Inonotus andersonii is a species of bracket fungus that grows on trees, typically oak. It produces annual to biennial growths, with semicircular to irregular brackets that are 5-20 cm wide and 1-6 cm thick. The upper surface is grayish-brown to reddish-brown, while the lower surface is yellowish-brown to golden. In East and Central Texas, Inonotus andersonii has been found on a variety of oak species, including live oak, overcup oak, and white oak. It is commonly associated with trees in shaded, humid areas, such as along streams and rivers. The fungus is known to cause heart rot in its host trees, but can also be found growing on dead or dying wood.
Bright golden yellow spore deposits of a fungus Xanthoporia andersonii (Inonotus andersonii) on outer layer of a fallen oak on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, February 1, 2020
Bright golden yellow spore deposits of a fungus Xanthoporia andersonii (Inonotus andersonii) on outer layer of wood of a fallen oak on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, February 1, 2020
Outer layer of wood detached from a fallen oak with bright golden yellow spore deposits of a fungus Xanthoporia andersonii (Inonotus andersonii) on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, February 1, 2020
Pattern of yellow spore deposits of a fungus Xanthoporia andersonii (Inonotus andersonii) on outer layer of wood detached from a fallen oak with on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, February 1, 2020
Brown polypore fungus Xanthoporia andersonii (Inonotus andersonii) with yellow spore deposits on a wood layer from a fallen oak on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, February 1, 2020
Pattern of brown polypore fungus Xanthoporia andersonii (Inonotus andersonii) with yellow spore deposits on a wood layer from a fallen oak on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, February 1, 2020
Brown polypore fungus Xanthoporia andersonii (Inonotus andersonii) with with thick outgrowths of tubes underneath of a fallen oak on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, February 1, 2020
Polypore fungus Xanthoporia andersonii (Inonotus andersonii) visible from a cut surface of a fallen oak on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, February 1, 2020
Polypore fungus Xanthoporia andersonii (Inonotus andersonii) growing in a concentric cavity inside a fallen oak on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, February 1, 2020
Lower view of a brown resupinate polypore mushroom Xanthoporia andersonii (Inonotus andersonii) growing in a concentric cavity inside a fallen oak on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, February 1, 2020
Pore surface of a brown resupinate polypore mushroom Xanthoporia andersonii (Inonotus andersonii) in a concentric cavity inside a fallen oak on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, February 1, 2020
Close-up of pores of a brown resupinate polypore mushroom Xanthoporia andersonii (Inonotus andersonii) in a concentric cavity inside a fallen oak on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, February 1, 2020
Cut piece of a brown resupinate polypore mushroom Xanthoporia andersonii (Inonotus andersonii) with thick outgrowths of tubes on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, February 1, 2020
Close-up of a cut piece of a brown resupinate polypore mushroom Xanthoporia andersonii (Inonotus andersonii) on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, February 1, 2020
Cut tubes on a cut of piece of a brown resupinate polypore mushroom Xanthoporia andersonii (Inonotus andersonii) on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, February 1, 2020
Yellow spores of a timber mushroom Inonotus andersonii on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, September 11, 2021
Fallen tree covered by yellow spores from a timber mushroom Inonotus andersonii on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, September 11, 2021
Masses of yellow spores of a timber mushroom Inonotus andersonii on a fallen tree on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, September 11, 2021
Fallen tree with a timber mushroom Inonotus andersonii on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, September 11, 2021
Rotting tree with a timber mushroom Inonotus andersonii on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, September 11, 2021
Texture of a rotting tree with a timber mushroom Inonotus andersonii on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, September 11, 2021
Broken bark on a rotting tree with a timber mushroom Inonotus andersonii on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, September 11, 2021
Close-up of a rotting tree with a timber mushroom Inonotus andersonii on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, September 11, 2021
Underside of bark on a fallen tree with a timber mushroom Inonotus andersonii on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, September 11, 2021
