figure 1

figure 2

figure 3

figure 4

18 Inhabiting Fungi in Alaska: Their Diversity, Roles, and Uses

By Gary A. Laursen, Harold H. Burdsall, Jr., others are small and inconspicuous, and opportunists. They gain access to woody and Rodney D. Seppelt some are edible and others poisonous. In tissues beneath the bark on the bodies of this presentation of research on fungi, we wood­boring . In the process, they Wood­inhabiting, rotting and/or decom­ make sev eral r eferences to edibility. In so leave s pores be hind in the many galleries posing fungi from Alaska include represen­ doing, we do not encourage anyone to eat produced by the boring insects. Fungi also tatives from an assortment of fungal groups fungi without first consulting a professional. enter their hosts through woodpecker (cup, je lly, pored, coral, tooth, puffball, These fungi are the great recyclers of holes (Figure 1) or through bark disruptions gilled, and lichenized fungi) and one wood and woody material in the forest caused by moose, bears, porcupines, and ­like group (the slime molds). Of ecosystem. They alter the wood structure to rabbits. The invading fungus subsequently the more than 1,500 recorded for produce material with properties that are spreads out over the substrate as mycelial North America, over 250 species of wood­ necessary for inhabitation by other forest fans (Figure 2). Entrance may also be gained inhabiting fungi have been reported from biota, both plant and animal and even through wounded and exposed roots, or Alaska. In Alaska, more than 102 genera of other fungi. Hence, there is a successional through w ounds created by broken gilled, shelf or bracket fungi with pores, pattern to the work they perform. Some branches, by nibbling rodents, or by heavy jelly fungi, and flat paint­smear­like fungi species have been used by indigenous winds that can cause excessive movement Fungal Features: Ecology are known. Most, if not all, of these fungi Alaskan peoples for centuries as compo­ of tree limbs. Figure 1. Woodpecker hole with a fungal are known to fruit in Alaska national parks; nents of smoking mixtures, curry combs Each fungus is physiologically specific to porch roof however, it is important to note, as most of for brushing animals, medicinals, punks to its particular decay type and ecologically Figure 2. Invading mycelial fan the fungi reported here were collected in carry fire long distances, and even as specific where it impacts standing live and Figure 3. White spongy rot national parks, that to collect in any nation­ leather­like material for clothing. dead wood—in the bole of a tree as a al park necessitates obtaining relevant per­ Amidst dynamic and continually chang­ heart­rot, in the sapwood as a sap­rot, or in Figure 4. Brown cubical rot mits. It is against the law to collect natural ing cycles of life, death, and decay, signifi­ the roots as a root­rot. Wood decay occurs Background: Gilled fungi are common and objects from national parks without the cant roles are played by fungi in diseases as two primary processes, white rots and often poisonous. This Pholiota squarrosa should be admired for its beauty, not necessary permits. As with green plant such as root­rot and heart­rot of trees. brown rots. The activity of white rot fungi necessarily its taste. species, some of these fungi are common, They alter organic substrates on the forest results in a white, punky/spongy rot (Figure some rare, some large and obvious, while floor an d recycle nutrients. Fungi are 3). These fungi are more numerous than Photographs courtesy of Gary A. Laursen

