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Picture of the day

Meripilus giganteus is a polypore fungus in the family Meripilaceae. It causes a white rot in various types of broadleaved trees, particularly beech. This bracket fungus is often found in large clumps at the base of trees, although fruiting bodies are sometimes found some distance from the trunk, parasitizing the roots. M. giganteus has a circumboreal distribution in the Northern Hemisphere, and is widely distributed in Europe. In the field, it is recognizable by the large, multi-capped fruiting body, as well as its pore surface that quickly darkens black when bruised or injured.Photograph: Michael Gäbler