When you let a young photographer take the reins on a rainforest hike, they start noticing the repeating patterns that adults often walk right past. Along the damp lower sections of the Beccari Rattan Valley trail loop, decaying logs serve as natural art galleries, sprouting all kinds of wood-decay fungi.
Perched side-by-side on a moss-spotted log was this pair of pale bracket fungi (Polyporaceae, genus Trametes).
My son spotted this duo during our trek back toward the Palmetum headquarters, lined up his focus on the backup Canon EOS 60D, and captured another clean, well-balanced macro shot to add to our Kubah collection.
Symmetrical Velvet Shelves
Trametes species are common, essential saprotrophs throughout Borneo’s tropical forests, working tirelessly behind the scenes to break down tough lignin in deadwood.
- Kidney-Shaped Geometry: The smooth, fan-like curves of these caps overlap nicely, creating a natural lead-in line for the composition.
- Subtle Zonation: Unlike the dark, high-contrast Ganoderma or colorful Microporus species, these Trametes caps feature soft, subtle rings ranging from pale ivory to warm tan.
- Pore Surface: Underneath these leathery, velvety caps lies a dense, durable pore layer designed to distribute spores efficiently into the damp, understory breeze.
Building the Next Generation’s Eye
Watching my son find his groove on this trip—moving from subject to subject and nailing exposures on decaying wood—has been a blast. Even on a windy family hike where we missed out on target insects, his growing collection of fungal macros turned this Kubah trek into a fantastic collaborative entry for Minutia Flux.
Field Notes:
- Location: Kubah National Park (Beccari Rattan Valley trail loop)
- Subject: Pale Bracket Fungus (Trametes sp.)
- Photographer: My 12-Year-Old Son (Canon EOS 60D)
- Ecological Role: Lignin-decomposing polypore assisting in nutrient cycling
