Trametes versicolor
Systematics:- Department: Basidiomycota (Basidiomycetes)
- Subdivision: Agaricomycotina (Agaricomycetes)
- Class: Agaricomycetes (Agaricomycetes)
- Subclass: Incertae sedis (undefined)
- Order: Polyporales
- Family: Polyporaceae (Polyporous)
- Genus: Trametes (Trametes)
- Kind: Trametes versicolor (Trametes multicolored)
Synonyms:
- Coriolus multicolored;
- Coriolus multicolor;
- Tinder fungus multicolored;
- Motley tinder fungus;
- Turkey tail;
- Biting tail;
- Pestle;
- Yun-ji;
- Yun-chji;
- Kawaratake;
- Boletus atrofuscus;
- Cellularia cyathiformis;
- Polyporus caesioglaucus;
- Polystictus azureus;
- Polystictus neaniscus.
Trametes versicolor is a mushroom from the Polyporovye family.
External description
The widespread mushroom trametes multi-colored belongs to the category of tinder fungus.
The fruit body of the variegated tramesta is perennial, characterized by a width of 3 to 5 cm and a length of 5 to 8 cm. It has a fan-shaped, semicircular shape, which can only occasionally be rosette-like in the end part of the trunk. This type of fungus is sessile and grows sideways to wood. Often the fruit bodies of the multicolored trametess grow together at the bases. The very base of the mushrooms is often narrowed, to the touch it is silky, velvety, and very thin in structure. The surface of the fruit body of the multi-colored tinder fungus is completely covered with thin winding areas of various shades. They are replaced by fuzzy and bare areas. The color of these areas is variable, it can be gray-yellow, ocher-yellow, bluish-brown, brownish. The edges of the cap are lighter from the middle. The base of the fruiting body is often greenish.When dry, the pulp of the mushroom becomes almost white, without any shades.
The mushroom cap is characterized by a semicircular shape, no more than 10 cm in diameter. The mushroom grows mainly in groups. A characteristic feature of the species is the multi-colored fruit bodies. In the upper part of the fruiting body of the described species, there are multi-colored areas of white, blue, gray, velvety, black, and silver colors. The surface of the mushroom is often silky to the touch and shiny.
The flesh of the multi-colored tinder fungus is light, thin and leathery. Sometimes it can be white or brownish. Her smell is pleasant, the spore powder of the fungus is white, and the hymenophore is of a tubular type, fine-pored, contains pores of irregular, unequal sizes in its composition. The color of the hymenophore is light, slightly yellowish, in ripe fruit bodies it becomes brownish, has narrow edges, and occasionally can turn red.
Season and habitat of the fungus
The active growth of the variegated tinder fungus occurs in the period from the second half of June to the end of October. The fungus of this species prefers to settle on woodpile, old wood, rotten stumps left over from deciduous trees (oaks, birches). Occasionally, the multi-colored tinder fungus is found on the trunks and remains of coniferous trees. You can see him often, but mostly in small groups. Alone, it does not grow. The multi-colored trametess propagates quickly, and often leads to the formation of heart rot on healthy trees.
Edibility
Inedible.
Similar types and differences from them
The multi-colored, shiny and velvety surface of the fruit body distinguishes the motley tinder fungus from all other types of mushrooms. It is almost impossible to confuse this species with any other, because it is given out by a bright color.
Other information about the mushroom
Trametes versicolor is a mushroom that is widespread in many forests on the planet. The variegated appearance of the fruiting body is very similar to a turkey or peacock tail. A large number of surface shades makes the variegated tinder fungus a recognizable and well-distinguishable fungus. Despite such a bright appearance on the territory of Russia, this type of tramese is practically unknown. Only in some parts of the country there is little mention that this mushroom has medicinal properties. It can be used to make a medicine for the prevention of liver and stomach cancer, effective treatment of ascites (dropsy) by boiling multi-colored tinder fungus in a water bath. With cancer ulcers, an ointment made on the basis of badger fat and powder from dried Trametes mushroom helps.
In Japan, the medicinal qualities of the colorful tinder fungus are well known. Infusions and ointments based on this mushroom are used to treat various degrees of oncology. Interestingly, mushroom therapy in this country is prescribed in a comprehensive manner in hospitals, before radiation and after chemotherapy. Actually, the use of fungotherapy in Japan is considered a mandatory procedure for all cancer patients.
In China, motley trametess is considered an excellent general tonic for preventing failures in the immune system. Also, preparations based on this mushroom are considered an excellent remedy for the treatment of liver diseases, including chronic hepatitis.
A special polysaccharide called coriolan was isolated from the fruit bodies of the multicolored trametess. It is he who actively affects tumor (cancer) cells and increases cellular immunity.