Artist's Fungus - Ganoderma applanatum

A large brown perennial bracket fungus 15 to 50 cm across and 5 to 10 cm thick, the fruiting body has an off-white margin and a brown top with short thick stem and brownish coloured spores. White underside with fine pores leaves brown marks when scratched. Spores ellipsoidal to ovoid, truncate at one end, smooth, 6.5-8.5 x 4.5-6μm.  Ganoderma applanatum can develop galls caused by the Yellow flat-footed fly - Agathomyia wankowiczii, so if galls are present the species can be confirmed.  

Southern Bracket - Ganoderma australe is similar and more common, but is never galled by the Yellow Flat-footed Fly. These two species are impossible to identify with certainty without microscopic examination of spores.

galls/microscopy

Photograph upper and lower fertile surface to show pores and galls; note host plant and substrate.  If galls are not present, identification by an expert from microscopic examination of a specimen is needed before submission to NatureSpot. 

Deciduous wood