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Practical ecological knowledge for the temperate reader. |
Family: Bondarzewiaceae [E-flora]
"Bondarzewia mesenterica (= B. montana) typically produces large fruitbodies at the base of conifers. It develops from a sclerotium, and forms one or more fan-shaped caps, often irregular and overlapping from a common, rooting base. The surface of the cap is tomentose, often zoned in shades of brown and gray-brown. The pores are whitish, rather large and coarse, angular and lacerate in age. The flesh is whitish and, when fresh, has a pleasant odor. Bondarzewia mesenterica causes a white-rot of roots and butts, and can persist for long periods in stumps and dead trees." [Trudell MPNW]
"Bondarzewia montana .... When these compound fruiting bodies were younger, they were whitish and resembled coral fungi (e.g., Sparassis) but for the presence of pores. As they mature, however, the upper lobes or "branches" broadened into tan or brown caps. This species is also capable of producing simple fruiting bodies (withjust one cap and stalk)." [MushDemyst]
"Bondarzewia mesenterica (= B. montana) typically produces large fruitbodies at the base of conifers. It develops from a sclerotium, and forms one or more fan-shaped caps, often irregular and overlapping from a common, rooting base. The surface of the cap is tomentose, often zoned in shades of brown and gray-brown. The pores are whitish, rather large and coarse, angular and lacerate in age. The flesh is whitish and, when fresh, has a pleasant odor. Bondarzewia mesenterica causes a white-rot of roots and butts, and can persist for long periods in stumps and dead trees." [Trudell MPNW]
Habitat/Range: "annual, single or in groups under conifers, usually near stumps or trunks, (Arora), at or near the base of living conifers, particularly common on Larix (larch), causing white stringy rot of heartwood of roots and stumps of living conifers, (Gilbertson), usually as single compound fruitbodies, a parasite on roots or stumps of Abies (fir), often apparently arising from ground, (Breitenbach for Europe)" [E-flora]
Synonyms and Alternate Names
Edibility: "Tempting because of its size, but rather tough and sometimes bitter to boot. It is probably harmless, but certainly not the equal of Grifola frondosa." [MushDemyst] edible [WEFGO]
"Taste: mild or sometimes bitter when old, (Arora), sharp when fresh, somewhat bitter when dry, (Breitenbach)" [E-flora]
Comments: "The warted amyloid spores, often compound fruiting body, and gnarled rooting base are characteristic of the genus Bondarzewia. The spores are unique among the polypores, leading some investigators to suggest a relationship to the agaric genera, Russula and Laclarius." [MushDemyst]
Similar Species: "Bondarzewia berkeleyi has a tan to ochraceous cap surface and typically fruits in large imbricate clusters of caps, on hardwoods in eastern North America, whereas B. mesenterica has purplish brown cap surface, typically fruits with a single or few caps from one stem, and grows on conifers, (Gilbertson(1), but note that Arora gives B. berkeleyi as having fewer - 1 to 5 - caps than B. mesenterica and describes cap surface of B. montana as tan or ocher to brown or dark brown). Grifola frondosa has many smaller thinner gray-brownish caps, and its spores are smooth, (Lincoff). Polyporus umbellatus has whitish to gray to smoky-brown circular caps with central stems, (Arora). Meripilus sumstinei blackens when bruised along the cap edge and on the pore surface, (Lincoff). Jahnoporus hirtus is single, consistently bitter, and has smooth spores, (Arora)." [E-flora]
Albatrellus pescaprae (Goat's Foot) - "Also known as Scutiger pescaprae, this terrestrial polypore can be told by its reddish-brown to brown, densely scaly cap plus its large pores, well-developed stem ..., and mild taste. Bondarzewia species are somewhat similar, but have spiny spores and less scaly caps and are not normally yellowish- or greenish- stained. Polyporus hirtus is also somewhat similar, but has a bitter taste." [MushDemyst]
Polyporus hirtus (Bitter Polypore; Iodine Polypore) - "Also known as Albatrellus hirtus and Scutiger hirtus, this species is the most common terrestrial polypore in our area, but is by no means numerous. ... Bondarzewia montana can be similar when it doesn't grow in clusters, but has warted amyloid spores and is not as bitter-tasting." [MushDemyst]
Bondarzewia berkeleyi - "Favoring hardwoods, with one to several caps" [MushDemyst] edible [WEFGO]