Inonotus

Inonotus is a genus of fungi in the family Hymenochaetaceae. The genus has a widespread distribution and contains about 80 species.

Taxonomy

The genus was first described by Petri Karsten in 1879. The name Inonotus is derived from the Greek words inos (fiber) and otus (ear), referring to the fibrous nature of the fruit bodies.

Description

Species in the genus Inonotus are typically saprophytic, decomposing dead wood, but some are also parasitic, causing diseases in living trees. The fruit bodies are usually annual, forming on the wood of trees. They are typically polypores, with pores on the underside where the spores are released.

Species

There are about 80 species in the genus Inonotus. Some of the more well-known species include:

• Inonotus obliquus, also known as chaga, a medicinal mushroom used in traditional medicine in Eastern Europe.
• Inonotus hispidus, a common species in Europe that causes a disease known as shaggy bracket in trees.
• Inonotus dryadeus, a species that causes a disease known as weeping conk in oak trees.

See also

• List of Inonotus species
• Hymenochaetaceae

External links

• MycoBank
• NCBI Taxonomy Browser

Inonotus Resources
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