Spotted this enormous bracket fungus at the weekend and was astounded by how its brown spores had covered huge areas of the tree and ivy brown, almost like someone had taken a can of brown spray to it all.
This particular fungus is called artists bracket (Ganoderma applanatum), so called because the underside changes colour when grazed with a thin stick so can be used to create beautiful works of art (I just scribbled a few marks to demonstrate the effect on one of my photos).
Found almost exclusively on beech trees, it can feed on the living tree by secreting digestive enzymes onto the wood and absorbing the nutrients produced. Most fungi feed on dead material and are one of the most important nutrient recyclers on the planet, allowing ecological cycles to continue and new life to emerge