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Stekherinum Murashkinsky (lat. Metuloidea murashkinskyi) or Irpex Murashkinsky is a medium-sized mushroom with a rather unusual appearance. Its fruit body does not have a clear shape, and the cap resembles a large oyster shell. It received its name in honor of the Soviet scientist, professor of the Siberian Agricultural Academy K. E. Murashkinsky.
Description of Murashkinsky's stekherinum
The hat has the shape of a semicircle, which can reach 5-7 cm in diameter. Its thickness is about 1 cm. This species is rarely found alone. Most often you can find groups of mushrooms that are located close to each other like tiles.
Fresh caps of this species are leathery and elastic to the touch. As they dry, they become brittle.The surface is slightly pubescent, especially in young specimens. The older the fruit body, the smoother its cap. The color varies from whitish with an admixture of ocher to pinkish-brown shades. As it develops, the cap darkens.
The hymenophore belongs to the spinous type - it consists of many small cone-shaped spines, the length of which does not exceed 4-5 mm. The closer they are located to the edge of the cap, the smaller their size. In color, they can be cream or reddish brown depending on age.
There is no stalk as such as it is a sessile variety. The base of the cap is slightly narrowed at the point where the fruiting body attaches to the support.
Where and how does it grow
The distribution area of Stecherinum Murashkinsky is quite extensive - it grows in China, Korea, as well as Europe (it is found in large quantities in Slovakia). In Russia, this species can most often be found in Western Siberia, the Far East and the Caucasus. Small groups of mushrooms are also found in the European part of the country.
Irpex of various species prefers to settle on dead wood, usually deciduous trees. In the south of Russia, fruiting bodies are most often found on oak, aspen and birch. In the Northern regions, Stekherinum Murashkinsky lives on fallen willow trunks. The likelihood of finding the fungus in damp deciduous and mixed forests increases significantly, especially in places with dead wood.
It bears fruit actively in August and September, but it is not common.In spring, you can sometimes find overwintered and dried fruit bodies of this species.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
Irpex Murashkinsky is classified as an inedible variety. Its pulp does not contain toxic substances, however, the fruit body is too hard. Even after heat treatment, it is unfit for consumption.
Doubles and their differences
Anthrodiella odorifera (lat. Antrodiella fragrans) - one of the few doubles. It has a similar anise smell. Externally, the mushroom is very similar to Stecherinum Murashkinsky. This twin is distinguished by its hymenophore, which has a porous structure rather than a spinous one.
Peak fruiting occurs at the end of August - beginning of September. Anthrodiella fragrant is most often found on dead trunks. The fruiting bodies are not suitable for consumption.
Trametes ocher (lat. Trametes ochracea) is another double of Stecherinum Murashkinsky. In general, it is a little smaller, however, young mushrooms are difficult to distinguish by this parameter. The shape of the cap of these species is almost identical; trametes also grows in groups, but most often on stumps.
The color of the ocher tramethes is very diverse. Fruit bodies can be colored either in delicate cream tones or in gray-brown shades. Sometimes there are specimens with orange caps. Such fruiting bodies can be easily distinguished from Stecherinum, which is never so brightly colored.
The double is distinguished by the lower surface of the cap - it is milky white, sometimes cream. The hymenophore of Trametes is porous. The two species can also be distinguished by their smell.Stekherinum Murashkinsky has a pronounced anise aroma, while Trametes ocher smells of fresh fish.
Ocher trametes does not contain toxic substances, however, its pulp structure is quite rigid. For this reason, the variety is considered inedible.
Conclusion
Stekherinum Murashkinsky is a rather unusual-looking mushroom, resembling a large shell. It is not classified as poisonous, however, due to its hard pulp, it is still not eaten.
