Phlebopus marginatus

Appearance

Possibly Australia's largest terrestrial mushroom, ''Phlebopus marginatus'' produces fruit bodies that can reach huge proportions. The weight of one specimen from western Victoria recorded at 29 kg. John Burton Cleland reported finding specimens with a cap diameter of 60 cm, weighing over 70 pounds. The cap is convex to flat, occasionally with a depressed centre. It is brown to olive and covered in fine hair. Records between countries vary as to the colour change on cutting or bruising of flesh, with those of Western Australia indicating no change, while New Zealand and Indonesian collections are reported to have some bluish discoloration on bruising at the top of the stem. The spores are yellow-brown. Mature specimens are very attractive to insects and often infested with them.

Distribution

''Phlebopus marginatus'' is an example of a Gondwanan fungus, being found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka as well as Australia and New Zealand, with related species found in South America. In fact, it is a pantropical species.

Within Australia it has been recorded from the southeast of South Australia to New South Wales. Within Australia it occurs in eucalypt forests and may be found any time after rain. Fruit bodies may be isolated or spring up in groups or even fairy rings. It occurs in rainforest in the Cooloola section of the Great Sandy National Park in Queensland.

In New Zealand it is possibly associated with ''Nothofagus truncata''. McNabb was unsure of whether it was introduced or indigenous to New Zealand though suspected it was the latter due to it being found in dense native forest near Rotorua. Other collections were in the vicinity of Auckland.

It is common in Java and Sumatra.

In China it is found in Yunnan, Guangxi and Hainan provinces. In China, it grows in association with poincinana , mango , coffee , pomelo , jackfruit and oak species.

Habitat

''Phlebopus marginatus'' is an example of a Gondwanan fungus, being found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka as well as Australia and New Zealand, with related species found in South America. In fact, it is a pantropical species.

Within Australia it has been recorded from the southeast of South Australia to New South Wales. Within Australia it occurs in eucalypt forests and may be found any time after rain. Fruit bodies may be isolated or spring up in groups or even fairy rings. It occurs in rainforest in the Cooloola section of the Great Sandy National Park in Queensland.

In New Zealand it is possibly associated with ''Nothofagus truncata''. McNabb was unsure of whether it was introduced or indigenous to New Zealand though suspected it was the latter due to it being found in dense native forest near Rotorua. Other collections were in the vicinity of Auckland.

It is common in Java and Sumatra.

In China it is found in Yunnan, Guangxi and Hainan provinces. In China, it grows in association with poincinana , mango , coffee , pomelo , jackfruit and oak species.