Ganoderma

Two very similar species,Ganoderma australe (Southern Bracket) and Ganoderma applanatum (Artist's Bracket), cannot be separated in the field - unless you find the galls of the flat-footed fly, Agathomyia wankowiczii.  These are small bobbly outgrowths underneath the brackets, and they are only found on Artist's Bracket, never on Southern. 

A hard, woody semi-circular bracket fungus, usualy on the trunks of Beech, but sometimes conifers or other decuiduous species.  Older specimens have a knobbly upper surface with concentric ridges.  The underneath is white or cream with very fine pores, making a smooth surface which can be scratched to create drawings or writings.  Spores are brown and abundant, sometimes covering the area below the bracket in fine brown dust.

Unless you have examined and measured the spores, or found the galls underneath the bracket, you should record Artist's and Southern brackets as this genus.

Tree trunks, usually Beech

common