''Stereum hirsutum'', commonly known as the false turkey tail, hairy stereum, or hairy curtain crust, is a species of fungus and a

plant pathogen Plant diseases are diseases in plants caused by pathogens (infectious organisms) and environmental conditions (physiological factors). Organisms that cause infectious disease include fungi, oomycetes, bacteria, viruses, viroids, virus-like orga ...

that infects coniferous and deciduous trees.

Description

The fuzzy orangish fruiting bodies typically form in multiple brackets on dead wood. The

cap A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. The origin of the word "cap" comes from the Old French word "chapeau" which means "head co ...

is wide, sometimes fused to form wider shelves. The flesh is thin and tough. The spores and

spore print 300px, Making a spore print of the mushroom ''Volvariella volvacea'' shown in composite: (photo lower half) mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper; (photo upper half) cap removed after 24 hours showing warm orange ("tussock") color spore print. ...

are white. It is inedible.

Similar species

Similar species include '' Stereum rameale'', '' S. ostrea'', and '' Trametes versicolor''.

Habitat and distribution

Its substrates include dead limbs and trunks of both hardwoods and

conifer Conifers () are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a sin ...

s. It is found throughout North America.

Ecology

It is a

infecting

peach The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and Agriculture, cultivated in China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and the glossy-skinned, non-fuzzy varieties called necta ...

trees. ''S. hirsutum'' is itself parasitised by species such as the fungus '' Tremella aurantia''.Species Fungorum. 2009
Synonymy: ''Stereum hirsutum''
/ref>

References

External links

* Fungal tree pathogens and diseases Stone fruit tree diseases Fungi of Europe Fungi described in 1787 Inedible fungi Stereaceae Fungus species {{fungus-tree-disease-stub