#51 Phylloporus rhodoxanthus

This is an intriguing fungus - although it appears to have gills, it belongs to the Boletaceae family.  Phylloporus means 'gill-like pores'.  The pores are arranged in rows radiating outwards resembling gills.  I haven't actually dissected the fertile surface to closely investigate this.

Phylloporus rhodoxanthus has a common name of Gilled Bolete, which is most appropriate.

Caps start out convex (domed) with an inrolled margin, expanding and flattening up to 120mm across.  Commonly, the caps are 'biscuit' brown,smooth and dry, but often wavy or contorted. The cap will sometimes age to funnel-shaped. With age, the surface of some caps will crack into a tessellated pattern, making identification somewhat confusing, but blue bruising of the damaged flesh is a sure identification feature.

Fresh gills are pale to bright yellow, and supple, but dry out with age to a brownish yellow. Gills can extend down the stem. Spore print is brown.

The stem is about 15mm thick, yellowish white to dirty white, from about  3 to 9 cm tall, sometimes tapering to a narrower base. Yellow mycelia is sometimes visible at the base of the stem.

Phylloporus rhodoxanthus is mycorrhizal with hardwoods, especially oaks in North America.  In Australia it is often found associated with Casuarinas and Eucalypts, and is usually found in scattered groups.  I believe it to be found primarily in dry woodland.

My hand gives a size perspective - a particularly large specimen

Tessellated cap surface

White flesh bruising green-blue, supple yellow fresh gills

Inrolled margin of young fruit body

Stems tapering to a narrower base, gills aging to dirty yellow

Gills running down stem (decurrent), dry and yellowish brown. Funnel shaped.

My sightings of Phylloporus rhodoxanthus

[This will be updated with new sightings]

Gibson Way, northwestern NSW - Dry woodland under Eucalypts and Casuarinas, Sept 2010

Bingara, NW NSW - woodland after rain, Dec 2008

Medicinal properties/uses:  Work is apparently being carried out on mycelial culture of Phylloporus rhodoxanthus investigating anti-tumor effects.

Edibility:  Phylloporus rhodoxanthus is reportedly edible, but I have no confirmation or further information on this claim.