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Polyporus frondosus

Polyporus frondosus

8.4
A large grey brown edible mushroom with many overlapping caps that grows at tree bases
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Polyporus frondosus
  • Wild mushroom hunters often search for Polyporus frondosus at the base of old oak trees in autumn.

Examples

  • The chef created a delicious risotto using fresh Polyporus frondosus he found in the forest.

  • Mycologists are fascinated by the clustered growth pattern of Polyporus frondosus.

  • Look at that huge Polyporus frondosus!

  • Don't forget to look for Polyporus frondosus during your hike!

  • The chef created a delicious risotto using fresh Polyporus frondosus he found in the forest.

  • Wild mushroom hunters often search for Polyporus frondosus at the base of old oak trees in autumn.

  • Mycologists are fascinated by the clustered growth pattern of Polyporus frondosus.

Synonyms

Grifola frondosa
vsPolyporus frondosus
  • Specialized
9.3

A large edible mushroom with many caps joined together that grows at tree bases, called hen of the woods

is the common English name used instead
hen of the woods
vsPolyporus frondosus
8.1

A large mushroom you can eat that has many overlapping caps and grows at the base of trees

is the scientific Latin name rather than the everyday name

Surface Forms

Morphology

Polyporus + frondosus

This is a Latin binomial (scientific) name rather than a regular English phrase; the parts are taxonomic labels (Polyporus = a fungal genus; frondosus is a Latin adjective and not a common English word), so a B1 learner who 'knows the words' would not be able to derive the everyday meaning 'hen of the woods / large edible fungus with overlapping caps'. Scientific names are specialized and language-specific in form, making the overall meaning unpredictable to typical learners.

Etymology

Polyporus frondosus is often called 'hen of the woods' because its many overlapping caps spread out like a hen's feathers sitting at the base of a tree. So the picture of a big, feather-like mushroom helps you remember it is a large, edible fungus that grows in clusters.