''Peniophora incarnata'', the rosy crust fungus, is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
Basidiomycota
Basidiomycota () is one of two large divisions that, together with the Ascomycota, constitute the subkingdom Dikarya (often referred to as the "higher fungi") within the kingdom Fungi. Members are known as basidiomycetes. More specifically, Basi ...
l
fungus
A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from th ...
in the order
Russulales
The Russulales are an order of the Agaricomycetes, (which include the agaric genera ''Russula'' and '' Lactarius'' and their polyporoid and corticioid relatives). According to the ''Dictionary of the Fungi'' (10th edition, 2008), the order con ...
and family
Peniophoraceae
The Peniophoraceae are a family of fungi in the order Russulales. Species of this family have a cosmopolitan distribution and are mostly saprobic
Saprotrophic nutrition or lysotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellul ...
. It is a
resupinate
Resupination is derived from the Latin word ''resupinus'', meaning "bent back
with the face upward" or "on the back". "Resupination" is the noun form of the adjective "resupine" which means "being upside-down, supine or facing upward".
The word " ...
, or crust-like species, that grows on the surface of bark. In Scandinavia it grows on a range of deciduous hosts and less often on coniferous trees.
Description
The fruit bodies of ''P. incarnata'' are resupinate, adnate and membranous, up to 200 μm thick. They start as small colonies but these may later coalesce. The hymenial surface is orange or red to reddish-brown, smooth, continuous and uncracked; the margin is thinner, curled and white or pale orange or red. The base of the fruit body is composed of brown
hypha
A hypha (; ) is a long, branching, filamentous structure of a fungus, oomycete, or actinobacterium. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium.
Structure
A hypha consists of one or ...
e, with
clamp connection
A clamp connection is a hook-like structure formed by growing hyphal cells of certain fungi. It is a characteristic feature of Basidiomycetes fungi. It is created to ensure that each cell, or segment of hypha separated by septa (cross walls), rece ...
s, and moderately thick cell walls, measuring 3.2 to 4.5 μm in width. The
basidiospore
A basidiospore is a reproductive spore produced by Basidiomycete fungi, a grouping that includes mushrooms, shelf fungi, rusts, and smuts. Basidiospores typically each contain one haploid nucleus that is the product of meiosis, and they are pro ...
s are cylindrical.
Ecology
''Peniophora incarnata'' is sometimes parasitised by the
yellow brain fungus (''
Tremella mesenterica
''Tremella mesenterica'' ( common names include yellow brain, golden jelly fungus, yellow trembler, and witches' butter) is a common jelly fungus in the family Tremellaceae of the Agaricomycotina. It is most frequently found on dead but attached ...
'').
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q10708038
Russulales