Polyporus squamosus (Huds. : Fr.) Fr. 1821

Dryad’s saddle, pheasant’s back mushroom

Dryad’s saddle is native to Australia, Eurasia, and North America. Who or what is a Dryad? Turns out a dryad (Greek: Δρυάς) is an oak tree nymph or spirit in Greek mythology. This mushroom might have made a comfy saddle for such a being.

Identification: This is both saprobic, growing on dead stumps and logs; and parasitic, growing on living trees. Fruits are relatively large 1¾–12″ across ⨉ ⅜–1½″ thick (5–30 ⨉ 1–4 cm) and kidney- or fan-shaped, and depressed in the center, like a saddle. They have cream to tan coloration, flattened scales (squamules) on the cap, white flesh, and, on mature specimens, a black and velvety stem base. Tubular undersides are ⅜″ (1 cm) deep. Stems are ⅜–1¾ ⨉ ⅜–1½″ (1–5 ⨉ 1–4 cm). It has a mealy odor some liken to watermelon rind. Spores are oblong-ellipsoidal in shape, smooth, and measure approximately 10-15 x 4-5.5µm. They produce a white spore print.

Habitats: Hardwood stumps, logs, and living trees, on many species of trees, especially silver maple and box elder in eastern North America, and quaking aspen in western North America.

Edibility: Edible when young, but not everybody likes them and they cause digestive upset for some.

Online References:

References:

Polyporus squamosus description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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