Neoalbatrellus caeruleoporus

Description

Neoalbatrellus caeruleoporus (Albatrellus caeruleoporus) is a nontoxic and inedible mushroom distributed in central and southwestern China. Its fruiting body is white with light blue skin on the pileus.

Its distribution is restricted to the coastal areas of western North America from British Columbia into northern California. Despite medium-sized, charismatic blue sporocarps, it is obviously very rare and only reported a few times. Despite being a Survey and Manage species in the North West Forest Plan and looked for during the last 20 years, the species was never encountered in Oregon and Washington. The suspected population size is estimated to be less than 2000 and the current trend is unknown.

Common names: Blue-Pored Polypore.

Mushroom Identification

1. Ecology

   Mycorrhizal with eastern hemlock and perhaps other conifers; often appearing in low, wet woods; growing alone or gregariously; summer and fall; fairly widely distributed in eastern North America wherever hemlock occurs.

2. Cap

   2-7 cm across; more or less circular in outline; loosely convex, flat, or irregular; occasionally fused; dry; smooth, finely velvety, or with tiny scales in patches; blue, gray, or grayish blue, becoming brown, brownish, or orangish brown.

3. Pore Surface

   Descending the stem; pale blue or gray, becoming grayish or brownish; 2-3 angular pores per mm; tubes to 5 mm deep.

4. Stem

   2.5-7 cm long; up to 2 cm wide; sometimes a little off-center; blue, discoloring to grayish or brownish with age; smooth or rugged.

5. Flesh

   Whitish; fairly soft when fresh.

6. Odor and Taste

   Odor not distinctive; taste mild or slightly acrid.

7. Spore Print

   White.

8. Dried Specimens

   Often developing reddish or orange colors.

9. Microscopic Features

   Spores 4-6 x 3-5 µ; smooth; broadly elliptical or subglobose; inamyloid. Gloeoplerous hyphae absent. Clamp connections absent.

Photo sources:

Photo 1 - Author: myco_mama_vt (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Photo 2 - Author: myco_mama_vt (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Photo 3 - Author: mycoprof (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Photo 4 - Author: matt_pulk (CC BY-NC 4.0)