''Laetiporus conifericola'' is a species of

polypore Polypores are a group of fungi that form large fruiting bodies with pores or tubes on the underside (see Delimitation for exceptions). They are a morphological group of basidiomycetes-like gilled mushrooms and hydnoid fungi, and not all polyp ...

fungus in the family Fomitopsidaceae. It is found in western North America ranging from

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...

, where it grows as a plant pathogen on conifer trees, particularly fir, spruce, and hemlock.

Fruit bodies The sporocarp (also known as fruiting body, fruit body or fruitbody) of fungi is a multicellular structure on which spore-producing structures, such as basidia or asci, are borne. The fruitbody is part of the sexual phase of a fungal life cyc ...

of the fungus comprise overlapping pore-bearing plates, measuring collectively up to across, and up to thick. Their color ranges from bright orange to salmon orange on the upper surface of the

cap A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. Caps typically have a visor, or no brim at all. They are popular in casual and informal se ...

and stipe, with a yellow pore surface on the cap underside.

Spores In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, ...

are egg-shaped, smooth, hyaline (translucent), and measure 6.5–8.0 by 4.0–5.0 μm. The species has a pleasant odour when fresh. The species was described as new to science in 2001 by mycologists Harold H. Burdsall and Mark T. Banik. The type collection was made in

Kenai Peninsula The Kenai Peninsula ( Dena'ina: ''Yaghenen'') is a large peninsula jutting from the coast of Southcentral Alaska. The name Kenai (, ) is derived from the word "Kenaitze" or "Kenaitze Indian Tribe", the name of the Native Athabascan Alaskan trib ...

, Alaska, in October 1999. ''L. conifericola'' is distinguished from other ''

Laetiporus ''Laetiporus'' is a genus of edible mushrooms found throughout much of the world. Some species, especially ''Laetiporus sulphureus'', are commonly known as sulphur shelf, chicken of the woods, the chicken mushroom, or the chicken fungus because ...

'' species by its growth on conifers. Until its confirmation as a distinct species, it was frequently misidentified as the eastern North American species '' L. sulphureus'', which grows on hardwoods. '' L. gilbertsonii'' is also similar. ''L. conifericola'' is generally considered

edible An edible item is any item that is safe for humans to eat. "Edible" is differentiated from "eatable" because it does not indicate how an item tastes, only whether it is fit to be eaten. Nonpoisonous items found in nature – such as some mushroo ...

, but some people have reported having gastrointestinal upset after consuming the fungus. Young specimens with soft flesh or the fresh margins of older fruit bodies are best for eating, and thorough cooking is recommended.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q21177688 Fungi described in 2001 Fungi of North America Fungal plant pathogens and diseases conifericola Edible fungi