Panus conchatus

The cap is 3 to 17 centimetres (1 to 6+1⁄2 in) wide and initially convex before flattening and sometimes becoming centrally depressed in age. The cap is tan, lilac or reddish-brown, and smooth (glabrous); in age the surface may crack into small flattened scales. The cap margin is inrolled and often has a wavy or lobed outline. The flesh is tough and whitish. The gills are attached decurrently (running down the length of the stem) and are narrow and often forked. The gills initially have a violet tinge, but later become light yellow or reddish-violet. The stem is 1.5 to 5 cm (1⁄2 to 2 in) long and 0.5 to 3 cm (1⁄4 to 1+1⁄8 in) thick, roughly the same color as the cap, but covered with violet hairs; it is attached to the cap laterally, or off-center. The spore print is white. Viewed microscopically, spores are elliptical, smooth, and non-amyloid, with dimensions of 5–7 by 2.5–3.5 μm. The pleurocystidia are either enlarged in the middle (ventricose) or enlarged and spherical at the tip (capitate); these cells have dimensions of 35–45 by 8–11 μm.

Similar species. It can resemble Panus lecomtei and Pseudoarmillariella ectypoides.

Panus conchatus is a saprobic species—deriving nutrition from rotting or decaying organic matter. Fruit bodies can be found on hardwood stumps, logs and sticks, usually crowded together in clusters. Typical hosts include wood of deciduous trees—especially beech, poplar, birch, and oak, and less frequently on ash and elm. Coniferous hosts include fir, spruce, pine, and yew. Found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, this species has been collected in North America and Europe. It can be found in eastern North America from April to August and on the West Coast from December to June.

Although believed to be non-toxic and sometimes eaten when young, P. conchatus is not recommended for consumption due to its tough and leathery texture. Panus conchatus contains a laccase, a polyphenol oxidase enzyme. These enzymes have potential in industrial applications for pulp bleaching, wastewater treatment in mills, and removal of phenolic compounds in the food industry. Most laccases have an active site containing four copper molecules, and are known as blue copper phenol oxidases. P. conchatus, however, contains a white laccase that lacks the typical blue copper color. The crudely purified enzyme has been used for pulp bleaching and wastewater decoloration in experimental studies.

== References ==

The specific epithet conchatus is derived from the Latin word meaning "shell-like". It is commonly known as the lilac oysterling.