I think almost all of the Ganoderma on Bay Laurel is G. brownii criteria to distinguish G. applanatum macroscopically seem fairly vague, but I think you'd have to see a really proportionally thin, really fan-shaped fruitbody as you mentioned. This one looks more irregular/blobby/hoof-like.
R.J. Adams
2016-12-25
2016-12-25
United States of America, California, Tomales Bay State Park
Several of these large, thick-bodied polypores were found growing on the trunk of a massive California Bay Laurel (Umbellularia californica). With the bright white pore surface and lack of brown spores dusting the tree, I am thinking this may be D. applanatum, but from what I read, that is supposed to have a less enlarged, more fan-shaped structure. @leptonia , @pdvmushroom what do you think?