#49 Coltricia cinnamomea

Although this terrestrial polypore is reasonably common, it's always a treat to see. It has a distinctive satin-like sheen which is caused by the pattern of shining radial surface hairs. It is delicately zoned with concentric bands of cinnamon brown with a central depression, often vase-shaped.

Concentric cinnamon to orange-brown zones
with pale wavy rim of Coltricia cinnamomea

The cap of Coltricia cinnamomea can be up to 5cm wide, but I haven't seen any that big. I've commonly seen fruit bodies up to 3cm. Fruit bodies are often joined to other fruit bodies, and can grow around and incorporating twigs and debris.

The dry, velvety, shiny cap can't be separated from the pored lower fertile surface. The pore layer is pale cinnamon-brown to yellow-brown, with 2 to 3 pores per mm. Spore print is yellow-brown.

Stem is 1-4 cm long, 1-3 mm thick, central, round to compressed, solid, finely velvety, and equal except enlarged at the base. Stems can sometimes be fuses with other stems of the same species. The whole fruit body is tough and leathery.

Coltricia cinnamomea is a wood rotting fungus and grows from decaying sub-surface wood and tree roots in forests and woodland in a variety of soil and climates. Besides Australia, this small polypore is found in North America, but I am unsure where else around the world it occurs.

A tiny new specimen of Coltricia cinnamomea.
Note the velvety twisted stem.

A shiny vase-shaped specimen growing amongst lichen.
Notice the cup fungi, Aleurina ferruginea to the left.

Pored lower surface of a fresh specimen can be whitish

. . . . .or cinnamon-brown or pinkish

. . . . .to yellowish-brown when mature.

Notice (left) two fruit bodies fused together

Multiple stems indicates multiple fruit bodies fused

My sightings of Coltricia cinnamomea

[This will be updated with new sightings]

Pilliga Forests, Northwest NSW - native woodland, semi-arid, Jul 10, Sep 10.

Werakata NP, Cessnock, NSW - native woodland, Jul 07, Aug 10.

Hunter Region Botanic Gardens, Heatherbrae, NSW - Jul 10.

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Medicinal properties: Research has been conducted on mycelial culture of Coltricia cinnamomea with results showing promise of reducing some tumors.

Coltricia cinnamomea is inedible, but can easily be dried for ornamental purposes.