In article ,
Jan Flora wrote:

Look up "birch conk" or "artist's conk." IIRC, that's what Steve means
by the Latin name he gave you. Something along those lines. Here's some
pictures/photos of conks:

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/bracfung.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingzhi

http://www.mushroomthejournal.com/st...amushroom.html

Sorry about sending you a bummer link... I was trying to do three
things at once and didn't chase any of those links on that site to make
sure they were good or worked.

A funny looking thing that doesn't look like a mushroom is still a
fungi, just not what you think of as a mushroom.

What sort of wood is it growing on? That's always a big clue with fungi.

I posted a couple of pics, from the web of what they look like, in
another post. My DH is coming home tonight (with the camera), so I'll
try to take some pics tomorrow. My main concern was if we were doing
something wrong in the garden to cause these fungi to grow. And I
thought if I at least knew the fungi type, that might give me a clue.

I can't see that they are attached to wood but they are growing at the
base of our wood bean poles. Soft wood I imagine--- pine, spruce? Mr.
Bill bought the stakes at the lumber yard. I can ask him that tonight.

Thanks again for the help. What a fascinating topic.

Isabella
--
"I will show you fear in a handful of dust"
-T.S. Eliot