Biology:Wolfiporia extensa

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Short description: Species of fungus

Wolfiporia extensa
Tuckahoe.jpg
Wolfiporia extensa sclerotium
Scientific classification
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W. extensa
Binomial name
Wolfiporia extensa
(Peck) Ginns (1984)
Synonyms[1]
  • Pachyma cocos Fr. (1822)
  • Sclerotium cocos Schwein. (1822)
  • Daedalea extensa Peck (1891)
  • Poria Edalat, cocos F.A.Wolf (1922)
  • Macrohyporia cocos (Schwein.) I.Johans. & Ryvarden (1979)
  • Macrohyporia extensa (Peck) Ginns & J.Lowe (1983)
  • Wolfiporia cocos (F.A.Wolf) Ryvarden & Gilb. (1984)

Wolfiporia extensa (Peck) Ginns (syn. Poria cocos F.A.Wolf) is a fungus in the family Polyporaceae. It is a wood-decay fungus but has a subterranean growth habit. It is notable in the development of a large, long-lasting underground sclerotium that resembles a small coconut. This sclerotium called "(Chinese) Tuckahoe" or fu-ling (Chinese: 茯苓; pinyin: fúlíng), is not the same as the true tuckahoe used as Indian bread by Native Americans, which is the arrow arum, Peltandra virginica, a flowering tuberous plant in the arum family. W. extensa is also used extensively as a medicinal mushroom in Chinese medicine.[2] Indications for use in the traditional Chinese medicine include promoting urination, to invigorate the spleen function (i.e., digestive function), and to calm the mind.[3]

Names

Common names include hoelen, poria, tuckahoe, China root, fu ling (茯苓, pīnyīn: fúlíng), and matsuhodo.

Botanical extract

Wolfiporia extensa is a source of a triterpenoid compound, pachymic acid, which has been the object of scientific study based upon the mushroom's role in traditional Chinese medicine. The species is often called cocos in this context.[4]

References

External links

Wikidata ☰ Q3115198 entry