BIOL111_THU_Gannon_Kandage_Wang's Journal

On 7 October 2021, I located a Blackfoot Polypore, known scientifically as Polyporus leptocephalus, on the slopes of Mont Royal in Montreal, QC, Canada. I spotted it growing by the base of a large tree in the autumn, the season in which it is commonly found, along with late spring and summer. The fungus is classified as parasitic. It lives upon or near trees and can spread, causing a white rot on the tree. However, the tree can survive such a fungus, and so Polyporus leptocephalus can be seen as a seasonally recurring fungus. Though Polyporus leptocephalus is most common in Europe, it is also found throughout North America, including Canada, and more specifically, Quebec. Many fungi are used in the culinary arts and consumed; however, Polyporus leptocephalus has a slightly bitter taste and it is too tough to be used in the culinary setting. Physically, Polyporus leptocephalus can vary among forms but exhibits caps that are about 2-6 cm in diameter. Under its cuticle, the mushrooms are typically white, connected to a relatively thin stem.

One of the observation I found in Mont royal in Montreal on October 7 is Bracket fungi. When I observe it, it grew on a dead wood. They are in the mushroom family and have been used in folk medicines for centuries. And they could also be ground to powder and used in teas because they usually have hard and woody body. They can also be be carved into works of art and beautiful jewelry sometimes due to this special feature.

Recently, researchers have studied Trametes versicolor (commonly known as turkey-tail) tenaciously, looking for medicinal value in the fungi. One study had a combination of the lichen’s mycelium, as well as it’s fermented substrate being added to human peripheral cells using in vitro processes. The result was an increased activation of what are known as natural killer cells, more specifically monocytes and lymphocytes. Therefore, the turkey-tail has capabilities of boosting the human immune system, and studies are continuing to see if T. versicolor has any medicinal uses for treating several forms of cancer such as breast and prostate cancer.