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Danny’s DNA Discoveries – Stereaceae of the PNW
by Danny Miller

Click here for my Pictorial Key to Stereum

Introduction

"Crust fungi" are the hardest shape of fungi to identify, as just about every branch of the fungal tree of life started out with species that were crust-like, one of the most primitive forms (just like many branches eventually evolved a truffle-like form, one of the more advanced forms). That makes it extremely difficult to know anything about the genetic placement of crusts just by looking at them. Microscopy is often essential.

abundant common uncommon rare - colour codes match my Pictorial Key and are my opinions and probably reflect my bias of living in W WA. Rare species may be locally common in certain places at certain times.

Stereum - click to expand

The orange colouration rescues these from obscurity, as does the fact that they usually project away from the surface and are not often fully resupinate. When scratched, they may stain/bleed red or yellow. The species are best separated microscopically, but can often be reliably identified by comparing how much they attach to the wood (single point, versus a line versus mostly resupinate), how bright or dull the orange colouration is on the underneath and whether or not it stains/bleeds yellow, red or neither when scratched.

Species mentioned: Stereum hirsutum, complicatum, ochraceoflavum, gausapatum, rugosum, subtomentosum, ostrea, sanguinolentum, atrorubrum

Summary of Future Studies Needed - click to expand

  • We still need local sequences of Stereum complicatum, Stereum ochraceoflavum, Stereum rugosum, Stereum sanguinolentum and the BC type of Stereum atrorubrum to verify what they are.
  • I still need to write the section on Aleurodiscus.

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