The following pictures were snapped during late summer in Chandlers Ford, (nr Southampton), UK.

The tree is an Oak (Quercus robur) and is located on a grass highway verge so is probably owned by the local council. The first set of pictures shows the emergence of the fungi.

The following pictures show the same fungi brackets a few weeks later. They are now fully emerged, darker in colour and have flattened into their typical appearance.

I was hoping to take pictures of this fungi demise and their disintergration into black pulp but sadly, on my next visit the lot were gone, probably mown with the grass!

Follow this link for close-ups and a scanned slice of a single bracket.  Click here to view the pictures.