The polypore fungus, Laetiporus portentosus, commonly called White Punk, forms large, thick brackets on living Eucalypts. It causes white heart-rot to the host tree. I have seen it adhered to both smooth and rough-barked Eucalypts.
The fertile under-surface is covered in very fine pores, and is pale yellow or white when fresh, aging to a dirty white. Certain insect larvae feed on the soft flesh of the White Punk fungus creating a maze of tunnels with the old fruiting body of the fungus resembling a sponge in appearance.
Dry, smouldering brackets were reportedly used by Aborigines to transport fire. Aborigines had many uses for various fungi. Spore print is white, although I have not attempted to obtain a print.
Although my images do not portray an attractive fungus, I have seen images of new Laetiporus portentosus fungi that show a smooth, quite aesthetically pleasing cluster.
White Punk riddled with tunnels and holes
A close up of the soft-textured well-eaten White Punk
As the decayed fungus fruiting body ages further, it can become quite hard and brittle
My sightings of Laetiporus portentosus
[This will be updated with more sightings]
Hunter Valley, NSW - on scattered roadside Eucalypts - May, Jun.
Grampians National Park, Vic - on scattered roadside Eucalypts - Sep.
Weetabilla, NSW - on scattered roadside Eucalypts - Jul.