''Trametes versicolor''also known as ''Coriolus versicolor'' and ''Polyporus versicolor''is a common polypore

mushroom A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans. The standard for the name "mushroom" is ...

found throughout the world. Meaning 'of several colors', ''versicolor'' reliably describes this fungus that displays a variety of colors. For example, because its shape and multiple colors are similar to those of a

wild turkey The wild turkey (''Meleagris gallopavo'') is an upland ground bird native to North America, one of two extant species of turkey and the heaviest member of the order Galliformes. It is the ancestor to the domestic turkey, which was originally d ...

, ''T. versicolor'' is commonly called turkey tail. A similar looking mushroom, commonly called false turkey tail, which is from a different order, may sometimes be confused with the turkey tail mushroom due to appearance. Another lookalike is the multicolor gill polypore.

Description and ecology

The top surface of the cap shows typical concentric zones of different colors, and the margin is always the lightest. Underneath a layer of tomentum is a black layer, topping the whitish flesh. The flesh itself is 1–3 mm thick and has a leathery texture. Older specimens, such as the one pictured, can have zones with green algae growing on them, thus appearing green. It commonly grows in tiled layers in groups or rows on logs and stumps of deciduous trees, and is common in North America. The mushroom is stalkless and the cap is rust-brown or darker brown, sometimes with black zones. The cap is flat, up to 8 × 5 x 0.5–1 cm in area. It is often triangular or round, with zones of fine hairs. The pore surface is whitish to light brown, with pores round and with age twisted and labyrinthine. 3–8 pores per millimeter. ''T. versicolor'' is a white-rot fungi which degrades

lignin Lignin is a class of complex organic polymers that form key structural materials in the support tissues of most plants. Lignins are particularly important in the formation of cell walls, especially in wood and bark, because they lend rigidity a ...

from lignocellulosic materials, such as wood. It may be eaten by

caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sy ...

s of the fungus moth ''

Nemaxera betulinella __NOTOC__ ''Nemaxera'' is a genus of the fungus moth family, Tineidae. Therein, it belongs to the subfamily Nemapogoninae. The genus is considered monotypic, with the single species ''Nemaxera betulinella'' placed here. The species occurs in we ...

'',

maggots A maggot is the larva of a fly (order Diptera); it is applied in particular to the larvae of Brachycera flies, such as houseflies, cheese flies, and blowflies, rather than larvae of the Nematocera, such as mosquitoes and crane flies. Entom ...

of the Platypezid fly ''Polyporivora picta'', and the fungus gnat '' Mycetophila luctuosa''. It is considered inedible to humans.

Similar species

Similar species include ''

Trametes hirsuta ''Trametes hirsuta'', commonly known as hairy bracket, is a fungal plant pathogen. It is found on dead wood of deciduous trees, especially beechwood. It is found all year round and persists due to its leathery nature.Phillips, Roger (2006), Mushr ...

'', ''T. ochracea'', '' T. suaveolens'', '' Bjerkandera adusta'', '' Cerrena unicolor'', ''

Lenzites betulina ''Trametes betulina'' (formerly ''Lenzites betulina''), sometimes known by common names gilled polypore, birch mazegill or multicolor gill polypore, is a species of inedible fungus. Although it is a member of the Polyporales order, its fruit ...

'', and ''

Stereum hirsutum ''Stereum hirsutum'', also called false turkey tail and hairy curtain crust, is a fungus typically forming multiple brackets on dead wood. It is also a plant pathogen infecting peach trees. ''S. hirsutum'' is in turn parasitised by certain other ...

''. Other species of ''

Stereum ''Stereum'' is the type genus of the Stereaceae family of fungi, in the Russulales order. Until recently, the genus was classified in the Corticiaceae family, of the Corticiales order. However, it was given its own family as a result of the spl ...

'' are similar, typically with a smooth undersurface, as well as some species of '' Trichaptum''.

Chemistry

''Trametes versicolor'' contains

polysaccharide Polysaccharides (), or polycarbohydrates, are the most abundant carbohydrates found in food. They are long chain polymeric carbohydrates composed of monosaccharide units bound together by glycosidic linkages. This carbohydrate can react with w ...

s under

basic research Basic research, also called pure research or fundamental research, is a type of scientific research with the aim of improving scientific theories for better understanding and prediction of natural or other phenomena. In contrast, applied rese ...

, including the protein-bound PSP and β-1,3 and β-1,4 glucans. The

lipid Lipids are a broad group of naturally-occurring molecules which includes fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E and K), monoglycerides, diglycerides, phospholipids, and others. The functions of lipids in ...

fraction A fraction (from la, fractus, "broken") represents a part of a whole or, more generally, any number of equal parts. When spoken in everyday English, a fraction describes how many parts of a certain size there are, for example, one-half, eight ...

contains the lanostane-type

tetracyclic Tetracyclics are cyclic chemical compounds that contain four interconnected rings of atoms, e.g. Tröger's base. They have various pharmaceutical A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or s ...

triterpenoid Triterpenes are a class of chemical compounds composed of three terpene units with the molecular formula C30H48; they may also be thought of as consisting of six isoprene units. Animals, plants and fungi all produce triterpenes, including squal ...

sterol Sterol is an organic compound with formula , whose molecule is derived from that of gonane by replacement of a hydrogen atom in position 3 by a hydroxyl group. It is therefore an alcohol of gonane. More generally, any compounds that contain the go ...

ergosta-7,22,dien-3β-ol as well as fungisterol and

β-sitosterol β-sitosterol (beta-sitosterol) is one of several phytosterols (plant sterols) with chemical structures similar to that of cholesterol. It is a white, waxy powder with a characteristic odor, and is one of the components of the food additive E499 ...

