Stereum complicatum
Copyright, James M. Hilliard
Crowded Parchment is the
most common of the parchment fungi. It does not have a
stalk, like mushrooms. It is usually fan-shaped or shaped in
a semi-circle (half circle). Crowded Parchment's color
ranges from pinkish to tan to cinnamon. The caps
start small, before growing to almost an inch wide. Caps
will often fuse together to make larger specimens. Caps also
overlap each other.
Like most fungi, you can't actually see most of it, the caps are just the "flowers," so the fungi can make spores (fungi version of seeds) to send out to make new fungi. The picture above shows Crowded Parchment caps just starting to grow.
Crowded Parchment caps are leathery, and their surface can feel somewhat silky, with tiny hairs on it.
The caps flower from July through January and will overwinter. Crowded Parchment grows on dead parts of deciduous trees (trees that lose leaves in Fall) and shrubs, especially oaks. Sometimes other fungi, such as Witches' Butter, will become parasites on Crowded Parchment.
Relationships in Nature:
Animals
Using as Food Source Animals
Using as Shelter Associations
With Plants Southern Red Oak
Relationship to Humans:
Crowded Parchment is neither edible, nor poisonous to people. It is very helpful as a decomposer of dead wood, especially because it is so common.