How to identify Hairy Panus

To correctly identify Hairy Panus (Panus conchatus), check each of these features in order. Misidentification is the most common cause of mushroom poisoning, so cross-reference multiple sources.

Step-by-step identification

1. 1

   Cap

   Shape, color, surface texture, and diameter.

   Initially lilac or violet, fading to tan or brown with age; surface can be smooth or finely hairy/scaly.

2. 2

   Gills

   Attachment to stem, color, and spacing.

   Decurrent, crowded, and can sometimes exhibit a violet tint when fresh.

3. 3

   Stem

   Length, shape, surface, and any ring.

   Short, eccentric to lateral, often hairy or shaggy at the base.

4. 4

   Flesh

   Color, texture, and bruising reaction.

   White, tough, and fibrous; does not change color when bruised.

5. 5

   Fruiting body

   Overall growth pattern.

   Pleurotoid or fan-shaped, firm and leathery.

6. 6

   Habitat

   Where it grows and on what substrate.

   Grows in clusters on decaying deciduous wood, particularly hardwoods like birch or beech.

Key Facts

Cap surfaces

Smooth to finely tomentose or scaly.

Growth Form

Cespitose or imbricate clusters.

Spore Print

White to pale lilac-tinged.

Body color

Lilac to violet when young, fading to tan/brown.

Odor

Faint, not distinctive.

Flesh bruises

No significant bruising.

Height

2-8 cm.

Cap Diameter

3-15 cm.

Fruit body characteristics

• Gill attachment: Decurrent.
• Stem shape: Eccentric to lateral, short.
• Stem surface: Hairy or shaggy, especially towards the base.
• Ring: Absent.
• Stem cross-section: Solid and tough.

Explore Hairy Panus