Stereum ostrea

Scientific name:  Stereum ostrea (Blume and Nees) Fries
Derivation of name:  Ostre- means "oyster" in reference to
their shape.
Synonyms: S. fasciatum; S. lobatum; S. versicolor.  
Common name(s):  False turkey tail.
Phylum:   Basidiomycota
Order:   Russulales
Family:   Stereaceae
Occurrence on wood substrate: Saprobic; clustered on
decaying logs, stumps, and branches of deciduous trees; June
through December.  
Dimensions: Petal to fan-shaped or semicircular caps are 1-
7 cm wide.  
Sterile upper surface:  Covered with silky hairs; zonate with
orange, gray, reddish-brown, and other colored zones; often
whitish at the margin.
Fertile lower surface: Smooth (small bumps may be
present), buff to cinnamon-buff to reddish-brown.     
Edibility: Inedible.
Comments:  This is our largest and most colorful Stereum
species. It is sometimes confused with turkey tail, a species of
polypore. Use a hand lens to make sure pores are absent.

More information at MushroomExpert.com:   
More information at TomVolkFungi.net:


Figure 1. False turkey tail clustered on a log.

Figure 2. Overlapping clusters of false turkey tail. Sterium
ostrea does not tend to fuse as much as some other
Stereum species.

Figure 3. Some of these false turkey tails are almost fused in
such a way as to form funnels. I have collected some
specimens that are in the form of a funnel.
Photo © William Roody.


Figure 4. The fertile, basidia-bearing lower surface is visible
on the left compared to the sterile upper surface on the right.
Note the whitish margin.