Coral-Pink Merulius, Phlebia incarnata
(Formerly called Merulius incarnatus)
Meruliaceae or Merulius Family
 |
Shelf-like fungus, 1 to 3 inches across, growing in clusters on logs and stumps of hardwood trees. Hot coral pink, often with a white edge, when young, fading to a dirty pinkish. Underside white, with bumps and lumps that mature into irregular gill-like or sometimes pore-like folds which produce the spores. Fruits late spring into winter.
Most common in the Mississippi watershed, but occurring eastward and into Texas and Mexico. Has been reported from the floodplain of Connelly's Run just north of the South Bridge, where there is a lot of downed wood . |
 |
 |
The pink color and irregular folds instead of gills or pores make this an easy fungus to identify. Considered a polypore despite the lack of neat pores. Its closest Wildwood relatives, Wrinkled crust (P. radiata) and Red and Yellow Crust (P. coccineofulva) are quite different and crust-like. |
 |