False Turkeytail Fungus

Stereum lobatum

8×10″ Redbud ink, black walnut ink, red oak bark ink, lichen ink, and pen on paper

I came across this patch of false turkeytail fungus during a field trip for Smith College Professor Jesse Bellemare’s Plant Diversity and Evolution class. We were studying lichens and bryophytes in a wooded area when I noticed it growing along a decaying log–layered, understated, and actively decomposing. Fungi like this play a critical role in forest ecosystems: breaking down organic matter, cycling nutrients, and supporting new plant growth. In that moment, the false turkeytail stood out as a small but powerful reminder of the forest’s ongoing processes of decay and renewal.