the velvety banded bracket of NZ fallen logs

Size
Width: 3–7 cm
Lifespan
1 years
Diet
Saprotrophic: feeds on dead wood of native and introduced trees. Grows on fallen logs, branches and stumps, particularly on broadleaf trees.
Habitat
Grows on dead wood in forests and gardens. Forms thin leathery brackets in overlapping clusters. Upper surface is velvety and distinctly zoned with concentric rings of colour. Underside has tiny pores.
Range
Throughout North and South Islands on dead wood in native forests, exotic plantations and gardens. Most common in lowland forests. Found worldwide.
Endemism
Native
Main Threats
None significant. Localised threats include removal of dead wood from forest floors and gardens. Classified as Not Threatened with healthy populations.
Population
A common bracket fungus on dead wood in overlapping clusters. Thin leathery brackets are velvety on top and zoned with concentric rings of colour. Very similar to Turkey Tail. Used in traditional medicine.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Turkey Tail gets all the attention. The Velvet Bracket is its softer cousin. It is defined by a velvety texture that begs to be touched. This is not a fungus for the eyes alone. It demands contact. The fruiting body is a thin, leathery bracket. It spans three to seven centimetres across. These brackets grow in overlapping clusters on dead wood. The upper surface is velvety. It is soft to the touch. It is distinctly zoned with concentric rings. The colours range from brown and grey to white, blue, and green. It looks like Turkey Tail. But it feels different. Softer. More like felt than leather. The underside is white to pale cream. It is covered in tiny pores. The flesh is tough and leathery. The fruiting body can persist for months. It outlasts the seasons. It remains long after the rain has stopped. It stays through the dry spells. It is a constant presence on the rotting log. Biologically, the Velvet Bracket is a saprotroph. It feeds on dead wood. It is a decomposer. It turns fallen logs and branches into soil. It is one of the most common bracket fungi in the world. It is found on every continent. It is a global citizen. It is soft but persistent. It does not discriminate between native and introduced trees. It takes what is available. It works in the damp shadows. The Velvet Bracket is not edible. It is too tough. It is too leathery. No one would want to chew it. But it is medicinal. It is used in traditional medicine in Asia. It serves as an immune booster. It functions just like Turkey Tail. It is a fungus that heals, even if it cannot be eaten. The properties are valued. The texture is not. To find a Velvet Bracket is to find a fungus that appeals to the sense of touch as well as the sense of sight. It is a reminder. The forest is full of textures, not just colours. Sometimes the softest things are the toughest. The appearance deceives. The feel reveals the truth. Run a finger across the surface. Feel the velvet. Feel the zones. Then walk away. The fungus does not need anything else. It does not seek approval. It does not require admiration. It simply exists on the decaying timber. It breaks down the lignin. It releases the nutrients. It carries on. It just sits there, soft and tough, rotting the wood, healing the sick. No one told it to do either.