Albatrellus confluens
Description
Albatrellus confluens is a terrestrial polypore found under conifers across North America in a wide variety of ecosystems. It has a beautiful pale orange cap, a creamy pore surface with tiny pores, a sturdy stem, and a white spore print - and these features, combined with the habitat under conifers, are probably enough to separate the species from look-alikes. These specimens develop brick red shades when dried.
This fungus looks very similar to Albatrellus ovinus. A. confluens as more orange coloring and caps and are not as tough and rubbery.
Edibility is best in younger specimens. Usually a good quantity can be collected. They can be infested with bugs so finding them early is important. They have a very mushroomy flavor. We cooked some on the grill while camping when we couldn't find any other decent edibles around.
Grifolin is a natural substance that can be isolated from the edible flesh of Albatrellus confluens. In one study, the effects of grifolin on human osteosarcoma cells (osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer) was investigated. The study concluded that grifolin inhibited rapid proliferation (multiplying) of the cell population (by suppressing the signaling pathways of mitochondria in the cancer cells) and induced apoptosis (cell death). However, the impact from grifolin was found to be dependent on its concentration and time of exposure.
Albatrellopsis confluens (Alb. & Schwein.) is a synonym.
Common names: Fused Polypore.
Mushroom Identification
Ecology
Mycorrhizal with conifers in a wide variety of ecosystems; usually growing gregariously; summer and fall; widely distributed in North America.
Cap
3-20 cm across; irregular in outline; loosely convex, flat, or irregular; often fused; dry; smooth, sometimes becoming somewhat cracked with age; pale orange, pinkish buff, or orangish, becoming various shades of tan or frequently green as a result of algal growth. Some populations of Albatrellus confluens in the Rocky Mountains, according to Gilbertson & Ryvarden (1986), develop bluish areas.
Pore Surface
Descending the stem; white to creamy; sometimes staining faintly greenish or yellowish; 3-5 pores per mm; tubes to 5 mm deep.
Stem
3-6 cm long; 1-3 cm wide; usually a little off-center; whitish, developing tan (or sometimes greenish) discolorations; smooth.
Flesh
Whitish; fairly soft when fresh.
Odor and Taste
Odor not distinctive or slightly fragrant; taste mild or cabbage-like and slightly foul.
Chemical Reactions
Surfaces purple with KOH.
Spore Print
White.
Dried Specimens
Developing reddish colors on all surfaces.
Microscopic Features
Spores 4-5.5 x 2.5-4 µ; smooth; elliptical; weakly amyloid. Gloeoplerous hyphae scattered; staining with phloxine; with swollen areas. Clamp connections present.
Photo sources:
Photo 1 - Author: Waldemar Czerniawski (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Photo 2 - Author: Waldemar Czerniawski (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Photo 3 - Author: svajcr (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Photo 4 - Author: Bernypisa (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Photo 5 - Author: caspar s (CC BY-SA 2.0)
