Biology:Grifola frondosa
| Maitake | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Polyporales |
| Family: | Meripilaceae |
| Genus: | Grifola |
| Species: | G. frondosa
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| Binomial name | |
| Grifola frondosa (Dicks.) Gray (1821)
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| Synonyms | |
| Grifola frondosa | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | pores on hymenium |
 | cap is offset or indistinct |
 | hymenium is decurrent |
 | stipe is bare |
 | spore print is white |
 | ecology is parasitic |
 | edibility: choice or can cause allergic reactions |
Grifola frondosa, also known as hen-of-the-woods, sheep's head,[2] ram's head, or Script error: The function "nihongo3" does not exist. in Japanese, is a polypore mushroom that grows at the base of trees, particularly old growth oaks or maples. It is native to China, Europe, and North America.
It is an edible mushroom long used in East Asian cuisine and studied for its potential health benefits, though no high-quality clinical evidence supports its medicinal use.
Description
G. frondosa grows from an underground tuber-like structure known as a sclerotium, about the size of a potato.[2] The fruiting bodies form clumps up to 50 cm (20 in)[3] or rarely 150 cm (60 in). The mushrooms toughen as they mature.[1]
The caps are grayish-brown, often curled or spoon-shaped, with wavy margins and 2–10 cm (1–4 in) broad.[4] The undersurface of each cap bears about one to three pores per millimeter, with the tubes rarely deeper than 3 mm (1⁄8 in).[4] The cream-coloured stipe (stalk) has a branchy structure.[5] The spore print is white.[4]
In Japan, the maitake can grow to more than 45 kilograms (100 pounds).
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Clumps -
Close-up -
Cross-section -
Vinnytsia Raion, Ukraine
Similar species
G. frondosa is a very distinct mushroom except for its cousin, the black staining mushroom, which is similar in taste but rubbery. Edible species which look similar to G. frondosa include Meripilus sumstinei (which stains black), Sparassis spathulata[6] and Laetiporus sulphureus, another edible bracket fungus that is commonly called chicken of the woods or "sulphur shelf". Polyporus umbellatus has distinct roundish caps.[5]
Distribution and habitat
It is native to China, Europe (August to October),[3] and eastern North America[7] (from September to October).[5]
It occurs most prolifically in eastern North America, but has been found as far west as Idaho.[2]
Uses
The species is a choice edible mushroom,[8] especially the young caps when slow cooked, although some may be allergic to it.[2] The softer caps must be thoroughly cooked.[4] It can also be pickled.[2]
Maitake has been consumed for centuries in China and Japan[9] where it is one of the major culinary mushrooms. The mushroom is used in many Japanese dishes, such as nabemono.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}
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Maitake tempura -
In takikomi gohan -
With soba noodles
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Research
Although under laboratory and preliminary clinical research for many years, particularly for the possible biological effects of its polysaccharides, there are no completed, high-quality Phase III clinical studies for the species as of 2019[update].[9][10]
According to a 2009 study, a sulfated polysaccharide extracted from the species can serve as an immunomodulator for survivors of breast cancer with no apparent maximum dose, although the botanical source "may not produce optimal clinical effects".[11]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 McIlvaine, Charles; Macadam, Robert K. (1973) (in en). One Thousand American Fungi. New York: Dover Publications. pp. 483. ISBN 0486227820. https://archive.org/details/onethousandameri0000mcil/page/n619/mode/2up.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Arora, David (1986). Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi (2nd ed.). Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press. pp. 564-65. ISBN 978-0-89815-170-1. https://archive.org/details/arora-david-mushrooms-demystified-a-comprehensive-guide-to-the-fleshy-fungi-ten-speed-press-1986/page/564/mode/2up.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Francis-Baker, Tiffany (2021). Concise Foraging Guide. The Wildlife Trusts. London: Bloomsbury. pp. 124. ISBN 978-1-4729-8474-6.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Phillips, Roger (2010). Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books. p. 300. ISBN 978-1-55407-651-2. https://archive.org/details/mushroomsotherfu0000phil/page/300/mode/2up.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Audubon (2023). Mushrooms of North America. Knopf. pp. 263. ISBN 978-0-593-31998-7.
- ↑ Meuninck, Jim (2017). Foraging Mushrooms Oregon: Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Mushrooms. Falcon Guides. p. 114. ISBN 978-1-4930-2669-2.
- ↑ Meuninck, Jim (2015-06-01). Jim Meuninck - Basic Illustrated Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms, pp. 13-14, Rowman & Littlefield, 1 Jun 2015. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781493014682. https://books.google.com/books?id=ldXRCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA14. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
- ↑ Miller Jr., Orson K.; Miller, Hope H. (2006). North American Mushrooms: A Field Guide to Edible and Inedible Fungi. Guilford, CN: FalconGuides. pp. 420. ISBN 978-0-7627-3109-1.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Maitake, Grifola frondosa". Drugs.com. 2 September 2019. https://www.drugs.com/npp/maitake.html.
- ↑ "Maitake". Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. 2019. https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/maitake.
- ↑ Deng, Gary; Lin, Hong; Seidman, Andrew; Fornier, Monica; D’Andrea, Gabriella; Wesa, Kathleen; Yeung, Simon; Cunningham-Rundles, Susanna et al. (2009-09-01). "A phase I/II trial of a polysaccharide extract from Grifola frondosa (Maitake mushroom) in breast cancer patients: immunological effects" (in en). Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology 135 (9): 1215–1221. doi:10.1007/s00432-009-0562-z. ISSN 1432-1335. PMID 19253021. PMC 3751581. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-009-0562-z.
External links
Wikidata ☰ Q1165686 entry
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