Oxfordshire Woodland Group

It's that time of year when toadstools and mushrooms abound and this year they are prolific as a result of the very wet autumn.

These fungi are emerging in multitude from a beech tree stump.. What kind of fungi is it ?

Oak Bracket or Weeping Polypore (Pseudoinonotus dryadeus) fungus found on the side of a 200+ year old oak tree was seen mid August 2026 following the very hot dry summer. This has not been seen before on this tree. It is very solid with brown droplets on the surface.

See :- https://fungiatlas.com/pseudoinonotus-dryadeus/ for further details and extract below :-

Oak Bracket or Weeping Polypore (Pseudoinonotus dryadeus) is a massive, awe-inspiring bracket fungus that primarily colonizes the roots and lower trunks of ancient oak trees. For a brief window during its rapid summer growth phase, it puts on a spectacular display, actively “weeping” large droplets of golden, amber-colored liquid from its velvety margins. While this beautiful fungus is a visual treat for nature lovers, it is a dreaded sight for arborists and foresters. As a highly destructive parasite, it causes severe white rot in the structural roots of the host tree. Because the decay happens underground and at the very base of the trunk, an infected oak may appear perfectly healthy in its leafy canopy until a strong storm suddenly topples the severely weakened giant.

Pseudoinonotus dryadeus is a formidable parasite that transitions into a saprotroph once its host perishes. It aggressively attacks living broad-leaved trees, demonstrating a massive ecological preference for oak. It establishes itself in the root system and the “butt” (the very base of the trunk), causing a fast-acting white rot that dissolves the structural lignin of the wood. It is occasionally, though rarely, documented on chestnut, beech, elm, maple, and alder. It typically fruits from late summer into the autumn months, though its growth is frequently cut short by opportunistic fungus-eating insects that devour the soft, young flesh in July and August.