Is Pleurocybella porrigens a fungus?

Pleurocybella porrigens is a species of fungus in the family Marasmiaceae. The species is widespread in temperate forests of the Northern Hemisphere. P. porrigens, known as the angel wing, is a white-rot wood-decay fungus on conifer wood, particularly hemlock (genus Tsuga ).

Are Pleurocybella edible?

The flesh is thin and fragile compared to the oyster mushrooms ( Pleurotus ssp.). Pleurocybella porrigens was once regarded as edible, in the early 21st century, this was brought into question by deadly poisonings associated with its consumption.

Does porrigens porrigens cause encephalopathy?

It has been demonstrated that P. porrigens contains an unusual unstable amino acid which is toxic to the brain cells of rats in cell culture studies, but it has not yet been possible to definitively determine that this was the cause of the fatal encephalopathies.

Is porrigens porrigens edible?

Although P. porrigens was once generally regarded as edible, as of 2011, it has been implicated in two documented outbreaks involving fatal encephalopathy. Both of these incidents were in Japan, and most victims had pre-existing kidney disorders.