Laricifomes officinalis

Laricifomes officinalis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Polyporales
Family: Laricifomitaceae
Genus: Laricifomes
Kotl. & Pouzar (1957)
Species:
L. officinalis
Binomial name
Laricifomes officinalis
(Vill.) Kotl. & Pouzar (1957)
Synonyms

Boletus officinalis Vill. (1789)
Polyporus officinalis (Vill.) Fr. (1821)
Piptoporus officinalis (Vill.) P.Karst. (1882)
Cladomeris officinalis (Vill.) Quél. (1886)
Ungulina officinalis (Vill.) Pat. (1900)
Fomes officinalis (Vill.) Bres. (1931)
Fomitopsis officinalis (Vill.) Bondartsev & Singer (1941)
Agaricum officinale (Vill.) Donk (1971) [1974]
Boletus laricis F.Rubel (1778)
Boletus officinalis Batsch (1783)
Boletus agaricum Pollini (1824)
Fomes fuscatus Lázaro Ibiza (1916)

Laricifomes officinalis, also known as agarikon, eburiko, or the quinine conk, is a wood-decay fungus that causes brown heart rot on conifers native to Europe, Asia, and North America, as well as Morocco.[1] This fungus is the only member of the genus Laricifomes, in the order Polyporales. The fruiting bodies grow in large conks on the trunks of trees.

There has been a history of human use of the fungus, from textiles,[2] to ritualistic masks,[3] and medicinal use; the name "quinine conk" is given due to its bitter taste. There is recent scientific evidence of it having potency against several viruses.[4][5]

  1. ^ a b Kałucka, I.L. & Svetasheva, T. (2019). "Fomitopsis officinalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T75104087A75104095. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T75104087A75104095.en. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  2. ^ Blanchette, Robert A.; Haynes, Deborah Tear; Held, Benjamin W.; Niemann, Jonas; Wales, Nathan (2021-03-04). "Fungal mycelial mats used as textile by indigenous people of North America". Mycologia. 113 (2): 261–267. doi:10.1080/00275514.2020.1858686. ISSN 0027-5514. PMID 33605842. S2CID 231962550.
  3. ^ Blanchette, Robert A.; Compton, Brian D.; Turner, Nancy J.; Gilbtrtson, Robert L. (1992-01-01). "Nineteenth Century Shaman Grave Guardians are Carved Fomitopsis Officinalis Sporophores". Mycologia. 84 (1): 119–124. doi:10.1080/00275514.1992.12026114. ISSN 0027-5514.
  4. ^ Stamets, Paul E. (2005). "Medicinal Polypores of the Forests of North America: Screening for Novel Antiviral Activity". International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms. 7 (3): 362. doi:10.1615/IntJMedMushrooms.v7.i3.210. ISSN 1521-9437.
  5. ^ "POLYPORES of the Pacific Northwest". www.svims.ca. Retrieved 2021-11-03.