19 Wood Inhabiting Fungi in Alaska: Their Diversity, Roles, and Uses

those causing brown rots and make up alpine and tundra habitats as well (Volk et They include slime molds; cup fungi; jelly, about 80% of all wood­rotting species of al. 1993). Listed in Table 1 are 102 genera resupinate (form fitted to a substrate like a fungi. White rot fungi primarily break containing some of the common wood­ coat of paint), pored (pored down the lignin, but also some cellulose. inhabiting/rotting fungi found in Alaska. fungi), coral, tooth, puffball, and agaric However, brown rot fungi leave a brown, The large assemblage of wood­inhabiting/ (gilled) fungi; in addition to several cubical, dry, crumbly decay (Figure 4). rotting fungi contains representatives found Ascolichenes and a few Basidiolichenes Brown rot fungi cause the chemical break­ in many Orders and Families. An Order in (the two main divisions of ) in many down of cellulose and hemicellulose sub­ the club fungi, the Aphyllophorales, now or lichenized fungal groups. Mem­ strates leaving behind primarily the brown split into several Orders, once contained the bers of each of these groups demonstrate lignins that “glue” cellulose fibers together. majority of Alaska’s wood­rotting fungal nature’s beauty in their life forms, color, In North America, there are at least 1,500 species. Volk et al. (1994) have compiled a biological roles played, and human uses. white rot and 250 brown rot species of checklist of more than 254 species of wood­ The most primitive class of Alaska fungi. In Alaska, these figures are substan­ rotting fungi. This listing is far from com­ wood­inhabiting fungi is the slime molds. Slime Molds: Plasmodial tially lower because of the limited number plete, hence, the enormity of the taxonom­ These may be seen in the forest after a Figure 5. Craterium yellow plasmodium of tree species present. ic task to be dealt with in Alaska . rain as brightly colored slimy plasmodial Figure 6. Lycogala epidendrum Wood­rotting fungi are widespread and Alaska’s wood­inhabiting fungi are made ‘blobs’ on woody substrates. Some of the common in Alaska boreal forests and in up of species that represent many classes. more common slime mold forms inhabiting Figure 7. Stemonitis splendens Figure 8. Trichia varia ASCOMYCETES BASIDIOMYCETES Ascomycetes: Cup fungi Uredinales Stereales Stereales(cont.) Hericiales Chrysomyxa Aleurodiscus Gloeocystidiellum Clitocybe Figure 9. Bryoglossum Xenodochus Amphinema Hericium Figure 10. Daldinia concentrica Dasyscyphus Athelia Tubulicrinis Lentinellus Hypholoma Helotium Botryobasidium Xenasma Marasmius Figure 11. Peziza repanda Hyaloscypha Bourdotia Ceraceomerulius Gomphales Mycena Ductifera Poriales Lentaria Ceraceomyces Antrodia Omphalia Neolecta Columnocystis Macrotyphula Pholiota Heterotextus Cerenna Ramaria Basidiomycetes: Jelly fungi Crustoderma Ceriporia Pluteus Sphaeriales Cyphella Resupinatus Coniophora Thelephorales Figure 12. cornea Daldinia Cystostereum Sarcodon Tricholomopsis Dacrymycetales Cytidia Fomitopsis Thelephora Figure 13. palmatus Dendrothele Boletales Calocera Gloeophyllum Tomentella Hygrophoropsis Figure 14. Ductifera sp. Pezizales Dacrymyces Echinodontium Hapalopilus Otidia Dacrypinax Hyphoderma Panus Lachnocladiales Lycoperdales Figure 15. Peziza Hyphodontia Perenniporia Scytinostroma Laeticorticium Figure 16. Tremella lutescens Cortinariales Nidulariales Alnicola Phanerochaete Spongipellus Nidula Tulasnellales Cyphellopsis Phlebia Spongiporus Nidularia Basidiomycetes: Pored fungi Tulasnella Crepidotis Phlebiella Trichaptum Flamulaster Cantherellales Phlebiopsis Figure 17. Coltricia perennis Gymnopilus Albatrellus Piloderma Coltricia Figure 18. Cytidia salicina Clavulina Plicatura Hymenochaete Multiclavula Steccherinum Figure 19.

Table 1. Common Wood Inhabiting/Rotting Fungi Genera Found in Alaska Photographs courtesy of Gary A. Laursen

20 figure 5 figure 9 figure 13 figure 17

figure 16

figure 6 figure 10 figure 14

figure 7figure 7 figure 11 figure 15

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21 figure 8 figure 18 figure 19 figure 20 figure 24 figure 28 figure 33 figure 36

