Phlebia tremellosa (formerly Merulius tremellosus), commonly known as trembling Merulius or jelly rot, is a species of fungus in the family Meruliaceae. It is a common and widely distributed wood-decay fungus that grows on the rotting wood of both hardwood and conifer plants.

Phlebia tremellosa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Polyporales
Family: Meruliaceae
Genus: Phlebia
Species:
P. tremellosa
Binomial name
Phlebia tremellosa
(Schrad.) Nakasone & Burds. (1984)
Synonyms[1]
  • Merulius tremellosus Schrad. (1794)
  • Xylomyzon tremellosum (Schrad.) Pers. (1825)
  • Merulius tremellosus var. spongiosus Fr. (1828)
  • Merulius tremellosus var. pallidus Weinm. (1836)
  • Merulius tremellosus subsp. spongiosus (Fr.) Sacc. (1888)
  • Sesia tremellosa (Schrad.) Kuntze (1891)
  • Merulius spongiosus (Fr.) Mussat (1901)
  • Merulius imbricatus Balf.-Browne (1955)

Taxonomy

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The fungus was originally described in 1794 by German botanist Heinrich Adolf Schrader, who called it Merulius tremellosus.[2] Nakasone and Burdsall transferred the taxon to the genus Phlebia in 1984, when they placed Merulius in synonymy.[3]

It is commonly known as the "trembling Merulius",[4] or "jelly rot".[5]

Description

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Fruit bodies of the fungus are fan-shaped to semicircular, measuring 2–4 cm (341+58 in) wide by 5–10 cm (2–3+78 in) long. They have a spongy to fibrous texture, comprising stalkless caps or spreading crusts. The upper surface, white to pale yellow in colour, can be dry to moist, and hairy to woolly; the margin is usually white to translucent.[6] The undersurface, bearing the fertile hymenium, features radiating to wrinkled ridges and cross veins, and often forms pore-like depressions on mature specimens. Its colour is yellowish orange or pinkish orange. The flesh of this fungus is about 2 mm thick, with a fleshy to gelatinous texture and white to yellowish colour.[4]

In Dutch, the mushroom is known as bacon-pork rind mushroom because of the resembling with a piece of bacon.[7] It is inedible.[8]

Habitat and distribution

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Phlebia tremellosa is found in Asia, Europe, North Africa, North America, and South America. It is a white rot species that grows on the stumps, fallen branches, and logs of both hardwoods and conifers.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "GSD Species Synonymy: Phlebia tremellosa (Schrad.) Nakasone & Burds". Species Fungorum. Kew Mycology. Retrieved 2018-04-12.
  2. ^ Schrader, H.A. (1794). Spicilegium Florae Germanicae (in Latin). Hanover: Impensis C. Ritsdheri. p. 139.
  3. ^ Nakasone, K.K.; Burdsall Jr, H.H. (1984). "Merulius, a synonym of Phlebia". Mycotaxon. 21: 241–246.
  4. ^ a b Bessette, A.E.; Roody, W.C.; Bessette, A.R. (2007). Mushrooms of the Southeastern United States. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press. p. 329. ISBN 978-0815631125.
  5. ^ a b Roberts, P.; Evans, S. (2011). The Book of Fungi. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. p. 428. ISBN 978-0-226-72117-0.
  6. ^ Trudell, Steve; Ammirati, Joe (2009). Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest. Timber Press Field Guides. Portland, OR: Timber Press. p. 266. ISBN 978-0-88192-935-5.
  7. ^ "Boter en spekzwoerd". www.heijen.info.
  8. ^ Miller Jr., Orson K.; Miller, Hope H. (2006). North American Mushrooms: A Field Guide to Edible and Inedible Fungi. Guilford, CN: FalconGuides. p. 434. ISBN 978-0-7627-3109-1.
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