View A43-1112-1979-eng.pdf

POLYPORACEAE
2 in. broad, somewhat fan-shaped, whitish to gray, smooth, margin often split
or lobed, taste sHghtly peppery, tubes white, decurrent, very short, spores
white, smooth, broadly ellipsoid to ovoid, 5-7 X 3.5-5 /x.
Arising from a buried sclerotium, usually around hardwood stumps. Not
common. Sept.
This species is sometimes called the hen of the woods because the mass of
imbricated gray pilei suggests a hen on a nest. It is said to be of good flavor.
P. umbellatus (Pers.) Fr. has a more definite, central, stem-hke mass from
which the stipes arise, the pilei are more circular and centrally depressed, and
the spores are cylindric. It is also said to be edible.
POLYPORUS OVINUS (Schaeff.) Fr. Edible
Figure 353, page 253
pileus 1 Yi-S
in. broad, white or whitish, becoming yellowish in age, con-
vex to expanded or sometimes depressed, smooth or surface becoming cracked.
FLESH white, becoming yellowish, rather tough, taste and odor mild and pleas-
ant, tubes whitish to yellowish, short, decurrent. stipe 1-3 in. long, )4-% iii-
thick, central to excentric, white, somewhat bulbous, spores white, smooth,
broadly elhpsoid to subglobose, 3.5-4 X 2.5-3.5 /x-
On the ground in coniferous woods, not common. July-Oct.
This is reported to be a good edible species but is not found often. P. con-
Huens (Alb. & Schw.) Fr. differs in becoming reddish when old or on drying. It
is also said to be edible. P. griseus Peck is a whitish to smoky gray species
with shghtly larger, rough spores.
POLYPORUS RESINOSUS Schrad. ex Fr. Edible when young
Figure 354, page 253
PILEUS 2^4-10 in. long, 1J4-6 in. broad, sessile or effused-reflexed, shelf-
like or bracket-Hke, dark brown to blackish brown, at first velvety-tomentose,
becoming nearly glabrous, sometimes radiately furrowed, the margin thick,
exuding drops of water when young, flesh thick, straw-colored, watery when
young, becoming tough and corky when mature, tubes whitish, becoming
brown when bruised, small, stipe lacking, spores allantoid, smooth, 4-7 X
1.5-2 M.
On old logs and stumps of hardwoods or conifers. Aug.-Nov.
The form on conifers is regarded by some as a distinct species, P. benzoi-
nus (Wahl.) Fr., but it is at least very close to P. resinosus. This species has also
been reported as edible when young but soon becomes tough. The velvety
brown fruiting bodies are attractive in appearance.
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