Pholiota alnicola

November 19, 2018

Pholiota alnicola (Fries) Singer is a widely distributed saprophyte found on hardwoods and conifers throughout North America.

Figure 1. Clusters of P. alnicola growing at the base of an oak.

Pholiota alnicola (Fries) Singer is a widely distributed saprophyte found on hardwoods and conifers throughout North America. This species is a bit of an outcast compared to the majority of Pholiota, belonging to the subgenus Flammula. Unlike most others, P. alnicola lacks the characteristic pleurocystidia and scales on its cap. The dull yellow mushroom has a convex cap measuring about 5 cm in diameter and has a stipe 4-8 cm long. The gills are a lighter yellow and attach to the stipe. The spores of P. alnicola are a dark rusty brown measuring 9×4 micrometers. Interestingly, its mycelium has high levels of antioxidant activity and its potential for dietary supplement production is being researched.

Pholiota alnicola Figure 2 — Figure 2. Mixed forest habitat and oak stump substrate.

Pholiota alnicola Figure 3 — Figure 3. P. alnicola spore print.

Pholiota alnicola Figure 4 — Figure 4. Spores of P. alnicola.

Taxonomy:

Basidiomycota
Agaricomycetes
Agaricales
Strophariaceae
Pholiota
Flammula
alnicola

Reference:

Asatiani, M. D., Elisashvili, V., Songulashvili, G., Reznick, A. Z., & Wasser, S. P. (2010). Higher basidiomycetes mushrooms as a source of antioxidants. In Progress in Mycology (pp. 311-326). Springer, Dordrecht.
Badalyan, S. M. (2003). Edible and medicinal higher basidiomycetes mushrooms as a source of natural antioxidants. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 5(2).
Kuo, M. (2007, November). Pholiota alnicola species cluster. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com.