''Climacodon septentrionalis'', commonly known as the northern tooth fungus or the white rot fungus, is a species of shelf fungus in the phylum

Basidiomycota Basidiomycota () is one of two large divisions that, together with the Ascomycota, constitute the subkingdom Dikarya (often referred to as the "higher fungi") within the kingdom Fungi. Members are known as basidiomycetes. More specifically, Basi ...

. It is white in color and can be found in large clusters on the trunks of trees. This species is a plant pathogen native to North America.

Taxonomy

''Climacodon septentrionalis'' was originally described by

Elias Magnus Fries Elias Magnus Fries (15 August 1794 – 8 February 1878) was a Swedish mycologist and botanist. He is sometimes called the Mycology, "Linnaeus of Mycology". In his works he described and assigned botanical names to hundreds of fungus and li ...

in 1821 under the genus ''

Hydnum ''Hydnum'' is a genus of fungi in the family Hydnaceae. They are notable for their unusual spore-bearing structures of teeth rather than Lamella (mycology), gills. The best known are the Edible mushroom, edible species ''Hydnum repandum'' and ''H ...

''. It was later transferred to ''

Climacodon ''Climacodon'' is a widespread genus of hydnoid fungi, tooth fungi in the family Phanerochaetaceae. Taxonomy The genus was circumscription (taxonomy), circumscribed by Finnish mycologist Petter Karsten in 1881 with ''Climacodon septentrionalis'' ...

'' in 1881 by

Petter Karsten Petter Adolf Karsten (16 February 1834 – 22 March 1917) was a Finnish mycologist, the foremost expert on the fungi of Finland in his day, and known in consequence as the "father of Finnish mycology". Karsten was born in Merimasku near Turku ...

Description

Individual caps are semicircular or kidney-shaped and can reach up to across and at the base. They typically occur in large groups that can reach in height. Young caps range from mostly white to a yellow-cream color, and slowly become a yellow-brown as they age. The caps tend to persist for multiple weeks, allowing

algae Algae ( , ; : alga ) is an informal term for any organisms of a large and diverse group of photosynthesis, photosynthetic organisms that are not plants, and includes species from multiple distinct clades. Such organisms range from unicellular ...

to grow, giving them a slightly green appearance. The cap surface can be rough or even hairy, and can have concentric rings radiating out from the base. The underside of the cap has many white spines that reach 1 cm in length and also yellow with age.

Habitat and distribution

The species is a common cause of heart rot in hardwood trees in their native range, It can be found on the trunks of living and recently deceased trees, especially

beech Beech (genus ''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to subtropical (accessory forest element) and temperate (as dominant element of Mesophyte, mesophytic forests) Eurasia and North America. There are 14 accepted ...

(''Fagus'') and

maple ''Acer'' is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the soapberry family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated si ...

(''Acer'') species. It is native to northeastern North America (August–October), ranging from southern Canada to Kentucky, and as far west as the

Great Plains The Great Plains is a broad expanse of plain, flatland in North America. The region stretches east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, and grassland. They are the western part of the Interior Plains, which include th ...

Nematode predation

''Climacodon septentrionalis'' was the first observed species of fungus outside of ''

Agaricus ''Agaricus'' is a genus of mushroom-forming fungi containing both edible and poisonous species, with over 400 members worldwide and possibly again as many disputed or newly discovered species. The genus includes the common ("button") mushroom ...

'' to secrete a toxin that it uses to immobilize and kill fungiphagous

nematode The nematodes ( or ; ; ), roundworms or eelworms constitute the phylum Nematoda. Species in the phylum inhabit a broad range of environments. Most species are free-living, feeding on microorganisms, but many are parasitic. Parasitic worms (h ...

s. The mycelium of this species grows secretory cells the protrude outwards and develop branches that produce the substance in small droplets. When a nematode comes in contact with a droplet, they become encased in it, and their motion is completely inhibited. Death after contact occurs within several hours, but the rate at which a nematode was decomposed varied greatly, ranging from a few weeks to several days.

Uses

''C. septentrionalis'' is edible but not palatable due to its tough flesh and bitter taste.

Novel compounds

''Climacodon septentrionalis'' produces some compounds with potential uses.

Esters In chemistry, an ester is a chemical compound, compound derived from an acid (either organic or inorganic) in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group () of that acid is replaced by an organyl group (R). These compounds c ...

are natural or synthetic, fragrant compounds that can be found in perfumes and flavorings, or used in paints, solvents, insecticides, and more. The mycelium of this species produces esters that could be used in perfumes. The compound

furaneol Furaneol, or strawberry furanone, is an organic compound used in the flavor and perfume industry. It is formally a derivative of furan. It is a white or colorless solid that is soluble in water and organic solvents. Odor and occurrence Although ...

is a commonly used in the cooking industry as a flavoring, with different forms having tastes ranging from a strawberry or pineapple to a caramel or honey flavor. The furaneol found in ''C. septentrionalis'' is extracted from its fruiting bodies, and has a strawberry-like flavor and taste.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5133380 Fungi described in 1821 Fungal plant pathogens and diseases Inedible fungi Phanerochaetaceae Taxa named by Elias Magnus Fries Fungus species