Laricifomes officinalis | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Fungi |
Division: | Basidiomycota |
Class: | Agaricomycetes |
Order: | Polyporales |
Family: | Laricifomitaceae |
Genus: | Laricifomes Kotl. & Pouzar (1957) |
Species: | L. officinalis
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Binomial name | |
Laricifomes officinalis | |
Synonyms | |
Boletus officinalis Vill. (1789) |
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]