Dryad’s Saddle

(Cerioporus squamosus)

Conservation Status
Dryad’s Saddle
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

not listed

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

Dryad’s Saddle is a common, easily recognized, wood decaying, bracket fungus. It fruits mostly in the spring but occasionally also in the summer or fall. It is found usually in overlapping clusters of 2 or 3, sometimes singly. It is both saprobic, occurring on logs and stumps of dead hardwood trees, and parasitic, occurring on the lower trunk of living hardwood trees, especially elms.

The fruiting body is a large, stalked bracket. The bracket is circular to fan-shaped or kidney-shaped, 2¼ to 12 in diameter, and up to 1½ thick. The upper surface is light yellowish-brown with flat, brown or dark brown scales. The scales have a feathery appearance, which accounts for the common names Hawk’s Wing and Pheasant’s Back.

The underside is whitish. The pores are small at first, becoming very large, up to in the largest dimension.

The stalk (stipe) is short, thick, tough, and often off-center. It is 1¼ to 4 long and ¾ to 2¼ in diameter. As it ages the base of the stipe becomes velvety black.

The flesh is white.

The spores are whitish to cream-colored.

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat and Hosts
 
 

Hardwood and mixed forests. Dead and living hardwoods, especially elm.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Season

 
 

Spring

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

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

 
  5/17/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
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 Polyporaceae (bracket fungi)  
  Genus Cerioporus  
       
 

Unitl recently, Dryad’s Saddle was known by the name Polyporus squamosus. In 2017, based on phylogenetic analysis, this and several other species were transferred to the newly resurrected genus Cerioporus.

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
  Polyporus squamosus  
       
 

Common Names

 
 

Dryad’s Saddle

Hawk’s Wing

Pheasant’s Back

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Saprobic

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

 

Stipe

A supporting stalk-like structure lacking vascular tissue: in fungi, the stalk supporting the mushroom cap; in ferns, the stalk connecting the blade to the rhizome; in flowering plants, the stalk connecting the flower’s ovary to the receptacle; in orchids; the band connecting the pollina with the viscidium.

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Margot Avey

 
    Dryad’s Saddle      
           
 

I took these photos this morning at Westwood Nature Center, St Louis Park MN. It is a fabulous place to walk and enjoy nature up close!

  Dryad’s Saddle  
           
        Dryad’s Saddle  
           
    Dryad’s Saddle      
 

Cary Schmies

 
 

looks like bird feathers

 
    Dryad’s Saddle      
 

Alfredo Colon

 
    Dryad’s Saddle      
 

James

 
    Dryad’s Saddle      
 

L. Bessel

 
    Dryad’s Saddle   Dryad’s Saddle  
 

Steve B

 
    Dryad’s Saddle   Dryad’s Saddle  
 

Kirk Nelson

 
    Dryad’s Saddle   Dryad’s Saddle  
           
    Dryad’s Saddle      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
    Dryad’s Saddle   Dryad’s Saddle  
           
    Dryad’s Saddle   Dryad’s Saddle  
           
    Dryad’s Saddle      

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Dryad Saddle
Andree Reno Sanborn
 
  Dryad Saddle  
 
About

Cerioporus squamosus

 
  Cerioporus squamosus
Thierry SaintEtienne
 
   
 
About

Published on May 29, 2013

Un champignon trouvé sur une souche dans le jardin.

J'ai créé cette vidéo à l'aide de l'outil de création de diaporamas YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/upload).

 

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Dryad Saddle Mushroom
MiWilderness
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on May 15, 2011

Cerioporus squamosus is a spring time wild edible mushroom that is found in the same habitat and at the same time of year as morel mushrooms here in Southern Michigan.

   
  Super Huge Fungus - Dryad’s Saddle (Cerioporus squamosus) on a tree
Pondguru
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Jul 14, 2011

Awesome example of large tree fungus on a sycamore tree.

Name is Dryad’s Saddle (Cerioporus squamosus) and it is edible when younger.

Thanks to 'grifola' for that information.

   
  Pheasantback Mushroom (Cerioporus squamosus)
karenchakey
 
   
 
About

Published on May 20, 2013

I found mushrooms today, I was pretty sure they were Pheasantback or Dryad’s saddle but wasn't 100% sure till I put this video up so I didn't bring them home, my research says you should always pick them small, large ones are rubbery! and they have a faint smell of watermellon.

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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  Darlene Thomas
7/23/2023

Location: Lake Plantagenet, Bemidji, MN

 
  Margot Avey
8/27/2022

Location: Westwood Nature Center, St Louis Park MN

Dryad’s Saddle  
  Margot Avey
7/18/2022

Location: Westwood Nature Center, St Louis Park MN

Dryad’s Saddle  
  Cary Schmies
6/17/2022

Location: St. Louis County

looks like bird feathers

Dryad’s Saddle  
  Margot Avey
5/17/2022

Location: St. Louis Park, MN

Dryad’s Saddle  
  Apricity Apricity
Fall 2021

Location: Martin County, Fairmont, MN

 
  Alfredo Colon
8/4/2019

Location: Woodbury, MN

Dryad’s Saddle  
  Brian
8/2/2018

Location: Theodore Wirth Park, Minneapolis, MN

Huge white Dryad’s Saddles 40 cm+  growing on old downed elm tree

 
  James
5/18/2018

Location: MN

Dryad’s Saddle  
  L. Bessel
8/28/2017

Location: Sibley County

Dryad’s Saddle  
  Steve B
5/22/2017

Location: Plymouth/Hennepin

Dryad’s Saddle  
  Kirk Nelson
5/15/2016

Location: Lebanon Hills Regional Park

Dryad’s Saddle  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

Binoculars


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