beefsteak fungus

Polyporales species

Also known as: Fistulina hepatica

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June 22, 2026

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The beefsteak fungus, scientifically known as Fistulina hepatica, is a type of fungus that grows on dead trees. It is characterized by its bright-red, shelving masses and is considered a table delicacy, sometimes referred to as beef tongue or beefsteak mushroom. This fungus belongs to the family Polyporaceae, which is part of the order Polyporales. The Polyporales order includes fungi that are typically saprophytic, often growing on wood and forming shelflike fruiting bodies. The beefsteak fungus is also sometimes called a liver fungus.1234

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Agaricales
Other families and genera
Fistulina hepatica, commonly called beefsteak fungus, is an edible species found in the autumn on oaks and other trees, on which it causes a stain called brown oak. Its common name is derived from its colour, which resembles that of raw beef.
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Fistulina hepatica, commonly called beefsteak fungus, is an edible species found in the autumn on oaks and other trees, on which it causes a stain called brown oak. Its common name is derived from its colour, which resembles that of raw beef.
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mushroom
Other mushrooms
…dryad’s saddle (Polyporus squamosus), the beefsteak fungus (Fistulina hepatica), the sulfur fungus (P. sulphureus), the artist’s fungus (Ganoderma applanatum, or Fomes applanatus), and species of the genus Trametes. The clavarias, or club fungi (e.g., Clavaria, Ramaria), are shrublike, clublike, or coral-like in growth habit. One club fungus, the cauliflower
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…dryad’s saddle (Polyporus squamosus), the beefsteak fungus (Fistulina hepatica), the sulfur fungus (P. sulphureus), the artist’s fungus (Ganoderma applanatum, or Fomes applanatus), and species of the genus Trametes. The clavarias, or club fungi (e.g., Clavaria, Ramaria), are shrublike, clublike, or coral-like in growth habit. One club fungus, the cauliflower
Read More