. When extracting compounds from ''Trametes versicolor,''

menthol Menthol is an organic compound, more specifically a monoterpenoid, made synthetically or obtained from the oils of corn mint, peppermint, or other mints. It is a waxy, clear or white crystalline substance, which is solid at room temperature ...

extractions have the highest levels of

polyphenol Polyphenols () are a large family of naturally occurring organic compounds characterized by multiples of phenol units. They are abundant in plants and structurally diverse. Polyphenols include flavonoids, tannic acid, and ellagitannin, some ...

s, and water extractions have the most

flavonoid Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids; from the Latin word ''flavus'', meaning yellow, their color in nature) are a class of polyphenolic secondary metabolites found in plants, and thus commonly consumed in the diets of humans. Chemically, flavonoids ...

Uses and research

Polysaccharide-K extract

Polysaccharide-K (PSK or ''krestin''),

extracted ''Extracted'', also known as ''Extraction'' in the UK, is an independent 2012 American science fiction thriller directed and written by Nir Paniry. Sasha Roiz stars as a scientist whose consciousness becomes trapped in the mind of a convict (Domi ...

from ''T. versicolor'', is considered safe for use as an

adjuvant therapy Adjuvant therapy, also known as adjunct therapy, adjuvant care, or augmentation therapy, is a therapy that is given in addition to the primary or initial therapy to maximize its effectiveness. The surgeries and complex treatment regimens used i ...

for cancer treatment in Japan where it is known as ''kawaratake'' (roof tile mushroom) and approved for clinical use. As a

glycoprotein Glycoproteins are proteins which contain oligosaccharide chains covalently attached to amino acid side-chains. The carbohydrate is attached to the protein in a cotranslational or posttranslational modification. This process is known as glyco ...

mixture, PSK has been studied in

clinical research Clinical research is a branch of healthcare science that determines the safety and effectiveness ( efficacy) of medications, devices, diagnostic products and treatment regimens intended for human use. These may be used for prevention, treat ...

in people with various

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

s and immune deficiencies, but its efficacy remains inconclusive, as of 2021. In some countries, PSK is sold as a

dietary supplement A dietary supplement is a manufactured product intended to supplement one's diet by taking a pill, capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid. A supplement can provide nutrients either extracted from food sources or that are synthetic in order ...

. Use of PSK may cause

adverse effect An adverse effect is an undesired harmful effect resulting from a medication or other intervention, such as surgery. An adverse effect may be termed a " side effect", when judged to be secondary to a main or therapeutic effect. The term compl ...

s, such as

diarrhea Diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements each day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration due to fluid loss. Signs of dehydration often begin w ...

, darkened

feces Feces ( or faeces), known colloquially and in slang as poo and poop, are the solid or semi-solid remains of food that was not digested in the small intestine, and has been broken down by bacteria in the large intestine. Feces contain a rela ...

, or darkened

finger nail A nail is a claw-like plate found at the tip of the fingers and toes on most primates. Nails correspond to the claws found in other animals. Fingernails and toenails are made of a tough protective protein called alpha-keratin, which is a polymer. ...

FDA warnings

In 2020, the United States

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...

(FDA) issued warning letters to two manufacturers for advertising misbranded ''T. versicolor'' PSK supplements as anti-cancer or immune therapy

drugs A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalati ...

, stating such products "are not generally recognized as safe and effective for the above referenced uses and, therefore, these products are 'new drugs' under section 201(p) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. 321(p). New drugs may not be legally introduced or delivered for introduction into interstate commerce without prior approval from the FDA." ''Trametes versicolor'' may be used in

traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logical mechanism of acti ...

or other

herbalism Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern reme ...

practices.

Gallery

Image:Schmetterlingstramete_Trametes_versicolor_001.jpg, ''T. versicolor'' covering a stump Image:Schmetterlingstramete Trametes versicolor 004.jpg, Close up of ''T. versicolor''. Image:Trametes_versicolor_2.jpg, Color variation of ''T. versicolor'' on the same tree stump Image:Trametes.versicolor4.-.lindsey.jpg, Pale specimens Image:Schmetterlingstramete_(Trametes_versicolor)_-_hms(1).jpg, Brown variety Image:Trametes_versicolor_different_colours.jpg, Pale and brown varieties side by side File:Schmetterlingsporling (Coriolus versicolor).jpg, Brown variety in higher magnification File:Tramete versicolor.jpg, ''T. versicolor'', pale variety

References

External links

''Trametes versicolor''
at Mushroom-Collecting.com {{Taxonbar, from=Q753833 Fungi described in 1753 Fungi of Europe Fungi of North America Inedible fungi Medicinal fungi Polyporaceae Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus