Major Groups > Polypores > Phellinus everhartii

MushroomExpert.Com

Phellinus everhartii

[ Basidiomycetes > Polyporales > Hymenochaetaceae > Phellinus . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

Common on oaks in eastern North America's hardwood forests and occasional on oaks and other hardwoods in the West, Phellinus everhartii is a tough, woody, perennial polypore that attacks living trees as a parasite. It features a convex cap that becomes more and more hoof-shaped over the years, and a brown pore surface composed of very tiny pores. Its flesh turns black in KOH and, under the microscope, Phellinus everhartii features prominent setae.

Description:

Ecology: Parasitic on the heartwood of living oaks and, occasionally, other hardwoods; causing a white rot; growing alone or gregariously; perennial; widely distributed in North America but more common east of the Rocky Mountains.

Cap: Convex and semicircular or fan-shaped at first, becoming hoof-shaped with age; up to about 35 cm across and 15 cm deep; finely hairy to smooth, becoming rugged and cracked; brown to olive brown, gray, or black; paler and smoother along the margin.

Pore Surface: Brown to yellow-brown, reddish brown, or orangish brown; often appearing strikingly lighter or darker depending on the viewing angle; with 4-6 round to slightly angular pores per mm; tube layers fairly distinct, up to about 6 mm deep.

Stem: Absent.

Flesh: Reddish brown; tough and woody.

Odor: Not distinctive.

Chemical Reactions: KOH black on flesh.

Spore Print: Reddish brown.

Microscopic Features: Spores 4-5 x 3-4 µ; smooth; broadly elliptical to subglobose. Setae abundant; thick-walled; dark brown in KOH; 16-36 x 5-9 µ. Hyphal system dimitic.

REFERENCES: (Ellis & Galloway, 1889) A. Ames, 1913. (Overholts, 1953; Smith, Smith & Weber, 1981; Gilbertson & Ryvarden, 1987; Binion et al., 2008.) Herb. Kuo 09220404.

 

Phellinus everhartii

Phellinus everhartii

Phellinus everhartii



© MushroomExpert.Com




Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2010, February). Phellinus everhartii. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/phellinus_everhartii.html