Phellinus linteus has been reported to show a potent anti-tumor activity. In order to obtain mycelium in large quantity, the physiological factors affecting mycelial growth of P. linteus in liquid culture were examined. Mycelial growth was observed in the temperature range of 10-35°C and significant growth was observed at 25-32.5°C. The dependency of growth on the initial pH was examined at 25°C. Phellinus linteus grew in the pH range from 3.0 to 7.0 with the optimum at pH 5.5. The effect of carbon source on the growth was examined with twelve carbohydrates including pentoses and hexoses. The hexoses were much more effective than the pentoses for the mycelial growth and glucose showed the most effective growth in hexoses. Of the nitrogen sources tested, inorganic nitrogen sources did not support the growth of P. linteus mycelia, while individual or combined use of organic nitrogen sources such as yeast extract and polypeptone showed significant growth. In the case of aerated culture, the lag-phase was 7 days, but the total amount of mycelia obtained was greater than that in the non-aerated culture. Increase in glucose content to 4% shortened the lag-phase, and mycelial yield reached 7.8 g/L as dry weight.

　A fungal strain PF1022 produces a new cyclic depsipeptide, PF1022, which shows potent anthelmintic activity against animal parasites both in vitro and in vivo systems. It grows as a sterile mycelium forming neither sexual spores nor asexual spores under various cultural conditions. In order to investigate the taxonomic position of strain PF1022, we analyzed its 18S rRNA gene base sequence and that of related strains. The phylogenetic relationship among the tested strains indicated that strain PF1022 should be classified in the family Xylariaceae of the phylum Ascomycota, and that its nearest relative was Rosellinia necatrix IFO 32537.

　Pleurotus cornucopiae var. citrinopileatus, an agaric species highly prized as edible in northern Japan, occurs very rarely in western Japan (including the Kinki, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu districts), where it was hitherto known only from the Kikuchi valley of Kumamoto Pref., Kyushu. Recently it was collected in a deciduous broad-leaved forest on Mt. Hyonosen, Tottori Pref. The collection represents the first record of the fungus from the Chugoku district and the second one in western Japan.