Gymnopilus spectabilis (Fries) Smith
Mush. in Their Nat. Hab. 471. 1949.

Common Name: none

Synonym: Gymnopilus junonius (Fries) P. D. Orton

• Pileus

  Cap 7-20 cm broad, convex with incurved margin, nearly plane in age; surface dry, yellowish-orange to orange with fine brown scales; flesh thick, yellow, turning red in KOH; odor mild to pungent, taste bitter.

• Lamellae

  Gills close, adnate, notched, to slightly decurrent; yellow, becoming orange.

• Stipe

  Stipe 7-21 cm long, 1-4 cm thick, yellow-orange, lighter than the cap, streaked with brown fibrils, equal, club-shaped, or ventricose, usually narrowed at the base; partial veil membranous, yellowish, forming a usually persistent superior ring.

• Spores

  Spores 7.5-10 x 4.5-6 µm, roughened, elliptical. Spore print rusty-orange.

• Habitat

  Fruiting from early fall to mid-winter in clusters on stumps and logs of both hardwoods and conifers.

• Edibility

  Inedible, very bitter.

• Comments

  Gymnopilus spectabilis is well named as its yellowish-orange clustered fruitings are often massive with dinner plate-sized mushroom caps. The combination of a clustered habit on wood, orange cap, well developed ring, bitter taste and rusty spores make it easy to identify.

  Gymnopilus ventricosus may also occur locally, but the material we have studied generally appears closer to Gymnopilus spectabilis.

• References

  Hesler, L.R. (1969). North American Species of Gymnopilus. Hafner Publishing Company: New York, NY. 117 p.
  Lindsey, J.P. & Gilbertson, R.L. (1978). Basidiomycetes that Decay Aspen in North America. J. Cramer: Vaduz. 406 p.
  Smith, A.H. (1949). Mushrooms in their Natural Habitats. Sawyer's Inc: Portland, OR. 626 p.
  Watling, R., Gregory, N.M. & Orton, P.D. (1993). British Fungus Flora: Agarics and Boleti. Vol 7. Cortinariaceae p.p.: Galerina, Gymnopilus, Leucocortinarius, Phaeocollybia, Phaeogalera, Phaeolepiota, Phaeomarasmius, Pleuroflammula, Rozites & Stagnicola. Royal Botanic Garden: Edinburgh, Scotland. 131 p.

• Other Descriptions and Photos
  Main Photo
  • Michael Wood: Gymnopilus spectabilis (CP) — young sporocarps
  • Michael Wood: Gymnopilus spectabilis (CP)
  • Fred Stevens: Gymnopilus spectabilis (CP)
  • Fred Stevens: Gymnopilus spectabilis (CP) — young sporocarps
  • Dimitar Bojantchev: Gymnopilus spectabilis (CP)
  • Michael Boom: Gymnopilus spectabilis
  • Darvin DeShazer: Gymnopilus spectabilis (CP)
  • Taylor F. Lockwood: Gymnopilus spectabilis (CP) — closeup of gills and spore encrusted annulus
  • Hugh Smith: Gymnopilus spectabilis (CP)
  • Informationszentrale gegen Vergiftungen der Universiteat Bonn: Gymnopilus spectabilis (D & CP)
  • Kinok-ya: Gymnopilus spectabilis (D & CP)
  • Mushroom Observer: Gymnopilus spectabilis (CP)
  • Ammirati et al.: p. 191 (D), fig. 93 (I), fig. 106 (CP)
  • Arora (1986): p. 410 (D), p. 411 (P), plate 99 (CP)
  • Arora (1991): p. 138 (D & CP) [as G. ventricosis]
  • Benjamin: plate 12 (CP)
  • Breitenbach & Kränzlin (vol. 5): sp. 144 (D, I, & CP) [as G. junonius]
  • Jordan: p. 279 (D & CP)
  • Lincoff: p. 623 (D), plate 214 (CP)
  • McKenny et al.: p. 129 (D & CP)
  • Miller: sp. 227 (D & CP)
  • Phillips: p. 172 (D), p. 173 (CP) [as G. ventricosis]
  • Smith & Weber: sp. 187 (D & CP)
  • Smith & Weber: sp. 188 (D & CP) [as G. ventricosis]
  
  

  (D=Description; I=Illustration; P=Photo; CP=Color Photo)