Bjerkandera fumosa

Scientific name:   Bjerkandera fumosa (Pers.) P. Karst.
Derivation of name:   Bjerkandera honors C. Bjerkander;
fumosa means "smoky" in reference to the pore surface.
Synonymy:   Polyporus fumosus Per.:Fr.
Common names:  
Phylum:   Basidiomycota
Order:   Polyporales
Family:   Meruliaceae
Occurrence on wood substrate:  Saprobic; solitary or in
overlapping clusters on dead deciduous wood; July through
November, year-round.  
Dimensions:  Caps 3-15 cm wide; 2-10 cm long; 0.5-2 cm thick.  
Upper surface:  Whitish to tan; finely hairy or not.        
Pore surface: Buff to smoky-gray, bruising darker; pores 2-5 per
mm.
Edibility: Inedible.
Comments: Compare to Bjerkandera adusta. Bjerkandera
fumosa is thicker and generally has a lighter pore surface.  Overholts
reports Bjerkandera fumosa has an anise scent or a disagreeable
odor.

Figure 1. Bjerkandera fumosa, similar to but not as
frequently encountered as Bjerkandera adusta.
Photo © Tom Volk.