Cerioporus squamosus

(Huds.) Quél.

Mature brackets with distinct scaling on a decaying ash log in Mote Park, Maidstone.
A young developing bracket on a fallen poplar at Hampstead Heath, London
A large cluster of brackets high up on a mature beech in Mote Park, Maidstone
An over-mature bracket that has begun to petrify on oak in Laindon, Essex
A senescent bracket that has become sodden on an ash stem in Bedford, Bedfordshire

Mature brackets with distinct scaling on a decaying ash log in Mote Park, Maidstone.
A young developing bracket on a fallen poplar at Hampstead Heath, London
A large cluster of brackets high up on a mature beech in Mote Park, Maidstone
An over-mature bracket that has begun to petrify on oak in Laindon, Essex
A senescent bracket that has become sodden on an ash stem in Bedford, Bedfordshire
A thick-stemmed developing bracket on chestnut in Billericay, UK.
Smooth- and wave-edged mature brackets on a dead chestnut in Southend, UK.
Senescent brackets on chestnut in Saffron Walden, UK.
Senescent and darkened brackets on poplar in Basildon, UK.
A wedge from a bracket showing the cheesecake-like trama.

Common name

Dryad saddle.

Often found on

Horse chestnut, poplar, sycamore.

Sometimes found on

Apple, ash, beech, lime, maple, oak, plane, willow.

Location

Stem and scaffold limbs (often on or adjacent to wounds) of living and dead standing and fallen trees – look around the base of the tree in autumn / winter for fallen fruiting bodies.

Description

Annual. Fairly tough though remaining malleable. Singularly or in clusters / tiers. Can become quite large. Emerges as an off-white mass before rapidly developing into a bracket. Sometimes, a stipe (stem) develops. Upper surface subtly scaly and is a patterned beige and dark brown. Can bleach white. Flesh off-white. Deep bracket between the flesh and pore layer – sometimes deep.Tube layer. Pore layer beige-white. Pores very large (don’t always develop). Smells of cucumber. May petrify in bracket senescence and turn charcoal black.

Confused with

Fomitopsis betulina (isolated to birch); Pleurotus dryinus (gilled); Pleurotus ostreatus (gilled and remains much smaller).

Significance

Associated with a selective white rot of the wood. Causes cavity formation. When found locally, decay is more likely restricted to this area. Multiple brackets over larger areas suggests widespread dysfunction. Associated with the decline of trees, when found in abundance. Associated with stem and limb failure – notably in species with weaker wood qualities (horse chestnut, poplar).