280 days of Urbpandemonium #154

Some people don't like parasites, but what if the parasite is large and colorful and delicious? Many people seem to love Laetiporus sulphureus*, especially foragers who may scan forests looking for their beloved "chickens," perched high on an oak tree. The oak tree, if it could express a preference, probably would rather not have this fungus in its heartwood, breaking down hemicellulose and cellulose and digesting the results. By the time the mushrooms have appeared, the fungus has been in the wood for years. The fungus continues to feed even if the tree falls down and dies.

This species has the distinction of holding the record for most massive single mushroom--actually a fused collection of shelves--more than a hundred pounds. The forager who found it managed to cut some 70 pounds down to bring home.


* Laetiporus means with bright pores and sulphureus means the colour of sulphur.

280 days of Urbpandemonium #155

As someone who has been calling himself "The Urban Pantheist" for several years, you can imagine my delight upon discovering there was a mushroom named for an American city. Laetiporus cincinnatus is a cousin to the sulphur shelf, but without that yellow underside that characterizes the other chicken mushroom (or if you must, chicken-of-the-woods). The fungus that produces cincinnatus has an even stronger taste for oak than its relative, which can be found on many other hardwoods and even sometimes conifers. Cincinnatus also specializes on the roots of the oak, nearly always appearing on the base of the tree, or in many cases appearing to come straight out of the ground. This white-pored mushroom is also considered a choice edible, but all Laetiporus should be consumed well-cooked and with caution. About 10% of those who eat it find it undigestible--I, for one, made myself very sick by eating a meal of undercooked chicken mushroom.