Content
Stereum purpurea is an inedible species of the Cyphella family. The fungus grows as a saprotroph on stumps and dry wood, and as a parasite on deciduous and fruit trees. It often settles on the walls of wooden buildings, leading to rapid rotting and destruction. To recognize a mushroom, you need to study its description and look at the photo.
Where does stereoum purple grow?
The variety begins to bear fruit from September to mid-December. It can be seen on dry wood, stumps, as well as living trunks and roots of deciduous trees. It grows in numerous groups, less often in single specimens. When garden crops are infected, it causes white rot and milky sheen disease.The disease can be recognized by discolored foliage, which over time becomes shiny with a pronounced silvery tint. Without treatment, after 2 years the branches of the affected tree shed their leaves and dry out.
What does stereo magenta look like?
Stereum purpurea is a parasitic species with a small disc-shaped fruiting body, about 2-3 cm in size. Felt-hairy, cream or light brown variety grows on wood in the form of small spots when young. With age, the fruiting body grows and becomes fan-shaped with wavy, slightly drooping edges.
After frost, the fruit body fades and becomes grayish-brown in color with light edges. Because of this color, the parasitic fungus is difficult to recognize, since in appearance it is similar to other types of stereoums.
The smooth, slightly wrinkled hymenophore is dark purple in color with a light whitish-purple border. It reproduces by colorless, cylindrical spores that are located in coffee spore powder.
The pulp is thin and tough, with a pleasant spicy aroma. In a section, the upper layer is colored gray-brown, the lower layer is pale cream.
Is it possible to eat Stereum Magenta?
Stereum purpurea is an inedible mushroom. Due to the lack of taste, dense, hard pulp and nutritional value, the variety is not used in cooking.
Similar species
This variety has similar counterparts. These include:
- Trihaptum fir. The mushroom grows on dry coniferous wood in multi-layered tiers. The small fruiting body is light brown. The surface is felt, pubescent, after rains it becomes covered with algae and acquires a greenish tint.The underside is bright purple, becoming chocolate-colored and elongated with age.
- It is coarse-haired, grows on stumps and dead wood, rarely attacks living weakened deciduous trees. The species is perennial, has a fan-shaped fruiting body with unfolded edges. The surface is smooth, painted lemon-brown with a greenish tint. Prefers to grow in groups, forming long, wrinkled ribbons. Due to the lack of taste, the species is not used in cooking.
- Felt, distinguished by its larger size, velvety surface and reddish-brown color. Grows on stumps, dead wood, on sick, diseased trees. The species is inedible because it has hard flesh.
Application
Since this variety attacks dry wood and causes a fungal disease on apple trees, pears and other stone fruits, both gardeners and workers at wood processing plants fight against it. And due to the lack of taste and hard pulp, it has no nutritional value and is not used for cooking.
Conclusion
Stereum purpurea is an inedible member of the Cyphella family. The fungus often attacks dead wood, treated wood, live fruit trees and the walls of wooden houses. If timely control is not started, the fungus can quickly destroy buildings and reduce the yield of stone fruit trees.
