Artist's Fungus - Ganoderma applanatum

A large brown perennial bracket fungus 15 to 50 cm across and 5 to 10 cm thick, the fruiting body has an off-white margin and a brown top with little or no stem, and brownish coloured spores. White underside leaves brown marks when scratched. Spores ellipsoidal to ovoid, truncate at one end, smooth, 6.5-8.5 x 4.5-6μm.

Southern Bracket - Ganoderma australe is similar and more common. These two species are impossible to identify with certainty without microscopic examination of spores.

Artist's Fungus - Ganoderma applanatum - (but not Southern Bracket - Ganoderma australe) can develop galls caused by the Yellow flat-footed fly - Agathomyia wankowiczii, so if galls are present the species can be confirmed. 

Grows on wood, often in woodland. A common sight where trees fall and are not harvested.

All year round

Fairly frequent in Britain.

Less common than Ganoderma australe in Leicestershire and Rutland.