Bordered polypore (Fomitopsis pinicola)
Systematics:- Department: Basidiomycota (Basidiomycetes)
- Subdivision: Agaricomycotina (Agaricomycetes)
- Class: Agaricomycetes (Agaricomycetes)
- Subclass: Incertae sedis (undefined)
- Order: Polyporales
- Family: Fomitopsidaceae (Fomitopsis)
- Genus: Fomitopsis (Fomitopsis)
- Species: Fomitopsis pinicola (Polypore fringed)
Synonyms :
Fungus
- Pine tinder fungus
- Fomitopsis pinicola
- Boletus pinicola
- Trametes pinicola
- Pseudofomes pinicola
Bordered polypore (Fomitopsis pinicola) is a mushroom of the Fomitopsis family, belongs to the Fomitopsis genus.
Description
Bordered polypore (Fomitopsis pinicola) is a well-known fungus, belongs to saprophytes. It is characterized by perennial fruiting bodies that grow sideways, sessile. Young specimens have a rounded or hemispherical shape. Over time, the shape of this type of mushroom changes. It can be hoof-like or cushion-shaped.
Hat : usually of medium size, about 20-25 cm in diameter, but can easily reach 30 or even 40 centimeters (in old mushrooms). The height of the cap is up to 10 cm. Concentric areas are clearly visible on its surface. They vary in color and are separated by depressions. The colors can be very different: from red to dark brownish red or from brown to black at the site of attachment or after maturation, with a marginal area from white to yellow.
The surface of the cap is covered with a thin skin, lacquered-shiny at the edge or in very young mushrooms, later becomes dull, and closer to the center - slightly resinous.
Leg : absent.
If wet weather sets in outside, droplets of liquid appear on the surface of the fruiting body of the bordered polypore. This process is called gutting.
Very young bordered polypores also gutt:
And more mature specimens during the period of active growth:
The pulp of the mushroom is dense, elastic, resembles a cork in structure. It can sometimes be woody. When broken, it becomes flaky. Light brown or light beige (chestnut in mature fruiting bodies).
Hymenophore : tubular, cream or beige. It darkens with mechanical stress, becoming gray or dark brown. The pores are rounded, well defined, small, 3-6 pores per 1 mm, about 8 mm deep
Chemical reactions : KOH on pulp from red to dark brown.
Spore powder : white, yellow or cream.
Disputes : 6-9 x 3.5-4.5 microns, cylindrical, non-amyloid, smooth, flowing.
Season and habitat of the fungus
Bordered tinder fungi are referred to as saprophytes, provoking the development of brown rot. It is found in many regions, but most often in Europe and Russia.
Despite the epithet "Pinicola", from pinūs - pine, living on pines, pine, Bordered polypore grows successfully on dead wood and dead wood not only of coniferous, but also deciduous trees, on stumps. If a living tree is weakened, then the fungus can also infect it, starting life as a parasite, later becoming a saprophyte. The fruiting bodies of fringed polypores usually begin to grow at the bottom of the tree trunk.
Edibility
Edible. Used to create mushroom flavored seasonings. It is a raw material for homeopathic medicines. It is successfully used in Chinese traditional medicine.
Similar types and differences from them
This mushroom is difficult to confuse with others. Unique concentric stripes of different colors on the surface of the cap are the decoration and calling card of this mushroom.
Other information about the mushroom
Bordered polypore (Fomitopsis pinicola) causes serious damage to timber warehouses in Siberia. Causes decay of wood blanks.
Photo: Maria, Alexander Kozlovskikh, Gumenyuk Vitaly.