley Woods, Essex.
New incremental growth being laid down on the upper surface this bracket on birch in Hockley Woods, Essex
Dramatically-blushed brackets on a goat willow stool along the River Great Ouse, Bedfordshire
Abundant fruiting on a fallen alder stem in Norsey Woods, Essex
The pore surface that blushes when touched on crack willow in Wickford, Essex
A tiered series of brackets on weeping willow at Wrest Park, UK.
Bleached brackets on goat willow in Bedford, UK.
Developing brackets on a fallen birch stem in Hockley, UK.
Very blushed senescent brackets on a fallen birch log in Richford, UK.
A cross section of a mature bracket showing the deep tube layer similar to Daedalea quercina.

Common name

Blushing bracket.

Often found on

Alder, birch, cherry, willow.

Sometimes found on

Oak, sweet chestnut, and other broadleaved species.

Location

Found on the main scaffold structure of the tree – persists on dead tree parts both standing and fallen.

Description

Perennial. Tough and woody. Occurs singularly / in groups. Can become fair-sized. Begins as a white mass before developing into a bracket – sometimes uneven. Upper surface a beige-brown, concentrically-zoned and bruises a deep red – sometimes significantly. Rimmed white. Pore surface white and elongated / maze-like. Flesh beige. Deep tube layer. Blushes to the touch. Fruit bodies become a dark grey-brown to a tinged charcoal black when senescent.

Confused with

Daedalea quercina (only on oak – doesn’t blush); Fomitopsis betulina (Annual and rubbery – doesn’t blush); Trametes gibbosa (greenish upper surface – doesn’t blush).

Significance

Attributed to a selective white rot of the wood. No research has been undertaken on the pathogenicity of this fungus. Often localised to deadwood and pruning wounds on living trees. Stem colonisation on living trees indicates local dysfunction of the cambium.