"treelike" wrote in message ...
paghat wrote in message ...

They're only about two inches or two & a half inches wide, quite thin, &
strongly striped. They growing native here on west side of Puget Sound
geographically near the rain forest. The decaying round they're growing on
is fir. I'd settle for being sure of the genus, but if anyone can judge
the species from just photos, great.


Look like Many Zoned Polypore (Trametes versicolor) to me. Very common
fungus perhaps the most common fungus, in the uk anyway. Very variable too
but always with the characteristic zones on top, hence the name. Some people
believe it has medicinal value, strengthening the immune system when made
into a tea. Don't go making a tea with it though because I might be wrong
and it may be poisonous!

Trametes versicolor is among the most sought after of Chinese
medicinal mushrooms. I believe David Aurora, speaking to the Oregon
Mycological Society several years ago, noted it was the first mushroom
to sell-out at Chinese farmer's markets wherever he went.

In Benjamin's "Mushrooms: Poisons and Panaceas", Dr. Benjamin notes
that anti-cancer properties for this fungus has been claimed, then
gives 10 medical citations.

The mushroom is typically chewed like gum, not really eaten per se.
While it is thought to strengthen the immune system, the major use is
as a pain killer. The Chinese use it like aspirin. I have heard it is
considered among the safest of Chinese medicinal "herbs", which may
not always help in alleviating the illness, but never _harms_.

Daniel B. Wheeler
www.oregonwhitetruffles.com