Fungi · GBIF taxon 7241318
Ganoderma tsugae
ganoderma tsugaeAlso known as Hemlock Varnish Shelf, Hemlock Reishi
Hemlock varnish shelves emerge as brilliant, lacquer-red brackets on decaying eastern hemlocks and other conifers. Their shiny, varnished caps fade to a dull brown as they age and release dense clouds of rusty-brown spores. These wood-decaying fungi play a vital role in forest ecosystems by breaking down tough lignin and recycling nutrients back into the soil.
Wood-decayingConifer-associatedVarnished
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Hemlock wood
- Conifer lignin
- Cellulose
Predators
- Fungus gnat larvae
- Pleasing fungus beetles
- Slugs
ThreatsLoss of mature hemlock forests due to hemlock woolly adelgid
HabitatsConiferous and mixed forests
Life spanAnnual fruiting bodies with perennial underground mycelium
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderPolyporales
- FamilyPolyporaceae
- GenusGanoderma
- Speciesganoderma tsugae
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
- Spore printing: Place a fresh cap pore-side down on paper to collect its rusty-brown spores.
- Host tree check: Search specifically on dead or dying eastern hemlock trees and stumps.
- Texture observation: Gently touch the upper surface to feel the smooth, lacquer-like crust.
Host Tree (c) Ian Manning, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ian Manning · cc-by
Close Relative "Reishi Mushroom" by Wendell Smith is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Close Relative no rights reserved · cc0
Close Relative
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