Pholiota squarrosa Phylum Basidomycota Class Basidomycetes Order Agaricles Family Strophariaceae

Macroscopic Cap: convex, scaly, yellow to yellow brown, 5-15cm broad Gills: adnate to subdecurrent, yellowish when young, greenish-brown with age Stipe: colour same as cap, annulus present, scaly, up to 12cm tall, cm thick Habitat: clusters on dead logs and stumps Taste and odour: radish like

Microscopic Spores: smooth, elliptical Spore print: rusty brown # of sterigmata= 2 Basidia length to width ratio less than 4:1 tures/21Sep04_lab/DSCN0022.JPG

Edibility Was though to be edible Recently know to be toxic Reaction when consumed with alcohol Gastrointestinal reaction with 1 hour Symptoms included nausea, vomiting etc. Symptoms last hours Can be confused for Armillaria mellea (Honey Fungus) and P. squarrosoides quarrosoides.jpg ias/Armillaria_mellea_3.jpg

Damaging P. squarrosa is mycorrhizal with aspen, birch, and conifers Necrotrophic parasites Will kill a tree and live on dead wood as a saprophyte Causes butt rot in aspens

Medical uses Anti-H-like aggutinins which agglutinated strongly with O type RBC’s were found in the extracts of P. squarrosa Agglutination- the clumping together of RBC or bacteria, usually in a response to a particular antibody. (Dictionary.com)