Orange Mock Oyster

With the help of someone from the Big Thicket Association I was able to identify this fungi that I came across in the Big Thicket. It is Phyllotopsis nidulans or an "orange mock oyster". It has a hairy cap, is not edible, has a foul taste and odor, and is widely distributed in North America. It grows shelf-like on the dead logs of hardwoods and conifers during the fall. This is just one of the many species of fungi found in this vast area.