How to identify Cinnamon Bracket

To correctly identify Cinnamon Bracket (Hapalopilus rutilans), check each of these features in order. Misidentification is the most common cause of mushroom poisoning, so cross-reference multiple sources.

Step-by-step identification

1. 1

   Cap

   Shape, color, surface texture, and diameter.

   The cap is bracket-shaped, typically 2-10 cm wide, with a reddish-brown to cinnamon color. The surface is finely velvety when young, becoming smoother with age.

2. 2

   Gills

   Attachment to stem, color, and spacing.

   No gills; this fungus has pores on the underside of the cap.

3. 3

   Stem

   Length, shape, surface, and any ring.

   Absent; the fruiting body is sessile (attaches directly to the wood).

4. 4

   Flesh

   Color, texture, and bruising reaction.

   The flesh is soft and spongy when fresh, becoming harder and more brittle when dry. It has a distinct cinnamon color.

5. 5

   Fruiting body

   Overall growth pattern.

   The fruiting body is a bracket-like structure that grows directly out of the wood. It is typically semicircular or kidney-shaped.

6. 6

   Habitat

   Where it grows and on what substrate.

   Grows on dead or decaying deciduous trees, especially broadleaf trees like oak and beech.

Key Facts

Cap surfaces

Finely velvety when young, smoother with age

Growth Form

Bracket-like

Spore Print

White to pale yellow

Body color

Reddish-brown to cinnamon

Odor

Faintly fruity or fungal

Flesh bruises

No significant bruising reaction

Height

1-3 cm thick

Cap Diameter

2-10 cm

Fruit body characteristics

• Gill attachment: N/A (Pores instead of gills)
• Stem shape: N/A (Sessile)
• Stem surface: N/A (Sessile)
• Ring: Absent
• Stem cross-section: N/A (Sessile)

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