Phylloporia

Murrill 1904

Species Guides

Phylloporia bistrigella(Striped Bright)

of polypore fungi in Hymenochaetaceae, order Hymenochaetales. produce to basidiomata with resupinate to pileate-stipitate growth forms and characteristic duplex context. Hyphal system monomitic to dimitic. Basidiospores globose to cylindrical, thick-walled, yellowish to pale brown in KOH. Approximately 72 species described worldwide, predominantly distributed in tropical regions.

Phylloporia by (c) Cristian Riquelme, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Cristian Riquelme. Used under a CC-BY license.

Phylloporia by (c) Alan Rockefeller, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alan Rockefeller. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Phylloporia: /ˌfɪloʊˈpɔːriə/

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Habitat

Tropical , including tropical dry forests, cloud forests at medium elevations (1200–1400 m), and Atlantic Forest remnants. Some occur in small urban protected areas. Substrates include angiosperm stumps, living lianas, living stems of Doliocarpus schottianus, and soil under angiosperm trees in dense dry forests.

Distribution

Widely distributed in the tropics. Documented from West Africa (Benin), Central Africa (Gabon, Cameroon), East Africa, Mexico (Jalisco), Ecuador (Mindo Valley, San Carlos, Guamani, Wild Sumaco Lodge), southern Brazil, and China (Shandong Province, Hainan Province). Fifteen known from tropical Africa; eight recorded in Mexico.

Diet

Wood-decay fungi. Predominantly parasitic on woody plant ; some saprotrophic on dead wood. P. crystallina causes white rot on angiosperm stumps; P. sumacoensis parasitic on living lianas; P. minuta parasitic on living stems of Doliocarpus schottianus. Trophic status of some species (e.g., P. mutabilis) requires further study.

Host Associations

Lonicera japonica - parasitic of P. lonicerae, widely used medicinal
Fontanesia fortunei - parasitic of P. fontanesiae, rarely used medicinally
Pyrus - parasitic of P. pulla, potentially used medicinally
Doliocarpus schottianus - parasitic of P. minuta, living stems
Angiosperm stump - saprotrophicsubstrate of P. crystallina, freshly dead wood
Living liana - parasiticsubstrate of P. sumacoensis
Angiosperm trees - unknownP. mutabilis grows on soil under trees in dense dry forest, trophic status unconfirmed

Life Cycle

to basidiomata. via basidiospores produced on basidia with four sterigmata.

Behavior

Stipitate growth form (stalked basidiomata) observed in multiple . Some species exhibit imbricate (overlapping, shingle-like) basidiomata. Growth habit ranges from resupinate (crust-like, flat on substrate) to pileate- (cap without stalk) to pileate-stipitate (cap with central stalk). Speciation driven by and .

Ecological Role

Wood-decay fungus causing white rot. Decomposer of angiosperm wood in tropical . Some function as on living woody plants, including lianas and tree stems. Contributes to nutrient cycling in tropical forests.

Human Relevance

Basidiocarps used as source of natural medicine in China, mainly in Shandong Province. P. lonicerae on Lonicera japonica is the most widely used medicinal . P. fontanesiae and P. pulla have limited or potential medicinal use. Species studied for antitumor activity (P. crataegi, P. fontanesiae). Extraction optimization investigated for P. ribis to enhance biological activity. Taxonomic clarification essential for medicinal studies and industry development.