Corticioid fungi forming smooth, wart-like, or knobbly, membranaceous fruiting bodies, which are brownish when mature, often darker towards the centre. Spores brown, smooth, thick-walled, and strongly apiculate.

Members of this genus cause a brown rot (i.e. they produce enzymes that selectively degrade cellulose and hemicellulose of wood cell walls). Coniophora puteana mostly occurs on decaying wood but has rarely been reported as a wound parasite on living trees.

At least 4 species in New Zealand.

Wood decay fungi. Resupinate fruiting bodies with coloured hyphae, brownish, often darker towards the centre, spores stongly apiculate with coloured, smooth walls.

Six species have been reported from New Zealand, only those listed below have descriptions or images available from NZFungi.