Albatrellus ovinus (Schaeff.: Fr.) Murrill
sheep polypore
Albatrellaceae
Species account author: Ian Gibson.
Extracted from Matchmaker: Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.
Introduction to the Macrofungi
sheep polypore
Albatrellaceae
Species account author: Ian Gibson.
Extracted from Matchmaker: Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.
Introduction to the Macrofungi
Species Information
Summary:
Features include a cream to buff cap with pale yellow color in the cracks, small white to pale yellow pores, a shallow tube layer, a central to lateral stem, and growth on the ground. Albatrellus avellaneus and Albatrellus subrubescens have colors that overlap and those species are reliably differentiated by their spores.
Odor:
aromatic with pleasant odor (Gilbertson), mild (Lincoff(2)), somewhat acid, fruity, (Lincoff(1))
Taste:
mild, sometimes bitterish (Lincoff(2)), sweet, of almonds, sometimes a little bitter, (Lincoff(1))
Microscopic:
spores (3.6)4.0-4.8(5.0) x (2.8)3.2-3.8 microns, (Ginns(1)), spores 4-5 x 3-3.5 microns, oval to nearly round, smooth, inamyloid, colorless, with slightly thickened walls, (Gilbertson); basidia 4-spored, 20-26 x 5-7 microns, simple-septate at base, often bent sharply at base; cystidia absent; hyphae monomitic, hyphae of context highly variable in width with irregular swellings and constrictions, ranging from 4-30 microns wide, thin-walled, simple-septate, with frequent branching, gloeoplerous hyphae also present, up to 13 microns wide, refractive in Melzer''s reagent, often sinuous and with bulbous swellings, hyphae of trama more uniform in width, 2.5-4 microns wide, simple-septate, with occasional branching, "amyloid reactions in context and trama in scattered areas, large, irregular golden brown globules exuded from tissue in Melzer''s reagent", (Gilbertson)
Spore Deposit:
white (Arora)
Notes:
It is found in BC, WA, OR, ID, AB, MB, ON, PQ, AZ, CA, CO, MA, ME, MT, NM, NY, TN, UT, VT, WI, and circumboreal, (Gilbertson).
EDIBILITY
edible when cooked well, but large quantities can have laxative effects (Arora)
Habitat and Range
SIMILAR SPECIES
Albatrellus avellaneus has larger spores measuring (4.6)5.0-5.6(5.8) x (3.4)3.6-4.2(4.4) microns (Ginns(1)). Albatrellus subrubescens has amyloid spores (measuring (4.0)4.2-5.4(5.6) x 3.2-4.0 microns (Ginns(1))). Albatrellopsis confluens is generally larger and has pinkish buff coloration and clamp connections, but the two species may develop together in one location (Gilbertson). A. confluens becomes orange to pinkish cinnamon when old or when dried and has slightly larger, weakly amyloid spores and a bitter taste, (Arora). A. confluens is typically clustered, with orange-tinted caps and bitter flavor, (Lincoff(2)). See also SIMILAR section of Albatrellus avellaneus and Albatrellus subrubescens.Habitat
annual; single to scattered or gregarious, sometimes in fused clusters, on ground in mixed woods and under conifers, (Arora), on ground in coniferous forest, (Gilbertson), late summer and fall (Miller)
Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Athelia fuscostratum (Burt) Donk
Corticium fuscostratum Burt
Polyporus ovinus (Schaeff.) Fr.