Earthfan - Thelephora terrestris

Description

The Earthfan grows in rosette-like clusters on soil, sometimes growing up grasses and ferns etc., to form a series of overlapping or imbricate shelf-like growths.  The fans are brown with a paler edge when they are growing, covered in radial fibres; the underside is grey-brown with scattered warts.   The spores are brown, angular and warty.

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

Photograph in habitat and detail of a a fan; note habitat, substrate and associated tree species.

Habitat

On poor acidic soils usually under conifers but occasionally oak or other deciduous species. 

When to see it

July to November.

VC55 Status

Status in Leicestershire and Rutland not known.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Earthfan
Species group:
fungus
Kingdom:
Fungi
Order:
Thelephorales
Family:
Thelephoraceae
Records on NatureSpot:
4
First record:
07/11/2021 (Turner, Ian)
Last record:
05/11/2025 (Bell, Melinda)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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