Violet-toothed Polypore

(Trichaptum biforme)

A delicate bracket fungus that decorates dead hardwood with layered fans edged in violet. Its color fades with age, but when fresh, the purple margins make it one of the most recognizable wood decomposers in North American forests.

Violet-toothed Polypore
Fresh violet edges on a cut oak log, fading to silver with age.
Thin, layered brackets with distinct purple margins decorate the end grain of an oak trunk, capturing the soft light of the forest understory. • Size: 6000×4000

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Settings: ISO 4000 • Aperture f/13.0 • Shutter 1/50 s

Identification

• Genus: Trichaptum
• Common name: Violet-toothed Polypore
• Color: Pale tan to gray with vivid violet edges (fresh); fades to brown with age
• Underside: Whitish to lavender with tiny irregular pores that resemble teeth
• Texture: Thin, papery, and slightly tough
• Growth form: Overlapping, semicircular brackets on dead hardwood
• Spore print: White

Habitat

• Substrate: Dead hardwood logs and stumps, especially oak, maple, and birch
• Environment: Moist forest interiors and shaded woodlots
• Season: Year-round, most vibrant in spring and fall

Notes

This species is a common and harmless saprobe, meaning it feeds on decaying wood rather than living trees. The violet tones fade over time, leaving a silvery-gray pattern that can persist through winter. Its role in breaking down lignin and cellulose helps return nutrients to the soil, making it a quiet but essential part of forest ecology.

Soft violet shelves that fade with time, tracing the quiet decay of fallen wood.