Bracket Fungi

Fungi are not plants, they form a  complex kingdom of their own. Fungi come in many forms and there are a number that grow out from trees like brackets screwed to the trunk. It may be stating the obvious but the undersides of the brackets always face down to allow the spores to fall easily. Some bracket fungi have gills on the underside but many have a spongy finish with hundreds of tiny holes through which the spores escape. A bracket fungus on a tree usually means that the tree is dying, or more likely is dead!