Bracket fungus facts for kids

Trametes versicolor, a colorful bracket fungus on a South Carolina stump

A bracket fungus (Pycnoporus sp.) with a tough, woody cap

Bracket fungi, also known as shelf fungi, are a special group of fungi. They belong to a large family of fungi called Basidiomycota.

These fungi grow in a unique way. They create shelf-like or bracket-shaped parts called conks. These conks are the fruiting bodies of the fungus. You often see them growing in rows on trees or wood.

Bracket fungi can be small, with just a few caps. Or they can be very large, with many rows of caps that weigh a lot! You will mostly find them on trees, both living and dead. They also grow on other woody debris.

Some bracket fungi grow new conks every year. Others are perennial, meaning they live for many years and get bigger over time. Bracket fungi are usually quite tough and strong. They release tiny spores, called basidiospores, from small holes on their underside. These spores help the fungi spread and grow new colonies.

See also

In Spanish: Polypore para niños

Images for kids

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  A bright yellow bracket fungus

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  Polypores (Ganoderma sp.) growing on a tree in Borneo

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  The blushing bracket showing its red bruising, a way to identify it

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  Laetiporus sulphureus, also known as Chicken of the Woods

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  Irpex lacteus with unusual, irregular pores

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  Elmerina holophaea, a type of polypore that has gills