Albatrellus ovinus
Species of fungus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Albatrellus ovinus is a terrestrial fungus found in Europe and North America. Although commonly known as sheep polypore, this fungus is not phylogenetically related to Polyporales (shelf fungi).
| Albatrellus ovinus | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Russulales |
| Family: | Albatrellaceae |
| Genus: | Albatrellus |
| Species: | A. ovinus |
| Binomial name | |
| Albatrellus ovinus (Schaeff.) Kotl. & Pouzar | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
| Albatrellus ovinus | |
|---|---|
| Mycological characteristics | |
 | Pores on hymenium |
 | Cap is convex or flat |
 | Hymenium is decurrent |
 | Stipe is bare |
 | Spore print is white |
 | Ecology is mycorrhizal |
 | Edibility is edible |
It similar to A. subrubescens, from which it may be distinguished microscopically.
Description
The cap is 4–20 centimetres (1+1⁄2–8 in) wide, convex then flat or depressed, and white then tan or pinkish. The surface is dry and smooth but cracks with age.[1] The whitish stalk is 2.5–10 cm (1–4 in) tall and 1–4 cm (3⁄8–1+5⁄8 in) wide, perhaps branching, with an equal or larger base.[1][2] The spore print is white.[2]
Similar species
The inedible, closely related and comparatively rare Albatrellus subrubescens[3] has subtle color differences from A. ovinus, and the only spores of the former are amyloid.[4][5]
Also similar are Albatrellus flettii, Jahnoporus hirtus, Scutiger ellisii, and S. pes-caprae.[1]
Distribution and habitat
It is found in northern Europe and in North America. In the latter, it is found from the Pacific Northwest to Northern California, in addition to the Mountain states, the Great Lakes area, the Appalachians, and the Northeast.[2]
