Stereum sanguinolentum
Encyclopedia
Stereum sanguinolentum is a species of fungus
in the Stereaceae
family. A plant pathogen, it causes red heart rot, a red discoloration on conifers, particularly spruce
. Fruit bodies are produced on dead wood, or sometimes on dead branches of living trees. They are a thin leathery crust of the wood surface. Fresh fruit bodies will bleed a red-colored juice if injured, reflected in the common name
s bleeding Stereum or the bleeding conifer parchment. It can be the host of the parasitic
jelly fungus Tremella encephala
.
history include Phlebomorpha, Auricularia
, Merulius
, and Haematostereum. The fungus is commonly
known as the "bleeding Stereum" or the "bleeding conifer parchment".
of Stereum sanguinolentum manifests itself as a thin (typically less than 1 mm thick) leathery crust on the surface of the host wood. Often, the upper edge is curled to form a narrow shelf (usually less than 10 mm thick). When present, these shelves are can be fused to or overlap neighboring shelves. The surface of the fruit body consists of a layer of fine felt-like hairs, sometimes pressed flat against the surface. The color ranges from beige to buff to dark brown in mature specimens; the margin are lighter-colored. Fresh fruit bodies that are injured exude a red juice, or will bruise a red color if touched. The fruit bodies dry to a greyish-brown color. The spore
s are ellipsoid to cylindrical, amyloid
, and typically measure 7–10 by 3–4.5 µm
.
Stereum sanguinolentum can be parasitized
by the jelly fungus Tremella encephala
.
, resulting in wood that is a light brown to red-brown color, and dry, with a stringy texture. A cross-section of infected wood reveals a circular infection around the center of the log. It enter opens wounds of plants caused by mechanical damage or by grazing wildlife. Fragments of mycelia
can be spread by wood wasps (genus Sirex
). The rot spreads up to 40 cm (15.7 in) per year. It has also been recorded on balsam fir
, Douglas fir, and western hemlock
. The fungus is widespread in distribution, and has been recorded from North America, Europe, east Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
in the Stereaceae
Stereaceae
The Stereaceae are a family of corticioid fungi in the Russulales order. Species in the family have a widespread distribution, are lignicolous or terrestrial , and typically saprobic. According to the Dictionary of the Fungi , the family contains 22 genera and 125 species.-Genera...
family. A plant pathogen, it causes red heart rot, a red discoloration on conifers, particularly spruce
Spruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
. Fruit bodies are produced on dead wood, or sometimes on dead branches of living trees. They are a thin leathery crust of the wood surface. Fresh fruit bodies will bleed a red-colored juice if injured, reflected in the common name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
s bleeding Stereum or the bleeding conifer parchment. It can be the host of the parasitic
Parasitism
Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host. Traditionally parasite referred to organisms with lifestages that needed more than one host . These are now called macroparasites...
jelly fungus Tremella encephala
Tremella encephala
Tremella encephala is a species of fungus producing pink; brain-like, gelatinous basidiocarps . It is widespread in north temperate regions and is parasitic on another species of fungus , that grows on dead attached and recently fallen branches of conifers.- Taxonomy :Tremella encephala was first...
.
Taxonomy
The species was first described scientifically by Albertini and Schweinitz in 1805 as Thelephora sanguinolenta. Other genera to which it has been transferred throughout its taxonomicalTaxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
history include Phlebomorpha, Auricularia
Auricularia
Auricularia is a genus of jelly fungi in the family Auriculariaceae. There are about eight species described in this genus, which has a widespread distribution.-Classification:...
, Merulius
Merulius
Merulius is a genus of fungi in the family Meruliaceae.Merulius means blackbird.-External links:* at Index Fungorum...
, and Haematostereum. The fungus is commonly
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
known as the "bleeding Stereum" or the "bleeding conifer parchment".
Description
The fruit bodySporocarp
Sporocarp can refer to any of several structures whose primary function is the production and release of spores.* Sporocarp , a multicellular structure on which spore-producing structures are borne....
of Stereum sanguinolentum manifests itself as a thin (typically less than 1 mm thick) leathery crust on the surface of the host wood. Often, the upper edge is curled to form a narrow shelf (usually less than 10 mm thick). When present, these shelves are can be fused to or overlap neighboring shelves. The surface of the fruit body consists of a layer of fine felt-like hairs, sometimes pressed flat against the surface. The color ranges from beige to buff to dark brown in mature specimens; the margin are lighter-colored. Fresh fruit bodies that are injured exude a red juice, or will bruise a red color if touched. The fruit bodies dry to a greyish-brown color. The spore
Spore
In biology, a spore is a reproductive structure that is adapted for dispersal and surviving for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many bacteria, plants, algae, fungi and some protozoa. According to scientist Dr...
s are ellipsoid to cylindrical, amyloid
Amyloid (mycology)
In mycology the term amyloid refers to a crude chemical test using iodine in either Melzer's reagent or Lugol's solution, to produce a black to blue-black positive reaction. It is called amyloid because starch gives a similar reaction, and that reaction for starch is also called an amyloid reaction...
, and typically measure 7–10 by 3–4.5 µm
Micrometre
A micrometer , is by definition 1×10-6 of a meter .In plain English, it means one-millionth of a meter . Its unit symbol in the International System of Units is μm...
.
Stereum sanguinolentum can be parasitized
Parasitism
Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host. Traditionally parasite referred to organisms with lifestages that needed more than one host . These are now called macroparasites...
by the jelly fungus Tremella encephala
Tremella encephala
Tremella encephala is a species of fungus producing pink; brain-like, gelatinous basidiocarps . It is widespread in north temperate regions and is parasitic on another species of fungus , that grows on dead attached and recently fallen branches of conifers.- Taxonomy :Tremella encephala was first...
.
Habitat, distribution, and ecology
The fungus causes a brown heart rotHeart rot
thumb|300px|right|The bracket fungus [[Fistulina hepatica]] is one of many that cause heart rot.In trees, heart rot is a fungal disease that causes the decay of wood at the center of the trunk and branches. Fungi enter the tree through wounds in the bark and decay the heartwood. The diseased...
, resulting in wood that is a light brown to red-brown color, and dry, with a stringy texture. A cross-section of infected wood reveals a circular infection around the center of the log. It enter opens wounds of plants caused by mechanical damage or by grazing wildlife. Fragments of mycelia
Mycelium
thumb|right|Fungal myceliaMycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. The mass of hyphae is sometimes called shiro, especially within the fairy ring fungi. Fungal colonies composed of mycelia are found in soil and on or within many other...
can be spread by wood wasps (genus Sirex
Sirex
Sirex is a genus of wood wasp in the Siricidae family....
). The rot spreads up to 40 cm (15.7 in) per year. It has also been recorded on balsam fir
Balsam Fir
The balsam fir is a North American fir, native to most of eastern and central Canada and the northeastern United States .-Growth:It is a small to medium-size evergreen tree typically tall, rarely to tall, with a narrow conic crown...
, Douglas fir, and western hemlock
Western Hemlock
Tsuga heterophylla. the Western Hemlock, is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of North America, with its northwestern limit on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, and its southeastern limit in northern Sonoma County, California.-Habitat:...
. The fungus is widespread in distribution, and has been recorded from North America, Europe, east Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.