STUDIES ON THE MEDICINAL POLYPORE, PHELLINUS-BAUMII, AND ITS KIN, PHELLINUS-LINTEUS

Phellinus linteus (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Teng has been widely reported in Asia, and considered to be a medicinal fungus in China, Japan and S outh Korea. A study of material from Northeast Asia revealed that the concept of the species has been misinterpreted, and the Asian fungus i s in fact Phellinus baumii Pilat rather than P. linteus. Both species are described, and illustrated. P. baumii is characterized by smaller, broadly ellipsoid spores, 3.3-4.5 x 2.4-3.5 mu m; its tramal skeletal s are parallel, mostly < 3 mu m in diam, and they remain unchanged in KOH. The basidiocarps have a blunt edge and a distinct, wide sterile z one bordering the pore surface. P. linteus has larger, subglobose spor es, 4.3-5.5 x 3.8-4.8 mu m; its tramal skeletals are loosely interwove n, mostly > 3 mu m in diam, and they swell in KOH. The basidiocarps of P. linteus have a more or less acute edge, and a narrow to indistinct sterile margin below. The former species is widely distributed in tem perate Asia and lives mostly on Syringa and Lonicera in Northeast Asia . The latter is most probably tropical American and African in its dis tribution, and its host tree species are not well-known.