Fomitopsis mounceae

Fomitopsis mounceae
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Polyporales
Family:	Fomitopsidaceae
Genus:	Fomitopsis
Species:	F. mounceae
Binomial name
Fomitopsis mounceae Haight & Nakasone (2019)

Fomitopsis mounceae Mycological characteristics
	Pores on hymenium
	No distinct cap
	Hymenium attachment is irregular or not applicable
	Lacks a stipe
	Spore print is white
	Ecology is saprotrophic or parasitic
	Edibility is inedible

Fomitopsis mounceae is a North American species of shelf fungus.

Taxonomy

Originally thought to be identical to the red-belted conk, studies show that it is in fact a discrete species. ^[1] The original specimen was isolated from Edson, Alberta on a poplar tree. This species was named after Canadian mycologist Irene Mounce. ^[1]

Description

Fomitopsis mounceae is typically fan-like in shape, with distinct bands usually brown or red in colour. ^[1] It can have a resinous, sticky coating. ^[1] As the conks age, they often become bumpy or warty. ^[1] The cap is 8–25 centimetres (3–10 in) wide and 5–12 cm (2–4+1⁄2 in) thick at the base. ^[2]

The underside of the conk is typically white or yellow in colour, with 3–6 round pores per millimetre. ^[1] If broken open, the inside is yellowish, ^[2] or sometimes woody and brown, with no distinct bands. ^[1] It stains brown in KOH.

The spore print is whitish to cream. ^[2]

Similar species

Fomitopsis ochracea is very similar but always lacks a red, orange or yellow zone; F. ochracea chars if burnt, while F. mounceae melts. Fomitopsis schrenkii is found in the Southwest. ^[2] Ganoderma applanatum usually lacks a blackish zone on the cap and its pores stain dark brown. Species of Fomes are usually taller than wide. ^[2]

Habitat and distribution

The perennial woody conk causes cubical brown rot typical of Fomitopsis . It favours aspen or conifer trees. ^[2] It is a detritivore, and does not typically grow on live trees. It typically grows at lower elevations than F. schrenkii. ^[1]

It is distributed across Canada and the northern United States, as far south as northern California. ^[1]

References

1. Haight, John-Erich; Nakasone, Karen K.; Laursen, Gary A.; Redhead, Scott A.; Taylor, D. Lee; Glaeser, Jessie A. (2019-03-04). "Fomitopsis mounceae and F. schrenkii—two new species from North America in the F. pinicola complex". Mycologia. 111 (2): 339–357. doi:10.1080/00275514.2018.1564449. ISSN   0027-5514. PMID   30908115. S2CID   85515024.
2. Audubon (2023). Mushrooms of North America. Knopf. p. 260. ISBN   978-0-593-31998-7.