Heart rot fungus (Inonotus andersonii) on a detached piece of bark from a big recently fallen oak branch in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, September 20, 2022
Heart rot fungus (Inonotus andersonii) on underside of a detached piece of oak bark in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, September 20, 2022
Yellow spores of heart rot fungus (Inonotus andersonii) on underside of a detached piece of oak bark in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, September 20, 2022
Underside of a detached piece of oak bark with yellow spores of heart rot fungus (Inonotus andersonii) in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, September 20, 2022
Close-up of underside of a detached piece of oak bark with yellow spores of heart rot fungus (Inonotus andersonii) in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, September 20, 2022
Texture of underside of a detached piece of oak bark with yellow spores of heart rot fungus (Inonotus andersonii) in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, September 20, 2022
Spores of fungus Inonotus andersonii from oak bark, collected a day before in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, September 21, 2022
Spores of fungus Inonotus andersonii from oak bark in lugol, collected a day before in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, September 21, 2022
Oak leaves covered by yellow spores of resupinate polypore fungus Inonotus andersonii from a fallen oak branch on South Wilderness Loop Trail at Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest near Richards. Texas, January 1, 2024
Fallen oak branch damaged by resupinate polypore fungus Inonotus andersonii on South Wilderness Loop Trail at Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest near Richards. Texas, January 1, 2024
Fallen oak branch heart with rot fungus Inonotus andersonii on South Wilderness Loop Trail at Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest near Richards. Texas, January 1, 2024
Shrinken wood of an oak branch with heart rot fungus Inonotus andersonii on South Wilderness Loop Trail at Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest near Richards. Texas, January 1, 2024
Resupinate polypore fungus Inonotus andersonii under bark of a fallen oak branch on South Wilderness Loop Trail at Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest near Richards. Texas, January 1, 2024
Close-up of resupinate polypore fungus Inonotus andersonii on wood under bark of a fallen oak branch on South Wilderness Loop Trail at Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest near Richards. Texas, January 1, 2024
Resupinate polypore fungus Inonotus andersonii on a fallen oak branch previously hidden by bark on South Wilderness Loop Trail at Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest near Richards. Texas, January 1, 2024
Side view of pores of resupinate polypore fungus Inonotus andersonii on oak wood on South Wilderness Loop Trail at Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest near Richards. Texas, January 1, 2024
Close-up side view of pores of resupinate polypore fungus Inonotus andersonii on oak wood on South Wilderness Loop Trail at Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest near Richards. Texas, January 1, 2024
Close-up of pores of resupinate polypore fungus Inonotus andersonii on oak wood on South Wilderness Loop Trail at Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest near Richards. Texas, January 1, 2024
Spores (in lugol) of rot fungus Inonotus andersonii collected in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, January 1, 2024
Fallen oak covered by yellow spores from a timber mushroom Inonotus andersonii near Pole Creek on North Wilderness Trail of Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, February 18, 2024
Masses of yellow spores of a timber mushroom Inonotus andersonii on a fallen oak near Pole Creek on North Wilderness Trail of Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, February 18, 2024
Yellow spores of a timber mushroom Inonotus andersonii on a fallen oak in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, August 17, 2024
AI-generated summary of observations
The observations document the presence of the resupinate polypore fungus Inonotus andersonii in various locations in Texas, including Sam Houston National Forest and Lick Creek Park. The fungus was found on fallen oak branches and trees, often under the bark or on wood surfaces. Yellow spores were commonly observed, and some samples were collected for further examination. The fungus caused heart rot and damage to the oak wood, leading to shrinkage and decay. Observations were made over several years, from 2022 to 2024, with consistent findings of the fungus's presence and characteristics. The documentation includes photographs and microscopic examinations of spores, providing a comprehensive record of Inonotus andersonii in these Texas locations. Overall, the observations highlight the widespread presence and impact of this fungus on oak trees in the region.