A contribution to the knowledge of fungi Daedaleopsis confragosa (Bolton) Schröt the cause of white rot of hardwood

Abstract

Within the Daedaleopsis genus six species has been described, however, some sources are indicating that there are 10(11) species. Two species are occurring in Europe, including D. confragosa (with its variety tricolor) and D. septentrionalis. Daedaleopsis confragosa causes white rot of broadleaved hosts and most often appears as saprotroph, less often at living trees as opportunistic parasite. Basidiomes of D. confragosa form two types of hymenophore and express differences in the color of upper surface. Based on this, two species were separated in the past including D. confragosa with pores and D. tricolor with lamelloid hymenophore. The aims of this study were to isolate the fungus from morphologically different fruiting bodies and to determine whether there is any difference in growth rates and morphology of pure cultures. It was recorded that reaction and growth on media amended with gallic or tannic acid are identical, and there were no substantial differences in growth rates at different temperatures. Both types of fruiting bodies at short distances were recorded on the same branches in some cases, and after the isolation tests morphologically identical cultures were obtained. Based upon these results and previously performed molecular studies, we believe that there is no reason for D. tricolor to be considered even as a variety, and that is a single species D. confragosa. Fungus D. confragosa has medicinal properties showing cytotoxic, analgesic, anticancer, antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral effects.

Keywords

• daedaleopsis tricolor
• identification
• fungal morphology
• medicinal properties of fungi