The fungus has a wide distribution, having been recorded in Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America.[7] In Britain, its range has been rapidly increasing with 78% of all records of P. crispa in the FRDBI (Fungal Records Database of Britain & Ireland) being from after the year 2000, many of which are in areas with no previous recordings of the species.[4]
Taxonomy
Originally described in 1794 by Persoon as Merulius fagineus, he then reclassified it in 1800 as Merulius crispus.[4] Then, in 1821, Fries proceeded to move it into Cantharellus but later, in 1862, had second thoughts and moved it to Trogia,[4] a genus composed of several tropical species with similar hymenial ridges.
In 1872, the American mycologistPeck described a new genus Plicatura (from plicate = folded) for the American fungus P. alni. This fungus had already been described in Europe by Fries as Merulius niveus.[4] This caused Karsten to produce the combination Plicatura nivea. Then, in 1922, Carleton Rea abandoned the genus Trogia and moved T. crispa into Plicatura in his book British Basdiomycetae.[4]
In 1964, Derek Reid emphasized the morphological differences between both of these Plicatura species and erected a new monotypic genus Plicaturopsis for P. crispa.[4]
Molecular findings
On the basis of a six-gene study, Binder and colleagues (2010)[8] erected a new order called Amylocorticales that confirmed the previous relationships[8] suggested in Eriksson et al (1981). P. crispa undoubtedly belongs within this group and this new order is sister to the Agaricales.[4]
Its worth noting that Merulius, Cantharellus, Trogia, and Plicatura are not closely related as previously thought but are instead from various different orders[4] (Polporales, Cantharellales, Agaricales, and Amylocorticales respectively).
Description
It forms clusters on typically deciduous trees on decomposing branches.[9][5] Fruit bodies are generally 1-3 cm in length with bracket-like semi-circular shell shapes. Upper surface is normally concentrically zoned getting paler as it approaches the edge. Underside is made up of pale forked folds, giving a gill-like appearance.[6] It produces white spores[6][5] which are small, narrow allantoid, weakly amyloid, and only 3–4.5 x 1–1.2 μm.[4]
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