Tremella encephala Pers.: Fr.
no common name
Tremellaceae
Species account author: Ian Gibson.
Extracted from Matchmaker: Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.
Introduction to the Macrofungi
no common name
Tremellaceae
Species account author: Ian Gibson.
Extracted from Matchmaker: Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.
Introduction to the Macrofungi
Species Information
Summary:
Features include 1) an irregularly hemispheric-cushion-shaped, brain-like fruitbody that is white to pinkish brown, yellowish brown, or yellowish, 2) base with a hard white core, 3) growth on dead conifer wood in association with Stereum sanguinolentum, and 4) microscopic characters. According to Bandoni, the core of the fruiting body consists of transformed hyphae of Stereum sanguinolentum, (Breitenbach).
Microscopic:
spores 9-11 x 7.5-9 microns, round to short-elliptic, smooth, inamyloid, colorless, with distinct blunt apiculus, sometimes with droplets; hypobasidia 13-20 x 13-18 microns, nearly spherical, longitudinally septate, with 2 long epibasidia; hyphae of gelatinized layer 1.5-2.5 microns wide, septa with clamp connections, hyphae from core 2.5-4 microns wide, thick-walled, septa without clamp connections, (Breitenbach), spores 8-10 x 7-9 microns, nearly round; probasidia 12-15 x 12-5 microns, spherical, becoming cruciate-septate, (Martin), basidia 2-spored or 4-spored; hyphidia abundant in hymenium close to substrate, (Chen, C.-J.)
Notes:
It is found in BC, OR, NS, ON, PE, PQ, MA, NC, NH, NY, PA, VT, and WI, (Ginns). It has been reported from WA by Andrew Parker (pers. comm.), Distribution also includes North America, Europe, and Asia, (Breitenbach), Germany (Zugmaier), Estonia, Georgia, and Russia (Raitviir), and Argentina (Lowy).
Habitat and Range
SIMILAR SPECIES
Tremella foliacea is larger and reddish cinnamon to brown, vinaceous brown, or tinged purple, (Arora).Habitat
Stereum sanguinolentum, but typically reported on Abies, Pinus, Pseudotsuga, Quercus, (Ginns), single to gregarious on dead conifer wood, always in association with Stereum sanguinolentum, (Breitenbach), dead coniferous wood, less commonly hardwood, (Martin), all year (Buczacki)
Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Endogone ludwigii Buchholz
Endogone xylogena (Sacc.) J. Schroet. sensu J.
Naematelia encephala (Pers.) Fr.
Naematelia encephaliformis (Willd.) Coker
Tremella encephaliformis Willd.