Bondarzewia mesenterica

Bondarzewia mesenterica (synonym: Bondarzewia montana) is a species of polypore fungus in the family Bondarzewiaceae.

Bondarzewia mesenterica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Russulales
Family:	Bondarzewiaceae
Genus:	Bondarzewia
Species:	B. mesenterica
Binomial name
Bondarzewia mesenterica (Schaeff.) Kreisel (1984)
Synonyms[1]
Boletus mesentericus Schaeff. (1774) Polyporus anax Berk. ex Cooke (1883) Cerioporus montanus Quél. (1888) Polyporus montanus (Quél.) Ferry (1891) Cladomeris montanus (Quél.) Bigeard & H.Guill. (1909) Grifola mesenterica (Schaeff.) Murrill (1920) Grifola montana (Quél.) Pilát (1934) Bondarzewia montana (Quél.) Singer (1940)

Bondarzewia mesenterica Mycological characteristics
	Pores on hymenium
	Cap is convex or depressed
	Hymenium is decurrent
	Stipe is bare
	Spore print is white
	Ecology is parasitic
	Edibility is edible

Taxonomy

The species was first described as Boletus mesentericus by Jacob Christian Schäffer in 1774.^[2] Hanns Kreisel transferred it to the genus Bondarzewia in 1984.^[3]

Description

In maturity, a contiguous fruit body mass may be up to 1 metre (3+1⁄2 ft) across. The caps are up to 25 cm (10 in) wide^[4] and tomentose with brownish zones, fan-shaped, often overlapping and growing from a shared base.^[5] The buff pores are up to 2 millimetres (1⁄16 in) wide.^[4] The flesh is whitish with a pleasant odour when fresh.^[5] The stalks are continuous with the caps and grow from an underground base, the sclerotium,^[5] which is up to 12 cm long and 5 cm thick.^[4]

Similar species

Outside of its genus, it resembles Meripilus giganteus.^[4]

Habitat

The species grows at the base of conifers.^[5] It affects tree bases and roots with a white rot.^[5]

Uses

The mushroom is considered edible,^[6] but is tough and often bitter.^[4]