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Grifola frondosa: hen of the woods

Ecoregions:
Freshwater Ecoregions:
Source: Wikipedia

Maitake
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain:Eukaryota
Kingdom:Fungi
Division:Basidiomycota
Class:Agaricomycetes
Order:Polyporales
Family:Meripilaceae
Genus:Grifola
Species:
G. frondosa
Binomial name
Grifola frondosa
(Dicks.) Gray (1821)
Synonyms
  • Boletus frondosus Dicks. (1785)
  • Polyporus frondosus Fr.[1]
Grifola frondosa
View the Mycomorphbox template that generates the following list
Pores on hymenium
Cap is offset or indistinct
Hymenium is decurrent
Stipe is bare
Spore print is white
Ecology is parasitic
Edibility is choice or can cause allergic reactions

Grifola frondosa, also known as hen-of-the-woods, sheep's head,[2] ram's head, or maitake (舞茸, "dancing mushroom") in Japanese, is a polypore mushroom that grows at the base of trees, particularly old growth oaks or maples. It is native to China, Europe, and North America.

It is an edible mushroom long used in East Asian cuisine and studied for its potential health benefits, though no high-quality clinical evidence supports its medicinal use.

Description

Like the sulphur shelf mushroom, G. frondosa is a perennial fungus that often grows in the same place for several years in succession.

G. frondosa grows from an underground tuber-like structure known as a sclerotium, about the size of a potato.[2] The fruiting body, individually up to 10 centimetres (4 in) across but whole clumps up to 50 cm (20 in),[3] rarely 150 cm (60 in), is a cluster consisting of multiple grayish-brown caps which are often curled or spoon-shaped, with wavy margins and 2–10 cm (1–4 in) broad.[4] The undersurface of each cap bears about one to three pores per millimeter, with the tubes rarely deeper than 3 mm (1⁄8 in).[4] The cream-coloured stipe (stalk) has a branchy structure[5] and becomes tough as the mushroom matures.[citation needed][6]

In Japan, the maitake can grow to more than 45 kilograms (100 pounds).

Similar species

G. frondosa is a very distinct mushroom except for its cousin, the black staining mushroom, which is similar in taste but rubbery. Edible species which look similar to G. frondosa include Meripilus sumstinei (which stains black), Sparassis spathulata[7] and Laetiporus sulphureus, another edible bracket fungus that is commonly called chicken of the woods or "sulphur shelf". Polyporus umbellatus has distinct roundish caps.[5]

Distribution and habitat

It is native to China, Europe (August to October),[3] and eastern North America[8] (from September to October).[5]

It occurs most prolifically in eastern North America, but has been found as far west as Idaho.[2]

Uses

The species is a choice edible mushroom,[9] especially the young caps when slow cooked, although some may be allergic to it.[2] The softer caps must be thoroughly cooked.[4] It can also be pickled.[2]

Maitake has been consumed for centuries in China and Japan[10] where it is one of the major culinary mushrooms.[citation needed] The mushroom is used in many Japanese dishes, such as nabemono.[citation needed]

Research

Although under laboratory and preliminary clinical research for many years, particularly for the possible biological effects of its polysaccharides, there are no completed, high-quality clinical studies for the species as of 2019.[10][11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ McIlvaine, Charles; Robert K. Macadam; and Robert L. Shaffer. 1973. One Thousand American Fungi. Dover Publications. New York. 729 pp. (Polyporus frondosus, pp. 482-483 & Plate CXXVIII.)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Arora, David (1986) [1979]. Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi (2nd ed.). Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press. pp. 564–65. ISBN 978-0-89815-170-1.
  3. 1 2 Francis-Baker, Tiffany (2021). Concise Foraging Guide. The Wildlife Trusts. London: Bloomsbury. p. 124. ISBN 978-1-4729-8474-6.
  4. 1 2 3 Phillips, Roger (2010). Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books. p. 300. ISBN 978-1-55407-651-2.
  5. 1 2 3 Audubon (2023). Mushrooms of North America. Knopf. p. 263. ISBN 978-0-593-31998-7.
  6. ↑ McIlvaine, Charles; Macadam, Robert (1973). One Thousand American Fungi. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. p. 483. ISBN 0486227820.
  7. ↑ Meuninck, Jim (2017). Foraging Mushrooms Oregon: Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Mushrooms. Falcon Guides. p. 114. ISBN 978-1-4930-2669-2.
  8. ↑ Meuninck, Jim (2015-06-01). Jim Meuninck - Basic Illustrated Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms, pp. 13-14, Rowman & Littlefield, 1 Jun 2015. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781493014682. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  9. ↑ Miller Jr., Orson K.; Miller, Hope H. (2006). North American Mushrooms: A Field Guide to Edible and Inedible Fungi. Guilford, CN: FalconGuides. p. 420. ISBN 978-0-7627-3109-1.
  10. 1 2 "Maitake, Grifola frondosa". Drugs.com. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  11. ↑ "Maitake". Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2019.