- Fungi Including Lichens
- ›Basidiomycete Fungi
- ›Higher Basidiomycetes
- ›Mushrooms, Bracket Fungi, Puffballs, and Allies
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- ›Phanerochaetaceae
- ›Bjerkandera
Smoky polypore
Bjerkandera adusta
Bjerkandera adusta, commonly known as the smoky polypore or smoky bracket, is a species of fungus in the family Meruliaceae. It is a plant pathogen that causes white rot in live trees, but most commonly appears on dead wood. It was first described scientifically as Boletus adustus by Carl Ludwig Willdenow in 1787. The genome sequence of Bjerkandera adusta was reported in 2013. The species is inedible.
From the article Bjerkandera adusta on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), quoted section by section
Description
The fungus grows in shelflike fruit bodies which often overlap. The caps are up to 7 centimetres (2+3⁄4 in) wide and 6 millimetres (1⁄4 in) thick, tomentose to hairy, and buff in colour.
Similar species. Bjerkandera fumosa is similar; its flesh has a dark line near the base of the tubes. Some members of the genera Stereum and Trametes are also similar.
At the table
The species is inedible. Because it produces enzymes that can degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, such as those used in synthetic textile dyes, there has been research interest in investigating the fungus for possible use in bioremediation. The research on these lignin-degrading enzymes produced by Bjerkandera adusta, such as versatile peroxidase, has also shown in studies to be able to decolorize synthetic melanin. This feature may allow Bjerkandera adusta to be utilized for melanin decolorization in future cosmetic applications.
Wikipedia: “Potential uses”
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
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geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
Drag the globe to turn it. Dots are where records exist, not a range map; darker means more records.
In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Bjerkandera adusta in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 118038.