Xylariaceae
Xylaria

Xylaria polymorpha (Pers.) Grev.

First published in Fl. Edin.: 355 (1824)
This species is accepted
This species is found in Estonia, Germany, Austria, Colombia and Brazil. It is used to treat other medicinal disorders and unspecified medicinal disorders and as a poison for unspecified microbes.

Descriptions

Morphology
Gregarious. Ascoma: 1.6–4 cm in length, clavate, cylindrical, subglobose to lobed; surface smooth, with small papillae or pores (perithecia), greyish brown to black, sometimes with white or cream apex. Perithecia: distributed over the surface. Interior: yellowish white, fibrillose. Odor-Taste: not distinctive. Spore print: dark brown. Spores: ellipsoid, elongated-fusiform, smooth, dark brown and biguttulate, with a slightly oblique germ slit.
Vernacular
Dead man's fingers (English); Hongo negro (Spanish)
Habit
Gregarious.
Distribution
Tropical, Global distribution. Altitude: 50 – 2800 m a.s.l. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Caquetá, Cesar, Chocó, Cundinamarca, Valle del Cauca.
Ecology
Saprotroph, symbiotroph. - Wood saprotroph, endophyte. Habitat/ecology: on decaying wood; in tropical forest; in riparian forest; in mixed oak-dominated forest.
[CFC]

Uses

Use Medicines Other Medicinal Disorders
Part used: Basidiome. In Colombia there are no uses reported in this category. In India it is used to stimulate lactation in women.
Use Medicines Unspecified Medicinal Disorders
Part used: Basidiome. In Colombia there are no uses reported in this category. Used as medicine in other countries.
Use Poisons Unspecified Microbe Poison
Part used: mycelium. Endophyte with antimicrobial activity against Phytophthora infestans. Part used: Mycelium.
[CFC]

Sources

  • Catalogue of Fungi of Colombia

    • © Copyright 2021 Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
    • Attribution – CC BY
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    • © Copyright 2021 Index Fungorum Partnership. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
    • https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0