Al brought us a half-round of a polypore that had been growing at the base of an oak, along with a couple of other specimens. I didn't recognize it as Bondarzewia berkeleyi, a specimen of which I had been monitoring over the past few weeks. Our walk leader, Dave, however, did correctly identify it immediately. I reserved final judgment until I saw the other specimens Al left behind. Meanwhile Dave had to leave us to join daughter Katie for another activity. The rest of us trudged over to the site where Al said the same polypores were residing. As soon as I saw them I exclaimed: "Dave is right! These are Bondarzewia berkeleyi." The moral of this story is that I can study a mushroom carefully up close and personal and still not recognise it in another stage of growth! So I e-mailed Dave to tell him that he had instantly and correctly determined the species of this edible polypore. (Many of us took a leaf or two to try for cooking and eating.)

Dave's response deserves to be included here, especially as he says what we should all remember when seeing this mushroom in the future.

"Well, I don't have to be right, and in fact I don't even care to be right, especially when you are nearby to identify all the difficult ones. Really - your repetoire is extremely large at this point, and we all depend on you. However, this is one of my absolutely favorite fungi of all time, and - like you - I've taken the time to watch specimens grow. So, I was pretty sure of my identification. There's nothing else like it in the East, and the only thing close is Meripilus giganteus, which characteristically stains black. So, I didn't mean to challenge you, but I didn't know what else it could be. And even then, it can sometimes be confusing the way the fungal "rosette" forms, sometimes in thin "florets" and other times rather lumpy. I love this fungus for (at least) three reasons: 1) it's so big and bodacious, 2) it's named after TWO mycologists, 3) and most fascinating, it's aligned with the Russulales! All totally cool. I suppose this belies my perpetual fascination with the tiny ones like Marasmius, but Bondarzewia is so large and imposing one just can't help being totally impressed with it!!

Dave"
And he also suggests the following pronunciation; 'BOND ART SAVE YUH -- BARK LEE EYE'