Common names: soft bracket, Pink Sherbet Polypore.
Extract from Wikipedia article: Leptoporus is a genus of polypore fungi. The type species, Leptoporus mollis, is widespread throughout north temperate areas. The generic name is derived from the Ancient Greek words λεπτός ("thin") and πόρος ("pore").
Leptoporus mollis is a species of fungus that belongs to the family Polyporaceae. It is characterized by its soft and velvety texture, with a range of colors from white to grayish-brown. In East and Central Texas, Leptoporus mollis has been found growing on deciduous trees, particularly oak and elm, often on stumps, logs, or living trunks. The fungus typically fruits in the spring and fall, producing effused-reflexed to nearly resupinate basidiocarps with a smooth to wrinkled surface. Its pores are small and angular, and the spores are white to pale yellowish in color.
Pink Sherbet Polypore mushrooms (Leptoporus mollis) on a fallen pine in Bastrop State Park. Bastrop, Texas, December 21, 2018 351 Harmon Rd, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
Pore surface of Pink Sherbet Polypore mushrooms (Leptoporus mollis) on a fallen pine in Bastrop State Park. Bastrop, Texas, December 21, 2018 350 Harmon Rd, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
Pores of Pink Sherbet Polypore mushrooms (Leptoporus mollis) on a fallen pine in Bastrop State Park. Bastrop, Texas, December 21, 2018 350 Harmon Rd, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
Pink sherbet polypore mushrooms (Leptoporus mollis) on a fallen pine on North Wilderness Trail of Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, December 14, 2019 N Wilderness Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Underside of pink sherbet polypore mushrooms (Leptoporus mollis) on a fallen pine on North Wilderness Trail of Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, December 14, 2019 N Wilderness Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Caps of pink sherbet polypore mushrooms (Leptoporus mollis) on a fallen pine on North Wilderness Trail of Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, December 14, 2019 N Wilderness Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Immature pink sherbet polypore mushroom (Leptoporus mollis) on a fallen pine on North Wilderness Trail of Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, December 14, 2019 N Wilderness Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Pores of pink sherbet polypore mushroom (Leptoporus mollis) on a fallen pine on North Wilderness Trail of Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, December 14, 2019 N Wilderness Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Soft bracket mushrooms (Leptoporus mollis) on a cut surface of a pine log on Richards Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, December 24, 2020 W Fork Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Mature soft bracket polypore mushrooms Leptoporus mollis on a cut surface of a pine log on Richards Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, December 24, 2020 W Fork Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
AI-generated summary of observations
Observations of the fungus Leptoporus mollis in East and Central Texas reveal that it typically grows on fallen pines, with sightings recorded in Bastrop State Park and Sam Houston National Forest. The mushrooms, also known as Pink Sherbet Polypores, were found on December 21, 2018, and December 14, 2019, in Bastrop and Montgomery, respectively. They exhibited characteristic pinkish hues and soft, velvety textures. Immature specimens were also observed, showcasing the species' growth stages. Additionally, observations on December 24, 2020, in Sam Houston National Forest revealed the fungus growing on cut pine logs, with mature specimens displaying well-developed pores and caps. The consistent presence of Leptoporus mollis on pine substrates suggests a specific host preference for this species in East and Central Texas.