artist's bracket

Also known as Artist's Conk, Bear's Bread, Flattish Tinder Fungus

Artist's brackets grow as woody, shelf-like structures on dead or dying hardwood trees, forming semi-circular brackets that can persist for decades. The upper surface is a dull, grayish-brown crust often dusted with cocoa-colored spores, while the fresh white underside stains permanently brown when bruised or scratched. This unique staining property allows woodland artists to etch intricate, permanent designs directly onto the pore surface.