figure 21 figure 25 figure 30 figure 34 figure 37

figure 35

figure 22 figure 26 figure 31

22 figure 23 figure 27 figure 32 northern boreal forests are first seen as THERE ARE POISONOUS (EVEN (Figures 17­33). white, yellow (Figure 5) and/or as red DEADLY) FUNGI THAT OCCUR ON Laetiporus conifericola (Figure 24) is a plasmodia. In the assimilative or ‘feeding’ WOOD. Care should be taken in lemon­flavored edible species and can be stages they engulf bacteria that actually live found in significant quantities. White and selecting fungus for the table. on the wet and rotting wood. Their plas­ brown heart­rot and sap­rot fungi such as It is best to consult a mycologist for modia ultimately mature to form fruit bod­ and con­ ies that appear upon ‘drying’. Slime molds accurate identification. tribute greatly toward the ultimate demise include Craterium leucocephalum, Lycogala of live trees. (Figure 20) Basidiomycetes: Pored fungi epidendrum (Figure 6), Mucilago crustacea, and Piptoporus betulinus (Figure 27) fruit (Continued) Stemonitis splendens (Figure 7), Trichia varia bottom tip of an earlobe when hydrated abundantly on standing dead trees and Figure 20. Fomes fomentarius (Figure 8), and Wilkoumlangiella reticulata. and fresh. Alaskan examples are Calocera predispose them to being hollowed out by Figure 21. Fomitopsis pinicola The sac or cup fungi (Ascomycetes) are cornea (Figure 12), Dacrymyces palmatus nesting birds and mammals (Figure 1). They higher up the chain of fungal life forms. (Figure 13), Ductifera sp. (Figure 14), also serve a human function. Indigenous Figure 22. applanatum They may have dull to bright colors, stalked Exidia glandulosa (Figure 15), Tremella sp., peoples collect these two fungi as an addi­ Figure 23. Gloeophyllum sepiarium or sessile cups, ‘saddled’ stalks, or may have Tremella lutescens (Figure 16) and Tremella tive to pipe tobacco and for their analgesic Figure 24. Laetiporus conifericola black carbon­like ‘fingers’, globs, or layers mesenterica. properties. Still other varieties, such as Figure 25. Phaeolus schweinitzii containing small pinhead­like bumps. The sometimes fleshy, but mostly corky Phellinus tremulae (Figure 26), are first Figure 26. Phellinus tremulae Examples of cup fungi found in Alaska are: to woody and pored, ‘bracket or shelf’ fungi dried, t hen ashed. The ashes are then show tr emendous variation as seen in Figure 27. Piptoporus betulinus Bisporella citrina (Figure 9), Bryoglo ssum mixed with c hewing tobacco to decrease gracile, Daldinia concentrica (Figure 10), Coltricia perennis, Cytidia salicina, Daedal­ tobacco acidity and to enhance the stimu­ Figure 28. Polyporus sp. Neolecta irregularis, Peziza repanda (Figure eopsis confragosa, Fomes fomentarius, lus of nicotine. Ganoderma applanatum Figure 29. Polyporus badius 11), and Peziza sylvicola. All play significant Fomitopsis pinicola, Ganoderma applanatum, (Figure 22), the Artist’s Conk, is used by (Photo page 23) roles, but as with the slime molds, growing Gloeophyllum sepiarium, Laetiporus coniferi­ artists for etchings. Other Ganoderma spp. Figure 30. Pycnoporus cinnibarinus on wood debris may not contribute direct­ cola, Phaeolus schweinitzii, Phellinus tremu­ are sai d t o h ave medicinal properties and Figure 31. Tomentella sp. ly to wood decomposition. The fungi may lae, Piptoporus betulinus, Polyporus sp., are used by people around the world. Figure 32. hirsuta merely find a woody substrate convenient, Polyporus badius, Pycnoporus The coral fungi, such as Clavicorona Figure 33. Trichaptum abietinus or they may demonstrate roles not yet cinnibarinus,Tomentella pyxidata (Figure 34) fully understood. sp., Trametes hirsuta, and Ramaria stricta, Basidiomycetes: Coral fungi Higher up the and T richaptum also members of fungal life form chain abietinum the club fungus Figure 34. Clavicorona pyxidata are the club fungi (Basidiomycetes), as Basidiomycetes: Tooth fungi denoted by their micro­ Figure 35. Echinodontium tinctorum scopic producing Figure 36. Hericium racemosum club­shaped cells. They include groups such as the jelly fungi, pored Basidiomycetes: Puffball fungi fungi, coral fungi, tooth fungi, puff­ balls, and gilled . Figure 37. Lycoperdon pyriforme The je lly fungi, besides often

Photographs courtesy of Gary A. Laursen being brightly colored, feel like the Figure 29. Polyporus badius

