The Beefsteak Fungus (Fistulina americana) is a wood-decaying mushroom that grows on oak and can be found in oak woodlands during summer and fall. In Nebraska it is considered uncommon, with surveys documenting it at the Niobrara Valley Preserve in the north-central part of the state. This species was once grouped under Fistulina hepatica, but genetic research (Zhou et al., 2022) clarified that F. hepatica is limited to Europe, while North American specimens represent a distinct species.

The cap is striking, colored pinkish to deep liver-red and usually shaped like a fan or tongue, which explains its common names “Beefsteak” and “Ox Tongue.” Young specimens may be rounded or lumpy before the cap grows. The cap often attaches laterally to the side of a short stem, giving it a flattened appearance. When cut or squeezed, the flesh exudes a blood-red juice. The pore surface is whitish to pinkish and made up of separate, tube-like structures—a hallmark of this genus and a feature that sets it apart from “true” polypores. Despite its pores, Fistulina is more closely related to gilled mushrooms (agarics) than to most other polypores.