Piptoporus australiensis (Wakef.) G.Cunn.

Common name: Curry Punk.

Description: The shelf-like fruiting bodies have a radius of 1020 cm and are attached directly to the wood substrate. The upper surface is at first white or cream-coloured but soon stains orange; its surface is even but it usually becomes pitted with age. The flesh is very thick and cream-coloured but appearing orange because of the stains of the juice. The pores are bright orange and stain the fingers saffron-orange when touched; there are usually about 2 or 3 per square millimetre. The whole fungus contains a copious orange juice which stains anything it touches with a bright saffron-orange colour. It also has an extremely strong smell, very reminiscent of curry powder, which intensifies when the fungus is dried.

The spores measure 89 × 56 µm and are ellipsoidal, smooth and colourless, but white in mass.

Substratum: Piptoporus australiensis is always found on dead trees or fallen logs. Experience suggests that partially burnt or charred logs are favoured by this species. The fruiting bodies are usually solitary, but on rare occasions the fungus may become gregarious

Distribution: Known from all eastern mainland States and Tasmania. It also occurs in Western Australia.

Notes: The intense odour of this fungus is very distinctive, while the additional feature of the saffron-staining dye makes it impossible to misidentify. The dye has been used with excellent results on wool; no mordant is necessary, and the dye even stains the nylon mesh used to hold the pieces of fungus during extraction. The dye is so intense that only about 50 gm of dried fungus is necessary to dye as much as a kilogram of washed wool. A permit from the relevant National Parks and Wildlife or Forestry Departments is required in most areas before this fungus may be collected.