Specimen 19: Poria corticola

Figure 1: P. corticola has hardened, large pores. (Magnification x8.4)

Figure 2: The white, respinate fruiting bodies of P. corticola found on a stick.

Figure 3: Side view of P. corticola. Stalk is clearly absent. (Magnification x8.4)

Name: Poria corticola
Phylum: Basidiomycota
Family: Polyporaceae
Common Name: Boring Poria
Collection Date: 10/08/2015
Habitat: On a stick found on the forest floor of maple-beech forest.
Location: James H. Barrow Field Station, Hiram, Ohio
Description: Hard, white, stalkless, resupinate fruiting body, with hard spiky pores covering its surface. Each body around 2-7 cm long.
Collector: Linden Glaze

Key used:  
Arora, D. (1979, 1986). Mushrooms Demystified, 2nd edition. Ten Speed Press. Berkeley, California.

Keying steps:
Key to the Major Groups of Fleshly Fungi.... Teeth Fungi pg. 611

Key to teeth fungi pg. 611
1. Not growing on conifer cones.... 2
2. Fruiting body not rubbery.... 3
3. Growing on wood..... 4
4. Fruiting body resupinate,,,,, Echinodontium and Allies.
Key to Echinodontium and Allies
1. Stalk not present..... 2
2. Entire fruiting body white to yellowish.... 3
3. Not growing in overlapping shelving masses.... 4
4. Pore present, form spines upon  old age.... Polyporaceae and Allies pg. 549

Key to Polyporaceae and Allies pg. 551
1. Spore bearing surface not composed of tubes.... 2
2. Fruiting body crust-like, stalk absent.... 4
4. Pore surface exposed, not on a birch.... 5
5. Tube layer not waxy.... 6
6, Fruiting body rusupinate.... Poria and Allies pg. 602

Key to Poria and Allies pg. 602
1. Spore-bearing surface composed of a layer of tubes.... 2
2. Spore-bearing surface not normally violet tinged..... 4
4. Pore surface white to yellow.... 7
7.  Flesh white to creamy.... 10
10. Not living on juniper or cypress.... 11
11. Fruiting body not woody when fresh.... 12
12. No rudimentary cap.... 14
14. Pore surface not bright yellow, not found on dead conifers.... 15
15. Fruiting body not growing underground.... 16
16, Pores larger than 4-6 pores per mm.... Poria corticola