Fruiting body of Inonotus hispidus on the trunk of an oak in Craven Co., NC. December 2011. Photos courtesy Tom Glasgow, NC Cooperative Extension Service. |
Inonotus hispidus is one of many fungi capable of causing a white rot of the heartwood of trees. It is, however, one of only a few such fungi that can kill living tissues of the tree. The common name of "canker rot" is a reflection of this fact. It is widely distributed in North Carolina and the United States, and occurs on hardwood trees, especially oaks. For a technical description of this organism, see its page among the Fungus Profiles on the web site of the Larry F. Grand Mycological Herbarium.
Fruiting bodies of Inonotus hispidus can occur much farther up the trunk than what is pictured here. Also please note that the presence of these fruiting bodies indicates decay within the tree, but wood decay can be present without any externally visible signs or symptoms in a given year.