Phellinus Fungus

More than 60,000 species of fungi have been discovered in the world. It's little wonder that on a short walk to your car or a long hike in the woods, fungi are hard to miss. Fungi can be seen climbing up trees in almost step-like formation, or popping up through the grass in the form of mushroom heads. Phellinus fungus is just one of many types that populate the various climates of the world. Lumping everything that falls into this category into one pot would be a mistake. Every variation of phellinus fungus that appears in nature has its own unique uses and history.

Phellinus noxious

Phellinus noxious typically is found in tropical and subtropical climate zones, such as parts of Australia, Central America, Asia, the Caribbean and Africa. This is one of those types of fungi that has that shelf-like formation along the bases of tree trunks. They are white and typically not uniform in shape. That is, Phellinus noxious more often is bumpy or deformed in its dimensions. Phellinus noxious is best known as the leading cause of brown root rot in the trees they grow on. Along with removing them from trees as they appear, fungicides such as prochloraz and triadimefon can help with control.

Phellinus tremulae

Like Phellinus noxious, Phellinus tremulae is a fungus that grows on tree trunks in "steps" that are projected outward. They often are distorted in shape and rarely have even the slightest bit of symmetry. Phellinus tremulae is the primary cause of heartrot in some trees, the trembling aspen tree in particular. Once infected, the tree literally will begin to rot from its inside -- the heartwood. Once a tree has been infected with heartrot there is little that can be done for it. The best measure is to totally clear the land of any remains of Phellinus tremulae after the tree has died and before planting another in its place.

Phellinus igniarius

Perhaps the most interesting type of Phellinus fungus is Phellinus ignarius. This fungus is responsible for heartrot in some trees, but it has a more interesting anthropological history. In numerous indigenous tribes spread throughout North America, archaeologists and anthropologists have found artifacts confirming the use of Phellinus ignarius ashes as a mild psychoactive stimulant before tobacco became widely used. A few of the peoples believed to have employed it ritually, with or without tobacco, are the Micmac, the Kwakiutl and the Blackfoot. Some scholars believe that Phellinus ignarius may have been consumed at the first Thanksgiving ever held, though evidence is not definitive.

Phellinus kawakamii

A phellinus fungus that was discovered within the first decade of the 21st century is Phellinus kawakamii. This fungus is found mainly on trees growing in the islands of Hawaii, especially the koa tree and casuarinas tree. It grows along the tree trunk in shelves that can be anywhere from white to brown in color and typically are deformed in shape. Like Phellinus ignarius, Phellinus kawakamii also causes heartrot. After a tree has died of heartrot and been cleared away, all remaining signs of Phellinus kawakamii should be destroyed to prevent its affecting the next tree that is planted.

Other Phellinus Fungi

Although Phellinus noxius, Phellinus tremulae, Phellinus ignarius and Phellinus kawakamii are four of the more well-known types of Phellinus fungi, there are other species as well. Most all fungi found in the species will have a similar shelf formation along tree trunks, and deformities in shape are a common feature. Almost all of the Phellinus fungi are associated with some type of disease in trees, most often heartrot.

References

• N.C. State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Plant Pathology; Pathogen Profile: Phellinus noxious; Faith Bartz; 2007
• The University of Wisconsin: Phellinus tremulae
• The University of Wisconsin; Phellinus ignarius; Thomas J. Volk; 2004
• University of Hawai'i at Manoa Botany: Phellinus Conk