Antrodia albida or Aurantiporus fissilis
How they differ, how to recognize them and which is more dangerous — a mushroom comparison
The short answer
Antrodia albida and Aurantiporus fissilis are similar species that can be mixed up while foraging. The main visible difference: size: Antrodia albida — small (up to 5 cm), Aurantiporus fissilis — large (over 15 cm). The mushrooms also differ in the following features: cap color, nutrition type, partner trees.
Antrodia albida
Antrodia albida
.webp)
Aurantiporus fissilis
Aurantiporus fissilis
📊 Comparing characteristics
| Characteristic | Antrodia albida | Aurantiporus fissilis |
|---|---|---|
| Edibility class | Antrodia albida Inedible | Aurantiporus fissilis Inedible |
| Season | Antrodia albida SummerAutumn | Aurantiporus fissilis SummerAutumn |
| Use | Antrodia albida Not eaten | Aurantiporus fissilis Not eaten |
| Size | Antrodia albida Small (up to 5 cm) | Aurantiporus fissilis Large (over 15 cm) |
| Cap color | Antrodia albida WhiteYellow | Aurantiporus fissilis WhiteYellowBrown |
| Cap shape | Antrodia albida Irregular | Aurantiporus fissilis Irregular |
| Cap surface | Antrodia albida Smooth | Aurantiporus fissilis Smooth |
| Taste | Antrodia albida Unknown | Aurantiporus fissilis Unknown |
| Smell | Antrodia albida Odorless | Aurantiporus fissilis Odorless |
| Flesh color change | Antrodia albida Yellowing | Aurantiporus fissilis Yellowing |
| Hymenophore | Antrodia albida Pored | Aurantiporus fissilis Pored |
| Stem | Antrodia albida Absent | Aurantiporus fissilis Absent |
| Ring (veil) | Antrodia albida No ring | Aurantiporus fissilis No ring |
| Volva | Antrodia albida No volva | Aurantiporus fissilis No volva |
| Substrate | Antrodia albida Dead woodLiving tree | Aurantiporus fissilis Living treeDead wood |
| Nutrition type | Antrodia albida Saprotroph | Aurantiporus fissilis Parasite |
| Partner trees | Antrodia albida OakBirchAspen | Aurantiporus fissilis BirchAspen |
📅 Seasonality
Antrodia albida
Fruiting season
July – November
Aurantiporus fissilis
Fruiting season
July – October
🔬 Morphology
Cap
Antrodia albida
Fruiting body annual, spread out. Caps up to 8 cm long, 2–3 cm wide. Color: whitish at first, turning pale yellow with time. Often grows in overlapping, tile-like groups or long rows.
Aurantiporus fissilis
Cap up to 20 cm wide, up to 10 cm long, 2–8 cm thick. White and soft at first, turning yellow with time, then brown. Hardens as it dries.
Hymenophore
Antrodia albida
Tubular hymenophore. Spore print white. Spores cylindrical, colorless, 8–14 × 3.5–6 µm.
Aurantiporus fissilis
Tubular hymenophore. The tubes change color in step with the cap — white → yellow → brown. Spore print white.
Stem
Antrodia albida
No stem. The fruiting body is attached to the substrate by its whole base.
Aurantiporus fissilis
No stem. The fruiting body is attached to the trunk by its lateral base.
Flesh
Antrodia albida
flesh thin, leathery. Whitish when young, yellowing with age.
Aurantiporus fissilis
flesh fleshy and soft in young fruiting bodies, becoming hard and leathery in old ones. White, yellowing with time.
Smell
Antrodia albida
No distinctive smell.
Aurantiporus fissilis
Faint mushroomy smell; in old fruiting bodies it may disappear entirely.
📍 Habitats
Antrodia albida
Aurantiporus fissilis
👀 Similar mushrooms — don't mix them up!
❓ Frequently asked questions
Can Antrodia albida and Aurantiporus fissilis be mixed up?
How to tell Antrodia albida from Aurantiporus fissilis?
Is Aurantiporus fissilis edible?
When do Antrodia albida and Aurantiporus fissilis grow?
Sources
- [1]Вікіпедія (українська)
- [2]Атлас грибів України, Зеров Д.К. (1979)
- [3]MycoBank Database
- [4]Index Fungorum
- [5]GBIF
- [6]iNaturalist Ukraine