About Phellinus gilvus (Schwein.) Pat.
Phellinus gilvus (Schwein.) Pat. produces fruit bodies that typically grow in rows of horizontal platforms, developing over multiple years and sometimes spreading in a smeared pattern across wood. Its caps are usually semicircular with lumpy margins, measuring 2–15 centimetres (3⁄4–5+7⁄8 inches) wide. The caps show zonate coloration, ranging from dark brown to light reddish-brown or yellowish toward the margin; the cap is up to 1 cm thick and has a velvety texture. This fungus has 5–8 pores per square millimetre, with tough, corky flesh, and a spore print that is whitish or yellow. Ecologically, Phellinus gilvus is a plant pathogen that infects multiple host plants. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is used to treat stomachaches and cancer. Research has found that polysaccharides isolated from lab-grown Phellinus gilvus inhibit melanoma growth in mouse models.
