Artist’s Conk

(Ganoderma applanatum)

Conservation Status
Artist’s Conk
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

not listed

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

Artist’s Conk is a common, easily recognized, perennial, wood decaying, bracket fungus. It is widespread, occuring in U.S. state and every Canadian province.

It is found singly or in small groups on most hardwood species and some conifer species. It is usually saprobic, on decaying stumps and logs, but is sometimes parasitic, near the base of injured trees.

The fruiting body is woody, usually stalkless, bracket-like, fan-shaped to slightly convex, 2 to 23½ long, and 2 to 4 thick. The upper surface is dull, unvarnished, rough, and often furrowed. It is arranged in concentric zones that range from pale gray-brown to dark brown. In the fall it is often powdery with brown spores. The lower surface is white, becoming yellowish or brownish with age. It instantly turns brown when bruised and remains brown for a long time.

The pores are circular, small, 4 to 6 per millimeter, and are difficult to see without a hand lens. The spore tubes are in layers, with a new, to ½ thick layer added each year.

The spores are brown or reddish brown.

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
  Lacquered Bracket (Ganoderma lucidum) is not a perennial. The upper surface is glossy, though it is usually covered with brown spores. It is more colorful, with blends of orange, white, and brown.  
     
 
Habitat and Hosts
 
 

Woods

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Season

 
 

Year-round

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

4, 7, 24, 26, 29, 30, 77.

 
  8/24/2023      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common and widespread

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Fungi (fungi)  
  Subkingdom Dikarya  
  Phylum Basidiomycota (club fungi)  
  Subphylum Agaricomycotina (jelly fungi, yeasts, and mushrooms)  
  Class Agaricomycetes (mushrooms, bracket fungi, puffballs, and allies)  
  Subclass Agaricomycetidae  
  Order Polyporales (shelf fungi)  
  Family Ganodermataceae  
  Genus Ganoderma (artist’s brackets, reishi, and allies)  
       
 

Genus
A recently published molecular phylogenetic analysis of the order Polyporales (Justo et al., 2017) resulted in a revised family-level classification of the order. The revised order moves Ganoderma and other genera formerly placed in the family Ganodermataceae into the family Polyporaceae. As of August 2023, the move has been accepted by IndexFungorum, NCBI, and iNaturalist, but not by GBIF, MycoBank, MycoPortal, or Mushroom Observer.

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Boletus applanatus

Fomes applanatus

Fomes vegetus

Ganoderme aplani

Ganoderma lipsiense

Polyporus applanatus

Polyporus vegetus

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

Artist’s Bracket

Artist’s Conk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Saprobic

A term often used for saprotrophic fungi. Referring to fungi that obtain their nutrients from decayed organic matter.

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Alfredo Colon

 
    Artist’s Conk   Artist’s Conk  
 

Sherry Wurtz

 
 

I found it on an old dead tree.

 
    Artist’s Conk   Artist’s Conk  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

At the base of a live tree

 
    Artist’s Conk   Artist’s Conk  
           
    Artist’s Conk      
           
 

On a decaying stump or log

 
    Artist’s Conk   Artist’s Conk  
           
    Artist’s Conk   Artist’s Conk  
           
 

Covered with brown spores

 
    Artist’s Conk   Artist’s Conk  
           
    Artist’s Conk   Artist’s Conk  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
Artist's Fungus
Andree Reno Sanborn
  Artist's Fungus  
 
About

Artist's Fungus (Ganoderma applanatum).

 

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Artist Conk
alcoopextensionvideo
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Feb 25, 2010

Dr. Scott Enebak Auburn University School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences, discusses the characteristics of common forest diseases.

   
  Fall medicinal mushroom hunting, how to find Ganoderma adspersum/Reishi cousin.
Earthwalker40 .
 
   
 
About

Published on Aug 19, 2012

http://www.youtube.com/user/Earthwalker40 then check out http://www.blogger.com/profile/16589694922742883622 I found these Ganoderma adspersum/medicinal polypore mushrooms while fall medicinal mushroom hunting in the forest , how to find Ganoderma Adspersum.

   
  Ganoderma Applanatum Shelf
Ganoderma Applanatum Shelf
 
   
 
About

Ganoderma Applanatum Shelf

In which Maximus explains the phylogeny of a Ganoderma Applanatum mushroom that he found in the woods and then made into a shelf.

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this fungus.

 
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Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
  A/C Christian Church of Minneapolis
7/22/2023

Location: Westwood Hills Nature Center

At the Westwood Hills Nature Center, we saw some life on July 22 this year.

This was all found by the A/C Christian Church of Minneapolis.

 
  Apricity Apricity
Fall 2021

Location: Martin County, Fairmont, MN

 
  Alfredo Colon
Summer 2019

Location: Maplewood Nature Center

Artist’s Conk  
  Sherry Wurtz
9/2/2017

Location: Jasper, MN (Rock County)

I found it on an old dead tree.

Artist’s Conk  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

Binoculars


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