Phellinus gilvus

Scientific name:   Phellinus gilvus (Schw.) Pat.
Derivation of name:  Phellinus means "made of cork" or
"corky"; gilvus means "pale yellow."
Synonymy:   Polyporus gilvus (Schw.) Fr.
Common names:   Mustard yellow polypore.
Phylum:   Basidiomycota
Order:   Hymenochaetales
Family:   Hymenochaetaceae
Occurrence on wood substrate:  Saprobic; solitary or in
overlapping clusters or rows on dead deciduous wood;
sometimes on conifer wood; year-round.  
Dimensions: Caps up to 15 cm wide and 2.5 cm thick.    
Upper surface: Ochre to bright rust yellow or reddish brown
at first, darker (blackish) with age; margin often yellowish;
velvety and rough at first, becoming smoother in age; zonate
or not.
Pore surface: Grayish-brown to reddish or purplish-brown;
pores 6-8 per mm.
Edibility: Inedible.
Comments: Phellinus gilvus is often an annual species but
may survive for several years under good conditions.


Figure 1. Brownish cap and yellow margin of this specimen
of Phellinus gilvus. Photo © Larry Grand.

Figure 2. The cap coloration is more uniform on these older
specimens. The dark pore surface of the specimen on the
right is typical of the species. Photo © Gary Emberger.