Sarah Brown
Shelf mushrooms, also known as shelf fungi, are a type of mushroom that forms shelflike sporophores (spore-producing organs). They are commonly found growing on trees or fallen logs in damp woodlands. They can grow to be very large, with some specimens reaching a diameter of 40 cm or more. Shelf mushrooms are identified by their large fruiting bodies with pores or tubes on the underside and are typically woody or leathery in texture. They are known to cause severe damage to cut lumber and stands of timber. Some shelf mushrooms are edible, such as the sulphur shelf or chicken-of-the-woods, while others are used in traditional medicine or as a substrate for drawings.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common Names | Turkey Tail, Chicken of the Woods, Sulphur Shelf, Shelf Fungus, Shelf Mushrooms, Bracket Fungi, Polypore |
| Scientific Names | Trametes versicolor, Laetiporus sulphureus, Fomitiporia ellipsoidea, Fomes fomentarius, Ganoderma applanatum, Ganoderma lucidum, Piptoporus betulinus, Grifola frondosa, Hemlock Varnish Shelf, Birch Polypore, Birch Bracket, Beefsteak Fungus, Dryad's Saddle, Birch Polypore, Birch Bracket, Artist's Conk, Hen-of-the-Woods, Sheep's Head |
| Habitat | Commonly found on trees (living and dead) or fallen logs in damp woodlands. |
| Appearance | Striking colours, large fruiting bodies with pores or tubes on the underside, woody or leathery texture, some with short stems. |
| Uses | Food, traditional medicine, art, oil lamp wicks, leather-like material, tinder |
| Caveats | Some are toxic and inedible, causing nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and diarrhoea. |
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What You'll Learn
- Shelf mushrooms are a type of fungus that form shelves or brackets to produce spores
- They are commonly found growing on trees or fallen logs in damp woodlands
- They can cause severe damage to cut lumber and stands of timber
- Some shelf mushrooms are edible, but most are not due to their tough texture
- They are known as polypores because the spore-producing cells line pores
Shelf mushrooms are a type of fungus that form shelves or brackets to produce spores
Shelf mushrooms, also known as polypores, are a type of fungus that forms shelves or brackets to produce spores. They are commonly found growing on trees, coarse woody debris, or fallen logs in damp woodlands. Unlike the mushrooms typically consumed, shelf fungi often lack a stem or have a very short stem, and they can grow to a large size, with some specimens reaching diameters of 40 cm or more. The largest recorded fruiting body of a shelf fungus was discovered in Hainan Island, China, measuring an impressive 10.8 meters in length and weighing between 400 and 500 kilograms.
Shelf mushrooms are characterised by their unique growth form, which defines them rather than their phylogeny. This means that they can belong to multiple clades, and modern DNA-based evolutionary classification places polypores across at least 12 orders. Polypores are further distinguished by their pore structure, which gives them their name, derived from the Greek words "poly", meaning "much" or "many", and "poros", meaning "pore". These pores are found on the underside of the mushroom's large fruiting bodies, which can be either perennial or annual. Perennial fruiting bodies can grow for over 80 years, while most species of polypores develop new, short-lived fruit bodies annually or several times a year.
The spores produced by shelf mushrooms are called basidiospores, and they are formed within the pores that typically make up the undersurface of the mushroom. These spores are released and dispersed through the pores, contributing to the fungus's reproductive strategy. The pores themselves are lined with spore-producing cells, and this feature sets polypores apart from other types of mushrooms. Additionally, shelf mushrooms are known for their toughness and sturdy structure, which results from the interwoven thick-walled hyphae that construct the shelves.
While some shelf mushrooms are dull in colour, many exhibit beautiful and vibrant patterns, making them aesthetically appealing. Among the most famous shelf mushrooms are the "turkey tails" (Trametes versicolor), known for their stunning patterns and use in traditional medicine, and the "chicken of the woods" (Laetiporus sulphureus), which is considered a delicacy and can be prepared similarly to chicken. However, it is important to exercise caution when consuming wild mushrooms, as some people have reported stomach upsets after eating certain species.
Shelf mushrooms play a significant ecological role in speeding up the rotting of wood, which is beneficial for forests but detrimental to the lumber industry. They can cause extensive damage to cut lumber and stands of timber, and once a tree develops shelf fungi, it is impossible to eradicate them. Additionally, shelf mushrooms provide a unique micro-habitat for various animals, including spiders, mites, and insects, contributing to the creation of a complex food web within their ecosystem.
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They are commonly found growing on trees or fallen logs in damp woodlands
Shelf mushrooms, also known as shelf fungi, are commonly found growing on trees or fallen logs in damp woodlands. They are basidiomycetes that form shelflike sporophores (spore-producing organs). They are called polypores because the spore-producing cells line pores. They differ from other mushrooms in that they do not have stems or only have very short stems.
Shelf fungi are often found on living and dead trees and coarse woody debris, and they may resemble mushrooms. They are typically woody or leathery in texture, and some can be fleshy. They can grow to be very large, with sizes of 40 cm or more in diameter being quite common. The largest fruiting body ever recorded for a fungus was a shelf fungus discovered in 2010 on Hainan Island in southern China. It had a fruiting body that measured 10.8 metres in length and 82–88 cm in width and weighed an estimated 400–500 kg.
Shelf fungi are known to speed up the rotting of wood, which can be beneficial for forests but detrimental for the lumber industry. They can cause significant damage to cut lumber and stands of timber. Once a tree has developed shelf fungi, it is impossible to eradicate them. Some common types of shelf fungi include turkey tails, chicken of the woods, and artist's conk.
