# Gilled Polypore (*trametes betulina*)

The Gilled Polypore is a unique mushroom that looks like a colorful shelf on the side of a tree! It's a fun find for little explorers discovering the wonders of nature.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 7
- **Habitat:** Forests, often on decaying wood or tree trunks.
- **Also known as:** Wood Rot Fungus

![Gilled Polypore](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Trametes_betulina_432052351.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Matej Frančeškin, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trametes_betulina_432052351.jpg)

## Appearance

The Gilled Polypore is a fan-shaped or shelf-like fungus with a velvety or hairy cap, typically white to cream, often with concentric zones of tan or brown. Its underside features distinctive maze-like, labyrinthine pores that resemble gills, setting it apart from true gilled mushrooms.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Polyporales
- **Family:** Polyporaceae
- **Genus:** Lenzites

## Interesting facts

- Its scientific name often points to its love for birch trees!
- People once used dried Gilled Polypores as strops to sharpen razors!
- Some cultures use this fungus to make a natural, earthy dye for fabrics!
- Wow, these 'gills' aren't real gills at all, but rather elongated pores!

## Special abilities

- **The Decomposer's Touch:** Gilled Polypore can break down tough dead wood because it produces powerful enzymes that help recycle nutrients.
- **The Evergreen Bracket:** Gilled Polypore has a tough, leathery texture that helps it persist on wood year-round, even in harsh weather.
- **The Pore Maze:** Gilled Polypore has labyrinthine pores that help protect its white spores until they are ready for release.

## Measurements & details

- **Edible:** inedible
- **Size:** 2-10 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** wood
- **Season:** Year-round
- **Spore Color:** White

## Ecological connections

- **Depends on:** [Silver Birch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/silver-birch) (*Betula pendula*) — obtains nutrients from dead wood
- **Depends on:** [American Beech](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-beech) (*Fagus grandifolia*) — grows on decaying logs and stumps
- **Eats:** Horned Fungus Beetle (*Bolitotherus cornutus*) — provides food source for larvae and adults

## Traits

- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always ask an adult before touching mushrooms.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Gilled Polypore?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### Is Gilled Polypore edible?

inedible

### How big is Gilled Polypore?

2-10 cm

### Where is Gilled Polypore usually found?

Forests, often on decaying wood or tree trunks.

### What does Gilled Polypore grow on?

wood

### When is Gilled Polypore in season?

Year-round

### What color are Gilled Polypore spores?

White

## Where to spot

- [Benbow Lake State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/benbow-lake-state-recreation-area) — California, US · State Park
- [Coleman Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/coleman-station-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District
- [Columbia State Historic Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/columbia-state-historic-park) — California, US · State Park
- [Coulsontown Cottages Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/coulsontown-cottages-historic-district) — Pennsylvania, US · Historic District
- [Marshall Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/marshall-forest) — Georgia, US · Forest
- [Pickett State Rustic Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pickett-state-rustic-park-historic-district) — Tennessee, US · Historic District

[View all places to see Gilled Polypore](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/gilled-polypore)

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [Gilled Polypore: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/gilled-polypore)