Stereum gausapatum

(Fr.) Fr.

Fruiting bodies showing the reddish cut surface on English oak in Hockley Woods, Essex.
Abundant bracket-like formations on English oak along the River Great Ouse, Bedfordshire
Less distinct bracket-like formations on English oak in Bedford, Bedfordshire
Developing fruiting bodies on English oak in Pishiobury Park, Hertfordshire
Red water exudations in humid conditions on English oak in Hockley Woods, Essex

Fruiting bodies showing the reddish cut surface on English oak in Hockley Woods, Essex.
Abundant bracket-like formations on English oak along the River Great Ouse, Bedfordshire
Less distinct bracket-like formations on English oak in Bedford, Bedfordshire
Developing fruiting bodies on English oak in Pishiobury Park, Hertfordshire
Red water exudations in humid conditions on English oak in Hockley Woods, Essex
Red bruising when the fruit bosy is damaged with a blade.
Abundant fruit bodies on an oak stem in Bedford, UK.
Close-up of fruit bodies on oak in Bedford, UK.
Bracket-shaped fruit bodies on oak in Bedford, UK.
Covering a length of oak branch in Sawbridgeworth, UK.

Common name

Oak curtain crust

Often found on

English oak.

Sometimes found on

Other oak species.

Location

Found on dead and dysfunctional areas of standing trees and on fallen tree parts.

Description

Annual. Resupinate or bracket -like. Individually very thin. Resupinate form rimmed white with a yellow-orange centre that sometimes exudes red liquid. When damaged with a blade the fungus bruises red over the blade’s track. Brackets form a downy upper surface that is banded with ochreous browns and golds. Often overlapping and abundant.

Confused with

Stereum hirsutum (does not damage red); Stereum rugosum (wider host range); Stereum subtomentosum (rim underside damages yellow).

Significance

Attributed to a selective white rot of the wood. Considered saprotrophic though may facilitate in the death of shaded-out branches with low vitality. Indicative of dead and dysfunctional areas, therefore. Deadwood within crowns of oaks colonised by this fungus with targets beneath should be removed. Indicative of (sometimes localised) dysfunction when found on standing stems.