Subject: assorted sclerotia

From: "Ralph D. Arnold" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 12 Dec 94 22:06:17 PST

I am seeking info/growers of the following fungi, which form sclerotia.
If possible <especially last 3> would you "point" me towards sources
of cultures.

Polyporus umbellatus ("Zhu Ling", "Umbrella Polypore")
Have you "planted" Chinese-grown scletoria and obtained mushrooms?
If so, what is the length of time involved and cultural techniques?
Stamets' newest book discusses this species, but it's not clear to me
>from  the passage exactly how this "planting" worked versus Stamets'
spawn technique.

Poria cocos ("Tuckahoe") Arora in "Mushroom Demystified" suggests that 
(p604)"...the large underground 'tuber' was apparantly eaten by various 
tribes ofNative Americans (some of whom called it 'tuckahoe')" and "the 
ability to form large, coconut-sized sclerotia is the only redeeming 
feature off this otherwise boring Poria".  Has anyone had experience 
cultivating this species, especially to obtain the scletoria? Has anyone 
eaten this fungi?If so, what are your opinions/techniques?

Polyporus mylittae ("Blackfellow's Bread") Arora in M.D. (p564)  says it
"...produces edible sclerotia weighing up to 40 lbs each! ...a reference
to their use as food by the aboriginees"  How about anyone growing these?

Pleurotus tuber-regium is briefly mentioned in Stamets' newest book,
Growing Gourmet & Medicinal Mushrooms, produces a sclerotia that is
used by native peoples for various health issues.  How edible/enjoyable
is this sclerotia? How does cultivation of this species differ from the
other Pleurotus?

What other fungi species that form sclerotia large enough to harvest would
you recommend one looks at, in terms of cultivating?

Any comments on these would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Ralph D. Arnold [email-masked] 
P.O. Box 889, Oregon City, OR 97045   
fax: 503-423-7409