The Urban Pantheist

Urban species #042: Red Tree Brain Peniophora rufa.

Some fungi can be surprisingly particular. The evocatively named red tree brain only grows on dead wood of trees in the genus Populus. That includes poplar, aspen, and cottonwood trees. It grows year-round, dull and crust-like on dry or freezing days, swelling to livid jelly in warm and moist weather.

The mundane but vital work of decomposing wood is generally carried about invisibly, but when the fungi need to reproduce, they produce wonderful and often bizarre-looking fruiting bodies. See also split gill, Stereum, coral spot, and wood ear; at least, so far this year.