Southern Bracket - Ganoderma australe

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 ovoid, twin-walled, truncate at the apex, 8-13 x 5.5-9µm. . 

Artist’s Fungus Ganoderma applanatum is very similar though less common, and the two are impossible to identify with certainty without microscopic examination of spores.  Ganoderma applanatum can develop galls caused by the Yellow flat-footed fly - Agathomyia wankowiczii, but these do not occur on Southern Bracket

microscopy

Photograph upper and lower fertile surface to show pores; note host plant and substrate. Identification by an expert from microscopic examination of a specimen is needed before submission to NatureSpot. 

On trunks of living deciduous trees, often Lime, Beech, Oak or Horse Chestnut

Very common and widespread in Britain

Fairly common in Leicestershire and Rutland.