Polyporus species?

[cybershot]

At first sight I thought I'd found Polyporus brumalis, but, because of the pore surface pattern, I am now not so sure. Unfortunately I made a complete horlicks of the cap photo. So is it worth searching out this small (2cm) single specimen for another shot for verification:



Any comments much appreciated
David

[flaxton]

David
P brumalis is the one with the largest pores but yours look HUGE. If the cap shown is only 2 cm then if my scaling is right the pores do show the 2-3 per mm that would be right for brumalis.

Mal

[fairplay]

I'm wondering if this could be Polyporus mori, but there are only 3 records on the FRDBI - two from West Sussex in 97 and 98 and a 'doubtful' record from Bucks in 2003.

Neil.

EDIT. Unfortunately, there is a slight problem - it grows in April to May as does another similar Polypore with large pores, P.arcularius.

[cybershot]

I followed this train of thought on returning home and seeing the pore shot on screen. I checked out the pore surface plates in B&K Vol 2 and started wondering along the same lines as Neil, only to be disappointed by the contradictions about seasonality and authenticity: It seems that, according to the BC*, most of the British records of P. mori are mis-identified P. brumalis or P. ciliatus; though with such a distinct pore pattern it does beggar belief.

David

*Checklist of the British & Irish Basidiomycota

[cybershot]

I managed to find the 1.8cm specimen this morning and although it is more probably Polyporus brumalis I am still amazed by the size and nature of the pores, which I reckon to be approx 1.5 to the mm.

[mollisia]

Hello,

I know P. mori quite well as it is fairly common in the Rhin Valley where I used to search morels in spring. P. mori has bright orange cap colours, more vivid then any of the other Polyporus species. P. arcularius usually has a distinctly fringed cap margin. I think I have shown pictures of it here once. Indeed P. brumalis and P. arcularius are very similar. I think KRIEGLSTEINER saw them as only varities and was even not convinced to that rank but wanted to have them synonymized. I think they are at least varities, but prefer to see them as species. P. arcularius is a thermophilic species, may be has a more continental distribution, has a distinctly fringed margin (at least when young) and a +/- scaly cap (a little bit alike P. tuberaster).

I think this is just P. brumalis, although the pores a quite big. The only other possibility for me would be P. arcularius. But if it really should be determined as this, then may be the people suggesting an infraspecific rank have right ...

best regards,
Andreas

[cybershot]

Thank you very much for that informative insight Andreas. Taking everything into account, not least the time of year, I am happy with Polyporus brumalis - Winter Polypore, but I will send the dried specimen for verification.

Cheers

David