Untitled

Required Wood Decay Fungi; species with a smooth hymenophore (Stereum, Chondrostereum, Hymenochaete)

with the exception of Stereum sanguinolentum which is found on dead conifers and which is not illustrated, the species illustrated below cause a white spongy rot of hardwoods. All of the species are typically effuso-reflexed and can be resupinate if found on the underside of logs.

list of genera of wood decay fungi

Stereum sanguinolentum is restricted to down and dead confier wood and is identified by its reddish staining reaction.

Stereum gausapatum is typically abundant on oaks and has a dark-brown hymenophore and a brownish or orangish-brown, somewhat hairy pileus surface; it can stain red.

Stereum ochraceo-flavum can be identified by its hairy, white to light grey pileus. The two illustrations above belong to this complex.

The species to the right belongs to the Stereum hirsutum species complex. It is characterized by a hairy, orange-brown pileus and an orange, smooth hymenophore. Three species belong to this complex and intergrade: Stereum complicatum (illustrated) has an almost smooth pileus and a thin sporocarp; Stereum tomentosum has a densely hairy pileus and a thick sporocarp; Stereum hirsutum has a moderately hairy and a thin sporocarp.

Chondrostereum purpureum; forms abundan, pileate and sessile to somewhat effuso-reflexed sporocarps on live or recently dead hardwood trees and branches. This species is characterized by the zoned, dark grey, somewhat hairy pileus and the purplish to dark purple, smooth hymenophore. This species causes a white spongy rot. Hymenochaete tabacina forms effuso-reflexed sporocarps on dead branches of hardwoods. This species is characterized by the brownish, zoned pilues and the smooth brown, smooth hymenophore in which setae are found. The setae appear as bristles under a hand lens. It causes a white spongy rot.


Stereum ochraceo-flavum can be identified by its hairy, white to light grey pileus. The two illustrations above belong to this complex.
The species to the right belongs to the Stereum hirsutum species complex. It is characterized by a hairy, orange-brown pileus and an orange, smooth hymenophore. Three species belong to this complex and intergrade: Stereum complicatum (illustrated) has an almost smooth pileus and a thin sporocarp; Stereum tomentosum has a densely hairy pileus and a thick sporocarp; Stereum hirsutum has a moderately hairy and a thin sporocarp.


Chondrostereum purpureum; forms abundan, pileate and sessile to somewhat effuso-reflexed sporocarps on live or recently dead hardwood trees and branches. This species is characterized by the zoned, dark grey, somewhat hairy pileus and the purplish to dark purple, smooth hymenophore. This species causes a white spongy rot.	Hymenochaete tabacina forms effuso-reflexed sporocarps on dead branches of hardwoods. This species is characterized by the brownish, zoned pilues and the smooth brown, smooth hymenophore in which setae are found. The setae appear as bristles under a hand lens. It causes a white spongy rot.