Violet-toothed Polypore

not listed

NNR - Unranked

not listed

Violet-toothed Polypore is a common and widespread bracket fungus. It occurs in Europe, western Asia, Australia, South America, and North America. It is one of the most commonly encountered fungi in eastern North America, more common than the seemingly ubiquitous Turkey Tail. It is uncommon in the west and mostly absent from the Great Plains. In Minnesota it is common in the east, uncommon in the northwest, and absent from the southwest. It is found in late spring, summer, and fall in deciduous and mixed forests and woodlands. It grows on dead and fallen sticks, branches, and logs, and on stumps. It appears alone or in overlapping clusters, sometimes in a large mass completely covering a rotting log. It obtains its nutrients from dead wood (saprobic).

The fruiting body is a ⅜″ to 3″ (1.0 to 7.5 cm) wide, up to ⅛″ (3 mm) thick, shelf-like or bracket-like cap. It is flattened, only slightly convex, and may be fan-shaped, semi-circular, kidney-shaped, or irregular in outline. When it first appears the cap is shades of violet from dark to pale. The violet color soon fades. The mature cap is velvety hairy on the upper side and concentrically zoned with white, grayish-white, and brownish-white. The margin is sometimes pale violet. Older caps may be mostly hairless.

The pore surface is pore-like at first, with 2 to 5, violet-colored pores per centimeter. As it ages it becomes tooth-like and the violet color fades to buff or brown. The violet color fades from the center outward. Mature specimens often retain some violet tints near the margin, or just a thin violet fringe. Older specimens don’t show any trace of violet.

The flesh is tough and inedible.

Deciduous and mixed forests and woodlands. Hardwoods.

Late spring, summer, and fall

Sources

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

Common in Minnesota

Location: Hennepin County

Location: Cass County