Coniophora fusispora (Cooke & Ellis) Sacc.
no common name
Coniophoraceae

Species account author: Ian Gibson.
Extracted from Matchmaker: Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.

Introduction to the Macrofungi

Photograph

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Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Coniophora fusispora
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Species Information

Summary:
Features include 1) resupinate growth on wood and on plant debris, 2) inconspicuous fruitbodies that are soft, easily separated, cream to brownish, usually developing in small patches of mycelium, extending up to 5cm, the margin whitish with coarse hyphal strands, 3) long fusiform spores that are slightly to strongly curved at base, smooth, dextrinoid, and golden brown in KOH, 4) hyphidia the same length as the elongated basidia but even narrower, and 5) a monomitic hyphal system, the hyphae mostly without clamp connections, but some with single, double, or multiple clamp connections.
Microscopic:
SPORES 15-17.5 x 5.5-7 microns, fusiform, slightly to strongly curved at base, smooth, dextrinoid, golden-brown in KOH, thick-walled; BASIDIA 2-4-spored, 90-110 microns long and 10-12 microns wide at widest point, elongated, cylindric, with narrowed base, large droplets in cytoplasm, no clamp connection at base; HYPHIDIA 90-110 x 3-5.5 microns, cylindric, thin-walled, not encrusted, without clamp connection at base, occasionally septate; HYPHAE monomitic, "hyphae of strands thin-walled, hyaline, mostly simple-septate, but some with single, double, or multiple clamps, the larger hyphae with multiple clamps up to 18 microns in diam, the others 4-7 microns in diam", SUBICULAR HYPHAE "mostly simple-septate, with occasional branching, thin-walled, hyaline, 3-9 microns in diam", (Gilbertson), SPORES 18-21 x 5-6 microns, fusiform, tapering at both ends, curved at the base, giving color to the fruitbody; CYSTIDIA none; the layer next to the substrate composed of hyphae 4-5 microns wide, loosely and longitudinally arranged, colorless, thin-walled, sometimes granule-encrusted, sometimes forming rope-like strands 20-25 microns wide, (Burt)
Notes:
It has been found in in BC, WA, OR, NS, ON, AL, FL, MA, NH, NJ, NY, (Ginns).

Habitat and Range

SIMILAR SPECIES
Coniophora olivacea has smaller elliptic spores and cystidia (Luther(4)).
Habitat
"Occasionally associated with butt rot in live conifers; basidiomes produced near the base of live trees; dead fallen trunks; sound or well-rotted wood and bark; leaves; needles and debris on the ground; associated with a brown rot"; hosts include Juniperus virginiana (Eastern Juniper), Picea abies (Norway spruce), Pinus banksiana (Jack Pine), Pinus niger (Austrian Pine), Pinus rigida (Pitch Pine), Pinus strobus (Eastern White Pine), Pinus sylvestris (Scotch Pine), Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir), Tsuga canadensis, Platanus sp., Quercus sp., (Ginns), all year (Buczacki)