Shiny cinnamon polyporeColtricia cinnamomea

The shiny cinnamon polypore (Coltricia cinnamomea) is a close relative of the tiger's eye (C. perennis), also a small saprotrophic polypore with a distinctive clearly zoned, concentrically banded cap, but with a predominantly dark chestnut-cinnamon coloring. The Latin epithet cinnamomea means "cinnamon-colored", and the name fits: the fruiting body's main tone is cinnamon-chestnut, deep brown, without the bright light-orange bands typical of C. perennis.

Inedible — the flesh is tough, leathery and cardboard-like, as in other Coltricia. It has no culinary value and foragers don't pick it. It is interesting mainly to mycologists, as an indicator of broadleaf forests with acidic soils.

Key features of Coltricia cinnamomea: Small (1-4 cm) fruiting body on a thin stem Concentrically banded upper surface with dark cinnamon and ochre-brown zones (darker and more uniform than in C. perennis) Underside with fine pores (a polypore) Flesh very thin, leathery, brownish-ochre Grows in broadleaf forests (oak, beech, hornbeam), the key difference from C. perennis (which grows in pine forests) Often forms distinctive "fairy rings" on bare soil

The main thing is to recognize it as an indicator of forests with acidic soils and not to confuse it with closely related Coltricia species. In the wild the two (C. perennis and C. cinnamomea) are often confused because they look alike; the key difference is habitat: pine forests = C. perennis, broadleaf forests = C. cinnamomea.

In Ukraine, Coltricia cinnamomea is common in broadleaf and mixed forests: the Carpathians, Prykarpattia, Polissia, the forest-steppe. Season: July to October, and the fruiting bodies last a long time.