Distinguishing between the true Turkey Tail mushroom (Trametes versicolor) and its look-alike, the False Turkey Tail (Stereum hirsutum), can be a common challenge. These two fungi frequently share similar habitats and growth patterns, leading to frequent misidentification. This article clarifies these distinctions, providing detailed characteristics for accurate identification.
Understanding True Turkey Tail
The true Turkey Tail mushroom, scientifically known as Trametes versicolor, is a common sight in forests worldwide. It typically grows on dead hardwood, such as logs, stumps, and fallen branches, often appearing in abundant, overlapping shelf-like formations. These fungi play a role in the decomposition of wood.
Trametes versicolor is recognizable by its fan or rosette shape, exhibiting striking concentric zones of various colors. These colors can range widely, including shades of brown, gray, blue, black, white, and sometimes even orange or magenta, giving it the appearance of a wild turkey’s tail feathers. The upper surface of this mushroom has a velvety or finely fuzzy texture, which can become smoother as the mushroom ages.
The fruiting body of the true Turkey Tail is generally thin, leathery but flexible. It usually lacks a distinct stalk and can span from one to four inches in width. This species is often sought after due to its historical use in traditional practices.
Understanding False Turkey Tail
The False Turkey Tail, Stereum hirsutum, is another widespread fungus found in similar woodland environments as its true counterpart. It commonly grows on dead hardwood, including stumps and logs, and can also be observed on coniferous wood. This species, like the true Turkey Tail, contributes to the decomposition process.
Stereum hirsutum shares a general fan or semicircular shape with the true Turkey Tail, often forming overlapping clusters. Its coloration typically includes zones of yellow, orange, and brown, though it can fade to duller buffs or grays with age or dry conditions. The upper surface of the False Turkey Tail is often distinctly hairy or bristly, especially when young, though it may become smoother over time.
Unlike Trametes versicolor, Stereum hirsutum is not known for any significant traditional or medicinal properties. The overall texture of this fungus tends to be tougher and more rigid compared to the true Turkey Tail.
Key Identification Features
The most distinguishing characteristic between true and false Turkey Tail mushrooms lies in their undersides. Trametes versicolor is a polypore, meaning its underside is covered in tiny, visible pores. These pores are typically white to cream-colored and are very small, often numbering between three to eight pores per millimeter.
In contrast, Stereum hirsutum is a crust fungus and possesses a smooth, un-pored underside. This surface is often yellowish to orange or buff, and sometimes takes on a grayish-brown hue. If the underside is completely smooth without any visible pores, it indicates the presence of a False Turkey Tail rather than the true species.
Differences in flexibility and thickness also aid in identification. True Turkey Tail mushrooms are typically thin, about one to two millimeters thick, and feel leathery but flexible when fresh. False Turkey Tail mushrooms, however, tend to be thicker and more rigid or brittle to the touch.
The texture of the top surface provides another clue. Trametes versicolor has a fine, velvety, or finely hairy texture that feels soft to the touch. Stereum hirsutum, particularly when young, often has a more pronounced hairy or bristly texture on its upper surface. While both species display concentric color zones, the true Turkey Tail often features a wider array of vibrant colors with distinct banding, whereas the False Turkey Tail’s colors can be less distinct or more uniform, sometimes even hosting green algae.
Regarding growth patterns, both fungi can grow in overlapping shelves on dead wood. However, Stereum hirsutum may sometimes appear in more isolated clusters or exhibit a tendency for its edges to curve upward.