Fungabase :: WF

Description

Fungus Type

polypore 

Habitat

Hemlock is the main tree in the area 

Substrate

Substrate: Rotten hardwood log, possibly Populus based on microscopic vessel characteristics.

Habit: grows both singly and in caespitose clusters, sometimes growing 2 fruiting bodies from a common base.

Rot: white.

 

Fruiting Body

Diameter: 25 - 100 mm (mature specimens).

Shape: deeply centrally depressed (fluted); even margin edge when young, becoming wavy with age; umbillicate to infundibuliform.

Pileus context 1-4 mm thick.

Pileus context texture: very thin; pliable and leathery.

Pileus context color: opaque white, with splotchy, radial, watery patches.

Odor: clean, conky. Taste: clean, conky.

 

Fertile Surface

Thickness: ~0.5mm.

Attachment: decurrent.

Pore size/spacing: 4-6/mm; symmetrically spaced.

Color: very white.

Bruising/discoloration: none.

 

Sterile Surface

Dry.

Pattern: smooth, with darkly colored radial, appressed, innate fibrillose striations; fibers absent in rings of radial splotches.

Color: Youngest color: pale gray-brown to very light tan. Oldest color: deer-brown to chestnut-tan to orange. All: concentrically zoned, sometimes with three clear bands of color; disc darker.

 

Stipe

23-29 mm long.

5-10 mm diameter.

Attachment: sometimes central, but usually distinctly off-center to lateral; very eccentric in youngest specimens.

Shape: equal; enlarged disc at attchment is 7-11 mm diamater ("hyphal peg"?).

Surface: pubescent, especially lower portion, but easily compressed.

Color: Color apex: white (starting with decurrent pores). Color center: chestnut brown. Color base: tan-brown (slightly darker than cap color) to black. Color of younger specimens: lighter stipe colors overall.

Texture: very tough.

Bruises: prominent chestnut red color.

Context: Context texture: solid. Context color: opaque white, with splotchy, radial, watery patches; thin dark surface layer.

 

Micro

Spores: short ellipsoid (NEED MEASUREMENTS!)

Hyphae: skinny, 0.5-1.5 µm thick; some branching; some thick-walled; clamps present

 

Comments

There seems to be some confusion as to whether P. elegans is synonymous with this species or whether it is separate. Jim Ginns (http://www.svims.ca/council/Polypo.htm) separates P. varius from P. elegans based on radial striations, which would place this in the P. varius camp. Index Fungorum does not treat P. elegans as an individual species.

P. badius is much larger and also darker in color.