Oak Curtain Crust Fungus
Hymenochaete rubiginosa
Life > Fungi > Basidiomycota > Agaricomycotina > Agaricomycetes > Hymenochaetales > Hymenochaetaceae > Hymenochaete
Description
The Oak Curtain Crust Fungus (Hymenochaete rubiginosa) is a common woodland crust fungi that can be found year-round on Oak. The fruiting body can grow as a crust or a shelf depending on what angle it is growing from its substrate.
The shelving caps feature concentric zones of color transitioning from black to brown from the cap attachment to margin. Sometimes the caps appear entirely black.
The hymenophore consists of microscopic pores too small to notice without a hand lens. The surface is rusty colored or tan, is bumpy, and can sometimes present a shiny iridescence.
A quick field test with dilute KOH or ammonia will turn it black on all surfaces.
Observations
August 17th, 2023 Indian Cave State Park

#331
- Growing on barkless portions on fallen hardwood log in low moist, well-shaded riparian woodland area.
- Cap shelf-like and resupinate, black with brown concentric zonation with a wavy margin.
- Hymenium brown and lumpy.
- Additional Info
- KOH on pileipellis and hymenium jet black.
- Ammonia on pileipellis and hymenium black.
GTCGTAACAAGGTTTCCGTAGGTGAACCTGCGGAAGGATCATTACTGAGGTTTAACCGGGGGTGAGCTCGCTGCTGGCGCATTCTCTTTTGAGCGCGCATGTGCACAGTTCATCTTCGTTTCCTTCCTTATCAACCCCTGTGCACTATATTAGGATTAGAGAGAAGCGCGTCGCTCAGGGATTAACGTACTAGCTGTGGGTCCCACTCGCGGCAAAAGGTTGATCTGTTATCGGCGGCGTGTGGTACCTCAAAGTCCTTGTTTATCATAAACCACTATACATGTCTTGTCAGAATGTTCAGTCCCTCGTTGGACTCTAAATATAATACAACTTTCAACAACGGATCTCTTGGCTCTCGCATCGATGAAGAACGCAGCGAAATGCGATAAGTAATGTGAATTGCAGAATTCAGTGAATCATCGAATCTTTGAACGCACCTTGCGCCCTTTGGTATTCCGAAGGGCACGCCTGTTTGAGTGTCATGTTCATCTCAATCCATCAAGCTTGGCCTTGGGTTGGATTTGGGAGCCTGCTGGCCCCTTTTGCTGGGGTCGGCTCTCCTTGAATGCATGAGTGAGCATCTGACTCGCGTTGCTGGTGTGATAAAGTTTCATCATTGGCGATGCTTGTCTAATGGGCTTGCTTTCGAACCGTCTTCTCAACGGAGACAACCTTTGACATATTTGACCTCAAATCAGGTGGGACTACCCGCTGAACTT
May 16th, 2023 Indian Cave State Park

42
Growing partially resupinate on large hardwood log (presumably Northern Red Oak) in low mixed oak/hickory woodland.
- KOH instantly jet black on hymenium and upper cap surfaces.