Honey fungus

Description:

As it's name suggest, the fruiting bodies are honey coloured, growing in dense tufts. Each carpophore is about 10-12 cm in diameter, about the same in height. Cap is convex but flattens with age. Gills are cream whitish, and the stipe presents the ring.

Habitat:

Found on shores of a lake, growing in a large tufts on a tree stump. The lake is surrounded by slopes of calcareous mountains, covered in mixed forests.

Notes:

1. Nt really sure about my ID and would welcome some comments if wrong - it was suggested by our friends leaving in the area, but not 100% sure. 2. The honey fungus is a plant pathogen and causes root rot in many plant species - mainly trees and both coniferous and hardwood. As a result of infection, it produces mushrooms around the base of trees it has infected. 3. If the ID is correct, there is a discussion about the edibility of this one - most mushroom guides consider them edible and even appreciated after cooking; while people from this area ignore them totally for their bitter taste and laxative properties...