Shelf fungi also provide a unique microhabitat for various animals, including spiders, mites, and insects. Large shelves can be inhabited by specialised insects, such as slim beetles that fit inside the pores to hide and eat spores. This creates a food web, with spiders and certain insects preying on other smaller insects like fly larvae.
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They can cause severe damage to cut lumber and stands of timber
Shelf fungi are commonly found growing on trees, fallen logs, and coarse woody debris in damp woodlands. They are known as polypores because the cells that produce their spores line pores or tubes on the underside of the fungus. These pores make them different from other mushrooms, which do not typically have them. Polypores are further distinguished by their lack of a stem or only a very short stem.
Shelf fungi can cause severe damage to cut lumber and stands of timber. They feed on dead wood, speeding up its decomposition and causing it to rot. Once a tree has developed shelf fungi, there is no way to eradicate them, and the fungus will continue to grow larger each season. This can result in significant financial losses for the lumber industry due to reduced wood production and lumber decay.
The size of shelf fungi can vary, with specimens 40 cm (16 inches) or more in diameter being relatively common. In some cases, they can grow much larger, such as the specimen of Fomitiporia ellipsoidea discovered in China, which had a fruiting body that measured 10.8 meters in length and weighed an estimated 400-500 kg.
The presence of shelf fungi on a tree is often a sign that the tree is already decaying or endangered. For example, finding the Sulphur Shelf or Chicken of the Woods mushroom on a living oak tree indicates that the tree is subject to decay. Similarly, the Northern Tooth Fungus, which grows on maple and birch trees, signifies that the heartwood or live wood at the center of the tree is already decomposing.
While some shelf fungi are edible and prized for their medicinal properties, most are inedible due to their tough texture. Additionally, some species of shelf fungi are poisonous and can cause negative side effects such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and diarrhea. Therefore, it is essential to properly identify any shelf fungi before consuming them and to consult a physician when deciding on the use of any herbal supplement derived from these fungi.
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Some shelf mushrooms are edible, but most are not due to their tough texture
Shelf mushrooms, or shelf fungi, are a type of basidiomycete fungus that forms shelflike structures called sporophores, which are spore-producing organs. They are commonly found growing on trees, coarse woody debris, or fallen logs in damp woodlands. They can also be found on the forest floor. These mushrooms are characterised by their large size, with diameters of 40 cm or more being relatively common. They typically have a woody or leathery texture and often lack a stem, although some may have a short lateral stem.
The inedible shelf mushrooms are often ground into a powder and used in herbal medicine. Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) is known for its beautiful patterns and is used in traditional medicine. Artist's Conk (Ganoderma applanatum) is used as a substrate for drawings and also has medicinal properties. Shelf mushrooms play an important ecological role in speeding up the rotting of wood, which is beneficial for forests but detrimental to the lumber industry.
Identifying shelf mushrooms can be done through visual inspection and by considering the type of tree they are found on. For example, the Sulphur Shelf variety is often associated with oak trees, while the Hemlock Varnish Shelf is commonly found on Eastern Hemlock trees. It is important to exercise caution when consuming any wild mushrooms, and proper identification is crucial as some mushrooms can be poisonous.
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They are known as polypores because the spore-producing cells line pores
Shelf fungi are commonly found growing on trees or fallen logs in damp woodlands. They are often large, with a diameter of 40 cm or more, and are typically woody, circular, shelf- or bracket-shaped. They are also known as polypores because the spore-producing cells line pores. The pores make them different from other mushrooms, and they also differ in not having a stem or only having a very short stem.
The name "polypore" is derived from the Greek words "poly", meaning "much" or "many", and "poros", meaning "pore". Polypores are a morphological group of basidiomycete-like gilled mushrooms and hydnoid fungi that form large fruiting bodies called conks. Conks are typically woody, circular, shelf- or bracket-shaped, with pores or tubes on the underside. They lie in a close planar grouping of separate or interconnected horizontal rows. Brackets can range from only a single row of a few caps to dozens of rows of caps that can weigh several hundred pounds.
Most polypores inhabit tree trunks or branches and consume the wood, but some soil-inhabiting species form mycorrhiza with trees. They are mainly found on trees (living and dead) and coarse woody debris and may resemble mushrooms. Some form annual fruiting bodies while others are perennial and grow larger year after year. Bracket fungi are typically tough and sturdy and produce their spores, called basidiospores, within the pores that typically make up the undersurface.
Some polypores have been used for ritual and utilitarian purposes for ages. For example, the tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius) has been used as tinder since at least the time of Ötzi the Iceman, and it has also been used to make a material similar to leather. Artist's Conk (Ganoderma applanatum) is used as a substrate for drawings, as fresh specimens develop dark brown lines when drawn upon with a stylus. These lines become permanent when the specimen is dried.
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Frequently asked questions
Shelf mushrooms, also known as shelf fungi, are a type of mushroom that forms shelves or brackets to produce spores above the ground. They are commonly found growing on trees or fallen logs in damp woodlands.
Shelf mushrooms typically have a woody or leathery texture and are often colourful, with some varieties featuring striking circles of colour on top. They can grow to be very large, with specimens 40 cm or more in diameter being quite common.
Some shelf mushrooms are edible, such as chicken of the woods, sulphur shelf, and hen-of-the-woods. However, it is important to exercise caution as some people have reported stomach upsets after consuming these mushrooms. Most shelf mushrooms are inedible due to their tough texture.
