Habitat: Dead hardwood log in partial shade, south-metro Minnesota
Cap: Thin, leathery, with concentric velvety bands of brown, tan, blue, and cream
Underside: White with fine pores (3–8 per mm)
Flesh: Flexible when fresh, tough when dry
Spore print: White
Field Notes
These shelf-like fungi grew in layers along a fallen log near the pines, forming elegant fans of alternating color.
The key identifying trait is the pored underside—not gills, not smooth—which confirms Trametes versicolor, the true Turkeytail.
Several look-alikes exist (such as Stereum species), but they lack the pores and are smoother below.
A small mirror might help photograph the underside without disturbance—but sometimes, lifting one gently for a look feels like part of the observation.
Each bracket a thin notebook, written in wood grain and spore dust.
Observations
- Found on a decaying hardwood log in partial shade.
- Colors shifted subtly under changing humidity—deeper after rain, paler when dry.
- The white pores formed a fine, even surface across each bracket’s underside.
- The brackets’ edges curled slightly upward as they aged.
Ecological Role
Turkeytails are saprobic decomposers, recycling the lignin and cellulose of dead wood.
They’re widespread and often appear in the same spot year after year, slowly turning wood back into soil.
References
- National Audubon Society: Mushrooms of North America (April 2023)
- Personal field notes, Lakeville MN (2025)
Related Pages:
Jumping Mushrooms •
Blackening Slimespike •
Floury Amanita