Trametes versicolor (Turkey Tail)
The fruit body is a polypore that grows, shelf-like, out of wood. The fruit bodies are fan-shaped to semi-circular, may extend to several centimetres beyond the wood surface but are generally no more than 5 millimetres thick at the edge attached to the wood. The upper surface is concentrically banded and some bands may be finely hairy (velvety to the touch), others smooth. The colours may be shades of brown, yellow, orange or greyish blue (rarely a more pronounced blue) with the outer edge usually whitish. The creamy underside is covered with pores, about 4-5 per millimetre, and you may need to use a handlens to see them for sure.
Sometimes you see a greenish colour in the cap – algae. The hairy zones can trap algal spores and since the hairy areas can hold moisture they provide an algally-friendly microhabitat.
This is a cosmopolitan species, found growing on a wide variety of live or dead wood, in a wide variety of habitats. The fruit bodies often appear in large numbers, densely packed and overlapping.
Look-alikes
Stereum fruit bodies may show similar concentric banding but they are smooth on their undersides and, ideally, use a handlens to check this!
Trametes versicolor is listed in the following regions:
Canberra & Southern Tablelands | Southern Highlands | South Coast | Greater Brisbane
Species information
- Trametes versicolor Scientific name
- Turkey Tail Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1406.03m Recorded at altitude
- Machine learning
Location information
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Maps
Alison Hone Reserve ANBG ANU Dickson Precinct Australian National University Blue Gum Point to Attunga Bay Bodalla State Forest Bournda Environment Education Centre Bournda National Park Budawang National Park Cooma North Ridge Reserve Dryandra St Woodland Eurobodalla National Park Goulburn Mulwaree Council Gulaga National Park Gungahlin Pond Hughes Grassy Woodland Isaacs Ridge Isaacs Ridge and Nearby Lake Burley Griffin West Lake Ginninderra Lower Cotter Catchment McDonald State Forest Mongarlowe River Morton National Park Moruya State Forest Mount Majura Mount Mugga Mugga Namadgi National Park Nunnock Swamp Panboola Pomaderris Nature Reserve Red Hill Nature Reserve Red Hill to Yarralumla Creek Sherwood Forest South East Forest National Park South East Forest National Park Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve Tuggeranong Hill Umbagong District Park Wanniassa Hill West Goulburn Bushland Reserve WI Private Property -
Places
Barrengarry, NSW Bodalla, NSW Charleys Forest, NSW Currowan, NSW Dalmeny, NSW Fadden, ACT Goulburn, NSW Gundary, NSW Hackett, ACT Mongarlowe, NSW Nicholls, ACT Uriarra Village, ACT
