Fleshy Fungi of New Brunswick >> Pleurotus populinus

Pleurotus populinus O. Hilber & O.K. Mill.

Densely clustered on dead log of Populus grandidentata, Canoose Flowage Protected Natural Area, New Brunswick (23-06-18/01).

Basidiospores white in spore print, narrowly cylindrical to suballantoid, smooth, inamyloid 8.7-12.0 X 3.2-3.9 µm, D/d = 2.45-3.29 (average[28]: 10.1 X 3.6 µm, D/d = 2.84). Cheilocystidia irregularly ventricose, often with a narrow terminal extension. The interwoven lamellar trama is composed of thick-walled clamped hyphae

This is a very abundant mushroom in our area, fruiting in great clusters on dead standing and fallen logs of Populus grandidentata and P. tremuloides. It occurs in late May and June and will be quite finished fruiting by July. It is larger and heavier than P. pulmonarius, a species found on a variety of hardwoods in the warm summer months. The stipe is not as well developed as that of P. pulmonarius.

Field photograph: Bruce Malloch.