Pore surface is white, staining brown. Brown spore color. Artists often use the conks as a medium, finishing them with several coats of lacquer to preserve their work. Photo 4 . Artist's conk growing on decaying trunk showing brown dorsal surface and white ventral or pore surface.
Pores are circular to angular in shape.
Stalk is typically lateral, shiny, appearing varnished, and is brownish red to mahogany or blackish brown. Spore print is brown. Specimen of the hemlock varnish shelf growing on downed eastern hemlock trunk. Older specimen of the hemlock varnish shelf growing on decaying trunk of eastern hemlock tree. Spore print is white.