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Phellinus grape (Phellinus viticola) is a woody fungus of the Basidiomycete class, belonging to the Gimenochetes family and the Fellinus genus. It was first described by Ludwig von Schweinitz, and the fruiting body received its modern classification thanks to the Dutchman Marinus Donck in 1966. Its other scientific names are Polyporus viticola Schwein, since 1828.
What does grape fellinus look like?
The fruit body deprived of its stalk is attached to the substrate by the lateral part of the cap. The shape is narrow, elongated, slightly wavy, irregularly broken, up to 5-7 cm wide and 0.8-1.8 cm thick. In young mushrooms, the surface is covered with short hairs, velvety to the touch. As it develops, the cap loses its pubescence, becomes rough, uneven-bumpy, varnish-shiny, like dark amber or honey. The color is reddish-brown, brick, chocolate. The edge is bright orange or buffy, fleecy, rounded.
The pulp is dense, not more than 0.5 cm in thickness, porous-tough, woody, chestnut or yellowish-red in color. The hymenophore is lighter, fine-pored, beige, coffee-milk or brownish. Irregular, with angular pores, often descends along the surface of the tree, occupying a significant area. The tubes reach a thickness of 1 cm.
Porous hymenophore covered with a white downy coating
Where grape fellinus grows
Fellinus grape is a cosmopolitan mushroom and is found everywhere in the northern and temperate latitudes. Grows in the Urals and in the Siberian taiga, in the Leningrad region and the Far East. Inhabits dead wood and fallen spruce trunks. Sometimes it can be seen on other conifers: pine, fir, cedar.
Separate fruiting bodies are able to grow together into single large organisms
Is it possible to eat grape fellinus
Fruit bodies are classified as inedible. Their pulp is corky, tasteless and bitter. Nutritional value tends to zero. Studies on the content of toxic substances have not been carried out.
Small mushroom buttons grow very quickly on the surface of the tree into bizarrely curved ribbons and spots
Conclusion
Fellinus grape is widespread in Russia, Europe, and North America. Inhabits coniferous or mixed forests. It settles on dead wood of pine, spruce, fir, cedar, quickly destroying it. It is a perennial, so you can see it in any season. Inedible, no publicly available toxicity data.
