Content
Cellular polyporus is a representative of the Tinder family or Polyporov family. Unlike most of its relatives, which are parasites of deciduous trees, this species prefers to grow on their dead parts - fallen trunks, broken branches, stumps, etc. The fungus is widespread in the temperate climatic zone on almost all continents of the Earth.
What does a cellular polyporus look like?
The division in a cellular tinder fungus (another name is alveolar) into a leg and a cap is very conditional. Externally, the mushroom is a semi- or full ring of the fruiting body attached to the trunk or branches of a tree. In most specimens, the stem is either very short or absent altogether. A photo of the adult fruiting bodies of the honey fungus is given below:
Fruiting bodies of alveolar polyporus on a fallen tree
The hat itself rarely exceeds 8 cm in diameter, and its shape depends on various factors. Most often it is round or oval. The top color of the cap can have a variety of shades of yellow or orange. Almost always, the surface of the upper part of the mushroom is "sprinkled" with darker scales. For older copies, this color difference is negligible.
The polyporus hymenophore is a cellular structure, which is reflected in the name of the fungus. Each section has an elongated shape and dimensions from 1 to 5 mm. The depth can be up to 5 mm. In fact, it is a modified tubular type of hymenophore. The color of the bottom of the cap is slightly lighter than that of the top.
The pedicle of the alveolar polyorus is practically invisible
Even if the mushroom has a leg, its length is very small, up to 10 mm. The location is usually lateral, but sometimes it is also central. The surface of the pedicle is covered with hymenophore cells.
Where and how it grows
Cellular polyporus grows in the temperate climate of the Northern Hemisphere. It can be found in Europe, Asia and America. In the Southern Hemisphere, representatives of the species are widespread in Australia.
Cellular polyporus grows on dead branches and trunks of deciduous trees. In fact, it is a saprotroph, that is, a hardwood reducer. The fungus almost never occurs on the trunks of living plants. The mycelium of the cellular polyporus is the so-called. "White rot" located inside dead wood.
In terms of ripening, this species is early: the first fruiting bodies appear in mid-spring. Their formation continues until the beginning of autumn. If the summer is cold, fruiting begins in mid-June.
Usually, the cellular polyporus grows in small groups of 2-3 pieces. Larger colonies are sometimes found. Single specimens are recorded extremely rarely.
Is the mushroom edible or not
Cell polyporus is classified as an edible species. This means that it can be eaten, but the process of eating the mushroom itself will be fraught with certain difficulties. Like all representatives of tinder fungus, it has a very firm pulp.
Long-term heat treatment does not eliminate this problem. Young specimens are slightly softer, but they contain a lot of hard fibers, such as in overripe eggplants. Those who have tasted polyporus note its inexpressive taste and weak mushroom aroma.
Doubles and their differences
The tinder fungus in question has a unique shape, so it is quite problematic to confuse it with others. At the same time, even representatives of the Polyporov family, although they have a similar structure of the hymenophore, but the structure of their cap and legs is completely different.
The only species that can be confused with the cellular tinder fungus is its close relative, the pit polyporus. The similarity is especially noticeable in adult and old fruiting bodies.
However, even a cursory glance at the tinder fungus is sufficient to notice the difference from the alveolar one. This representative of the mushroom kingdom has a long stem. But the main difference is the deep recess in the cap, from which the look got its name. In addition, the cells of the hymenophore on the pedicle of the tinder fungus are absent.
The characteristic differences between the pitted tinder fungus and the honeycomb are a long stem and a concave cap
Conclusion
Cellular polyporus is a fungus that grows on the dead wood of deciduous trees, found everywhere in temperate climates. Its fruiting bodies are brightly colored and clearly visible from afar. The mushroom is not poisonous, it can be eaten, however, the taste of the pulp is very mediocre, since it is too tough and has practically no taste or smell.
