Polypore Varius

One of the common names for a mushroom is a toadstool! Polyporus Varius is widely distributed across North America, and is somewhat variable in the color and texture of its cap. Like many polypores it is rather tough, and can manage to “stay up” for quite a while in dry weather—resulting in older specimens with faded, nearly white caps and sordid brownish pore surfaces. Typically fruiting on smaller hardwood sticks and decaying branches, this polypore is fairly easily recognized by its small size, its pale pore surface, and its black, or half-black, more or less central stem. The Polyporus Varius is edible, but it has a very mild taste. Polyporus Varius recipes should take into consideration their mild flavor.