Summary:
{See also Trametes versicolor and similar polypores Table.} Features of Trichaptum abietinum include 1) thin, tough, shelf-like or bracket-like fruitbodies that are whitish to grayish on the upper surface and usually concentrically zoned, 2) purplish pore surface that fades to ochraceous and becomes tooth-like, and 3) growth on conifers. It is very common in the Pacific Northwest. On hardwoods, compare with the common Stereum hirsutum (no pores on underside - see Crust category) and the common Trametes versicolor. Neither have purple color on the underside. "The purple, toothed lower surface make[s] this common polypore immediately recognizable. The purple colours fade with age, but the small, thin, soft, white pilei and occurrence on conifers strongly suggest T. abietinum" (Ginns).

Microscopic:
spores 6-7.5 x 2.5-3 microns, cylindric, slightly curved, smooth, inamyloid, colorless; basidia 4-spored, 12.5-14 x 5-6 microns, clavate, with basal clamp; cystidia abundant, 4-7 microns wide, embedded or projecting to 15 microns, arising from tramal skeletal hyphae that curve out into hymenium, usually capitately incrusted; hyphal pegs also present; hyphae dimitic, skeletal hyphae of context 2.5-5 microns wide, colorless, thick-walled, with rare branching, nonseptate, generative hyphae of context 2-4 microns wide, colorless, thin-walled, rarely branched, with clamp connections; hyphae of trama similar, (Gilbertson), spores 4-8 x 2-4 microns, cylindric or sausage-shaped, smooth, (Arora)

Spore Deposit:
whitish (Arora)

Notes:
It is found in BC, WA, OR, ID, AB, MB, NT, NB, NF, NS, ON, PE, PQ, SK, YT, AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WI, WV, and WY, (Gilbertson), and Europe and Asia, (Breitenbach).

EDIBILITY

too tough (Arora)

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Hydnellum rickeri Banker
Polyporus abietinus Dicks.: Fr.