Phyllotopsis nidulans (Pers.: Fries) Singer
Beih. bot. Zbl.(B)56: 143. 1936.

Common Name: none

• Pileus

  Fruiting body 2-8 cm broad, fan-shaped, convex with an incurved margin, becoming nearly plane, the margin then often wavy; surface hygrophanous, moist, densely tomentose, pale apricot-brown to buff-brown, lighter in age; flesh thin, pliant to tough, buff-brown, unchanging; odor skunk-like; taste unpleasant; stipe and veil absent.

• Lamellae

  Gills radiating from a sessile attachment point, close, relatively narrow, pale orange-buff, darkening slightly in age.

• Spores

  Spores 4.5-6.5 x 2-2.5 µm, bean-shaped, smooth, inamyloid; spore print pale salmon-pink.

• Habitat

  Clustered or forming overlapping shelves on log and branches of hardwoods and conifers; fruiting from mid to late winter.

• Edibility

  Unknown and unlikely to change due to a tough context and fetid odor.

• Comments

  This fleshy shelf fungus looks like and was once placed in Pleurotus, but was moved into its own genus because of spore and context differences. The skunk-like odor and pale orange, tomentose cap easily distinguish it from any of our local Panus or Crepidotus species.

• References

  Bas, C., Kyper, T.W., Noordeloos, M.E. & Vellinga, E.C. (1990). Flora Agaricina Neerlandica -- Critical monographs on the families of agarics and boleti occuring in the Netherlands. Volume 2. Pluteaceae, Tricholomataceae. A. A. Balkema: Rotterdam, Netherlands. 137 p.
  Watling, R. & Gregory, N.M. (1989). British Fungus Flora: Agarics and Boleti. Vol 6. Crepidotaceae and other pleurotoid agarics. Royal Botanic Garden: Edinburgh, Scotland. 157 p.

• Other Descriptions and Photos
  • Fred Stevens: Phyllotopsis nidulans (CP)
  • Fred Stevens: Phyllotopsis nidulans (CP)
  • Fred Stevens: Phyllotopsis nidulans (CP)
  • Fred Stevens: Phyllotopsis nidulans (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Phyllotopsis nidulans (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Phyllotopsis nidulans (CP) -- closeup of the gills
  • Michael Wood: Phyllotopsis nidulans (CP) -- very young sporocarps!
  • Michael Wood: Phyllotopsis nidulans (CP) -- cap
  • Michael Wood: Phyllotopsis nidulans (CP) -- closeup of the gills & cap margin -- young specimens
  • Boleslaw Kuznik -- Hunting for Mushrooms: Phyllotopsis nidulans (CP)
  • Agaricales of the Costa Rican Quercus Forests: Phyllotopsis nidulans (D & CP)
  • George Barron's Fungi of Canada (East): Phyllotopsis nidulans (D & CP)
  • Mushroom Observer: Phyllotopsis nidulans (CP)
  • Arora (1986): p. 140 (D & P)
  • Lincoff: p. 791 (D), plate 500 (CP)
  • Miller: sp. 95 (D & CP)
  • Phillips: p. 211 (D & CP)
  • Smith (1975): sp. 84 (D & CP)
  • Smith & Weber: sp. 139 (D & CP)
  
  

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