Polyporus alveolaris

Common Names: Hexagonal-pored polypore
Category: Fungi
Sub-category: Polypores

It causes a white rot of dead hardwoods. Its distinguishing features are its yellowish to orange scaly cap, and the hexagonal or diamond-shaped pores. The fruit bodies are 1 to 10 cm in diameter, rounded to kidney- or fan-shaped. Fruit bodies sometimes have stems, but they are also found attached directly to the growing surface. The cap surface is dry, covered with silk-like fibrils, and is an orange-yellow or reddish-orange color, which weathers to cream to white. The context is thin (2 mm), tough, and white. Tubes are radially elongates, with the pore walls breaking down in age. The pores are large, as compared to other species in this genus, typically 0.5 to 3 mm wide, angular (diamond-shaped) or hexagonal; the pore surface is a white to buff color. The stipe, if present, is 0.5 to 2 cm long by 1.5 to 5 mm thick, placed either laterally or centrally, and has a white to tan color. The pores extend decurrently on the stipe. The spore print is white.

Found growing singly or grouped together on branches and twigs of hardwoods, commonly on shagbark hickory in the spring and early summer.

Edible Notes: Opinions are divided on the edibility of this species. One source describes it as inedible, while others say it is edible, but tough. National Audubon Society field guild simply says 'edible'.
Warnings: Not known to be dangerous.