Coltricia cinnamomea
What You Should Know
Coltricia cinnamomea is a species of Fungi in the family Hymenochaetaceae. This vase-shaped polypore occurs commonly in the San Francisco Bay area under Monterey pines (Pinus radiatus). It is recognized by rusty-brown, often clustered fruiting bodies. The caps are usually faintly-zoned cap with appressed fibrils, in certain light sometimes appear to glisten. Coltricia perennis, found in the Sierra Nevada and elsewhere, differs in having a more distinctly-zoned cap, and a matted-tomentose surface.
Dried mushrooms of the Coltricia cinnamomea can be used as a natural fiber dye that gives brown-beige color.
Other names: Fairy Stool, Shiny Cinnamon Polypore.
Coltricia cinnamomea Mushroom Identification
Ecology
Mycorrhizal, at least facultatively; possibly also saprobic; growing alone or in small groups under hardwoods in packed soil, often along paths and roadways; infrequently on deadwood; found east of the Rocky Mountains and on the West Coast.
Cap
1-5 cm; more or less round in outline; flat or vase-shaped; dry; silky-shiny when fresh; cinnamon brown, usually with concentric bands of colors; the margin straight and thin, sometimes eroding in age.
Pore Surface
Yellowish brown to brown or cinnamon brown; running down the stem or not; pores angular to circular, 2-3 per mm; tubes 3 mm deep at most; not bruising.
Stem
1-5 cm long; 1-4 mm thick; dry; brown to cinnamon brown; velvety; more or less equal; tough.
Flesh
Rusty brown to orange; thin; tough.
Chemical Reactions
Flesh instantly black with KOH.
Spore Print
Yellowish brown.
Microscopic Features
Spores 6-10 x 4.5-7 µ; smooth; elliptical; weakly dextrinoid. Setae absent. Hyphal system is monomitic. Clamp connections absent.
Similar Species
Coltricia perennis is larger and has duller brown colors; it is often found in burn sites and conifer woods.
Coltricia cinnamomea Medicinal Properties
Antitumor effects. Polysaccharides extracted from the mycelial culture of C. cinnamomea and administered intraperitoneally into white mice at a dosage of 300 mg/kg inhibited the growth of Sarcoma 180 and Ehrlich solid cancers by 90% and 100%, respectively (Ohtsuka et al., 1973).
Coltricia cinnamomea Synonyms
Boletus cinnamomeus Jacq., 1786
Strilia cinnamomea (Jacq.) Gray, 1821
Polyporus cinnamomeus (Jacq.) Pers., 1825
Polystictus cinnamomeus (Jacq.) Sacc., 1888
Pelloporus cinnamomeus (Jacq.) Quél., 1888
Pelloporus fimbriatus var. cinnamomeus (Jacq.) Quél., 1888
Microporus cinnamomeus (Jacq.) Kuntze, 1898
Xanthochrous cinnamomeus (Jacq.) Pat., 1900
Polystictus perennis f. cinnamomeus (Jacq.) Pilát, 1940
Polyporus parvulus Klotzsch, 1833
Polyporus cladonia Berk., 1845
Polyporus oblectans Berk., 1845
Polyporus bulbipes Fr., 1847
Polyporus splendens Peck, 1873
Polyporus casimirii Velen., 1922
Polyporus baudysii Kavina, 1922
Polyporus casimiri Velen., 1922
Polystictus perennis f. casimirii (Velen.) Pilát, 1942
Coltricia perennis f. casimirii (Velen.) Bondartsev, 1953
Sources:
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