Spongipellis unicolor

[ Basidiomycetes > Polyporales > Hapalopilaceae > Spongipellis . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

Spongipellis unicolor is kind of a big, doinky doofus among the polypores. Its large, spongy, buff-colored cap usually appears alone, on the side of an oak tree. Its pore surface is composed of large, angular pores that can become slot-like or even tooth-like in old age. It causes a white trunkrot, and while it is not often mentioned in field guides (perhaps because it's too much of a doofus?), it can be found wherever oaks occur on our continent.

Description:

Ecology: Parasitic on living oaks and occasionally on other hardwoods; appearing on the side of the tree, above ground; causing a white trunkrot; annual; usually growing alone; widely distributed in North America where oak species occur.

Cap: Up to 30 cm across and 20 cm deep; semicircular to kidney-shaped; convex; finely hairy to velvety, becoming finely velvety, matted, or bald; buff to pale brownish; without zones; the margin thick and rounded.

Pore Surface: Creamy, sometimes becoming dull yellowish with age; not bruising; with large, angular pores that measure 1-2 mm across and sometimes become slot-like or tooth-like with age, especially near the point of attachment; tubes 1.5-3 cm deep.

Stem: Absent.

Flesh: Whitish; faintly zoned; spongy above and corky below.

Spore Print: Presumably white.

Microscopic Features: Spores 7-9 x 6-7 µ; smooth; broadly ellipsoid to ovoid; hyaline in KOH; inamyloid. Cystidia absent. Hyphal system monomitic; hyphae with conspicuous clamps and frequent branching.

Tyromyces unicolor and Polyporus obtusus are synonyms.

REFERENCES: (Schweinitz, 1822) Murrill, 1907. (Saccardo, 1888; Overholts, 1953; Smith, Smith & Weber, 1981; Gilbertson & Ryvarden, 1987.)

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Kuo, M. (2010, March). Spongipellis unicolor. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/spongipellis_unicolor.html