Fungus
Smoky Polypore
Bjerkandera adustaAlso known as Smoky Bracket
Smoky polypore forms dense, overlapping tiers of thin brackets across fallen logs and weakened hardwood trees. Its most striking feature is the underside, where tiny pores turn distinctly smoky gray to dark blackish-ash while retaining a pale, contrasting margin. As a primary agent of white rot, it aggressively breaks down tough lignin and cellulose, recycling essential organic matter back into woodland soil.
Bracket FungusWood-DecayingForest Decomposer
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyHardwood lignin, Hardwood cellulose, Dead birch and beech wood
Predators
- Fungus-eating beetles (Ciidae)
- Fungus gnat larvae
- Slugs
ThreatsClear-cutting and systematic removal of fallen deadwood
HabitatsDeciduous and mixed woodlands, parks, rotting logs, and dead hardwoods
Life spanAnnual (fruiting bodies last several months to one year)
Classification
- OrderPolyporales
- FamilyPhanerochaetaceae
- GenusBjerkandera
- SpeciesBjerkandera adusta
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Many edible mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Pore Inspection: Turn the shelf over to observe the characteristic charcoal-gray pore surface bordered by a clean white rim.
- Substrate Clues: Look for clusters on dead birch, beech, oak, or alder in damp, shaded forest hollows.
Competitor Jerzy Opioła / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Look-Alike (c) Christine Young, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Christine Young · cc-by
Frequent Companion no rights reserved · cc0
Close Relative (c) Django Grootmyers, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Django Grootmyers · cc-by-sa
Keep collecting in Fauna
Found in Collections
Ecosystem chain Pro
Secret Garden
Smoky Polypore is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
Unlock to track progress
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.