23 Wood Inhabiting Fungi in Alaska: Their Diversity, Roles, and Uses

or no n­poisonous s pecies. Ot her s pecies documented. Wood associ ated as colichen REFERENCES Collecting of natural objects in dif ferent w ood­inhabiting g enera ar e and bas idiolichen s pecies ar e r epresented Volk, T.J., H.H. Burdsall, and K. Reynolds. from National Park Service areas actually edible. Particularly notable as edi­ by Ichmadophila ericetorum (Figure 54) and 1993. Wood­Inhabiting Fungi of Alaska. is restricted by law and regula­ bles ar e Armillaria ica (Figure 39), a Lichenomphalia hudsoniana (Figure 55). Center for Forest Mycology Research, tions. Always check with local virulent r oot­rotting f ungus, Flammulina FPL Report. Madison, WI. Significance fennae (Figure 40), F. velutipes (Figure 41) managers before collecting Several of the wood­inhabiting fungi are and Pluteus c ervinus (Figure 42). Ot hers Volk, T.J., H.H. Burdsall, and K. Reynolds. plants or other objects from park edible f orest p roducts not r equiring t he may cause significant gastrointestinal upset 1994. Checklist and Host Index of or monument areas. Regulations destruction of the forest. Many fungi occur if eaten. S pecies o f Alnicola, Wood­Inhabiting Fungi of Alaska. may vary between areas. annually and ar e t hus c onsidered s ustain­ mollis (Figure 43), Flammulaster muric ata Mycotaxon 52(1): 1­46. able and renewable resources that can sup­ (Figure 44), Hygrophoropsis aur antiaca plement the tables of connoisseurs. While group, often look just like the corals found (Figure 45), Lentinellus c ochleatus (Figure most wood­inhabiting fungi are not d esir­ in tr opical w aters. S everal ar e poiso nous, 46), Panus crinitis (Figure 47), Pholiota elon­ able for food either because of size (the thin Basidiomycetes: Gilled fungi that is, g astro­intestinally upsetting o r gatipes (Figure 48), P. squarrosa (Figure 49), crusts) or texture (tough or woody), most Figure 38. autumnalis simply not palatable. Others are edible, but P. squarroso­adiposa (Figure 50), Pleurotus are not poisonous. However, THERE ARE not deliciously so. This group in Alaska is dryinus (Figure 51), Tricholomopsis plat y­ Figure 39. Armillaria gallica POISONOUS (E VEN DEADLY) FUNG I best left to the squirrels! phylla (Figure 52), an d Xeromphalina cau­ Figure 40. Flammulina fennae THAT OCCUR ON W OOD. Care should The per ennial h eart­rot t ooth f ungus ticinalis (Figure 53) ar e best photographed Figure 41. Flammulina velutipes be t aken in se lecting an y fungus f or t he Echinodontium tinctorum (Figure 35) t hat and left on the log! Figure 42. Pluteus cervinus table. It is bes t to consult a m ycologist for grows o n w estern h emlock w as used b y The Ascolichenes an d B asidiolichenes accurate identification. Figure 43. Crepidotus mollis indigenous peoples for its red ochre color. are abundant o n a ll types o f wood in Figure 44. Flammulaster muricata First dri ed an d t hen gr ound t o a po wder, various s tages o f decomposition. Li chens Acknowledgments the internal tissue of the conk was used for are s ymbiotic associ ations betw een f ungi Figure 45. Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca Research w as s upported in par t b y (Photo page 24) making red ochre paint. Hericium racemo­ (mycobionts) and (photobionts). The grants from the National Park Service (Nos. Figure 46. Lentinellus cochleatus sum (Figure 36), an ann ual tooth fungus, is fungal par tners m ay “decompose” w oody PX9830­93­062, P X9830­92­385, P X9830­ Figure 47. Panus crinitis a delicious edible. substrates to which they attach in part, but 0­0451, P X9830­0­0472, an d P X9830­0­ Even the puffball fungi, such as to our knowledge this 0512) m ade t o t he U niversity of Alaska Figure 48. Pholiota elongatipes Lycoperdon molle and L. pyri­ has never Fairbanks (UAF), Institute of Arctic Biology. Figure 49. Pholiota squarrosa forme (Figure 37), are edible been Additional f unding w as m ade available Figure 50. Pholiota squarroso­adiposa if you g et t o t hem bef ore through t he U niversity of Alaska F air­ Figure 51. Pleurotus dryinus they begin turnin g c olor banks, Cooperative Extension Service under Figure 52. Tricholomopsis platyphylla (from pure white to an UAA Sus tainable D evelopment Gr ant # green inside) and you beat the G000000268, m ade t o t he U niversity of Figure 53. Xeromphalina cauticinalis bugs or other parasitizing fungi. Alaska F airbanks t hrough t he U AF Many wood­inhabiting gi lled College o f Science, En gineering, an d Asco­ & Basidiolichens: (lamellate or agaric fungi) mushrooms Mathematics a s sub­grant #65089­360163. The Lichenized fungi are NO T c onsidered to be edib le. I n f act, We extend thanks to all agencies and indi­ Figure 54. Ichmadophila ericetorum Galerina autumnalis (Figure 38) is DEAD­ viduals that helped with logistical, material, Figure 55. Lichenomphalia hudsoniana LY POISONOUS an d extr eme car e m ust and informational support.

be taken not to confuse this with other less­ Photographs courtesy of Gary A. Laursen Figure 45. Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca 24 figure 38 figure 42 figure 46 figure 48 figure 52

figure 39 figure 44 figure 49 figure 53

figure 40 figure 50 figure 54

figure 41 figure 43 figure 47 figure 51 figure 55

25 Alaska park science, Vol. 4, No. 1, June 2005; pp. 18-25