little nest polypore
Trametes conchifer
The sterile, cup-shaped upper surface acts as a 'splash cup,' using the kinetic energy of raindrops to eject asexual spores (conidia) several inches away.
- Scientific name
- Trametes conchifer
- Taxonomy
- Fungi › Basidiomycota › Agaricomycetes › Polyporales › Polyporaceae › Trametes
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Deciduous woodlands, specifically found on fallen hardwood twigs and branches, with a strong preference for elm.
- Diet
- Saprobic; it decomposes lignin and cellulose from dead hardwood.
- Range
- North America, Europe, Temperate Asia
- Size
- 1 to 3 centimeters in width.
- Lifespan
- Fruiting bodies persist for 6-12 months.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss due to intensive logging and the removal of fallen woody debris from forest floors.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. This fungus is non-toxic but too leathery to be considered edible. It can be safely handled for observation; no special precautions or medical steps are necessary.
Poronidulus is a fungal genus in the family Polyporaceae. It is a monotypic genus, and contains the single polypore species Poronidulus conchifer , found in North America. The genus was circumscribed by American mycologist William Alphonso Murrill in 1904. The generic name, which combines the Ancient Greek word πόρος ("pore") with the Latin word nidulus ("small nest"), refers to the superficial similarity of the cup-shaped Poronidulus fruit bodies with those of the genus Nidularia . A second species,...
Photo: Kathy Richardson, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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