Albatrellus ovinus explained

Albatrellus ovinus, commonly known as sheep polypore, is a terrestrial fungus found in western North America, and Northern Europe. Although known as Sheep Polypore, this fungus is not phylogenetically related to Polyporales (shelf fungi).

It is very closely related to the rarer A. subrubescens,^[1] from which it may be distinguished microscopically by the amyloid spore wall.

Description

The cap is 4–20 cm wide, convex then flat or depressed, and white then tan or pinkish. The surface is dry and smooth but cracks with age.^[2] The whitish stalk is 3–10 cm tall and 1–4 cm wide, perhaps branching, with an equal or larger base.

The species may be edible if cooked, but is not recommended by some guides. It is sold commercially in Finland.^{[3] [4]}

Similar species

A fuller discussion of the small color differences from the inedible Albatrellus subrubescens can be found at that extensive article. Microscopically, the spores of A. subrubescens are amyloid, while the ones of A. ovinus are not.^{[5] [6]}

Also similar are Albatrellus flettii, Jahnoporus hirtus, Scutiger pes-caprae, and Scutiger ellisii.

Notes and References

1. Hibbett DS, Pine EM, Langer E, Langer G, Donoghue MJ . Evolution of gilled mushrooms and puffballs inferred from ribosomal DNA sequences . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 94 . 22 . 12002–6 . 1997. 9342352 . 23683 . 10.1073/pnas.94.22.12002. 1997PNAS...9412002H . free .
2. Book: Davis. R. Michael. Field Guide to Mushrooms of Western North America. Sommer. Robert. Menge. John A.. University of California Press. 2012. 978-0-520-95360-4. Berkeley. 339–340. 797915861.
3. Book: Phillips, Roger . Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America . Firefly Books . 2010 . 978-1-55407-651-2 . Buffalo, NY . 295.
4. Book: Pelkonen . Riina . Element Concentrations in Wild Edible Mushrooms in Finland . Alfthan . Georg . Järvinen . Olli . Finnish Environment Institute . 2008 . 978-952-11-3153-0 . Helsinki . 32 . 2009-02-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110928125244/http://www.ymparisto.fi/download.asp?contentid=87635 . 2011-09-28 . dead.
5. W. Julich, 1984: Die Nichtblatterpilze, Gallertpilze und Bauchpilze. Kleine Kryptogamenflora Band II Teil b/1
6. J. Breitenbach, F. Kranzlin, 1986: Pilze der Schweiz, Band 2. Nichtblatterpilze.