Pseudoinonotus dryadeus

(Pers.) T. Wagner & M. Fisch.

A maturing bracket emerging from between stem buttresses on English oak in Reigate, Surrey.
Young bracket guttating at the base of a mature English oak by Gusted Hall Wood, Essex
An over-mature bracket at the base of an English oak at Wrest Park, Bedfordshire
A tier of senescent blackened brackets on English oak in the county of Cornwall
Remnants of old fruiting bodies between buttresses on a mature English oak in Mote Park, Maidstone

A maturing bracket emerging from between stem buttresses on English oak in Reigate, Surrey.
Young bracket guttating at the base of a mature English oak by Gusted Hall Wood, Essex
An over-mature bracket at the base of an English oak at Wrest Park, Bedfordshire
A tier of senescent blackened brackets on English oak in the county of Cornwall
Remnants of old fruiting bodies between buttresses on a mature English oak in Mote Park, Maidstone
Mature matted bracket at the base of oak in Chelmsford, UK.
Developing bracket at the base of oak in Harlow, UK.
Developing and guttating bracket on oak in Winchester, UK.
A tier of mature brackets on oak in Reigate, UK.
A senescent and partially-remaining bracket on oak in Maidstone, UK.

Common name

Eiffel Tower bracket

Often found on

Oak – namely Quercus robur.

Sometimes found on

Other oak species, sweet chestnut.

Location

Generally isolated to the stem base – in between buttresses / stem flutes. Rarely observed up the stem, to heights of 3-4m, for very large trees. Restricted generally to mature trees.

Description

Annual. Found growing most often singularly – rarely in tiers. A tan brown upper surface from inception clad with water droplets (see photo a,b). Pore surface white. Flesh and tube layer chocolate-coffee brown. Very tough and woody. Can become very large, in some cases. Blackens-off in autumn and often remains attached to host either wholly or partly.

Confused with

Ganoderma australe, Inonotus cuticularis, Inonotus hispidus (generally when the bracket has aged and blackened-off).

Significance

Associated with a selective white rot and linked to extensive buttressing in mature oaks (‘bottle butt’). Decay considered to be very slow though hollowing does ensue. Host trees can thus persist with this fungus by developing sound buttresses. Failure rarely observed on Quercus robur. Where no buttressing exists on the host tree, failure should be more of a concern. Investigations into stem hollowness / tree stability may need to be considered.