Polyporus

Polyporus is a genus of poroid fungi in the family Polyporaceae.
The first mention of Polyporus is in the Talmud, regarding someone who touches his nose or mouth multiple times, can cause Polypus to grow. This was written in approximately 200 B.C.
Taxonomy.
Italian botanist Pier Antonio Micheli introduced the genus in 1729 to include 14 species featuring fruit bodies with centrally-placed stipes, and pores on the underside of the cap. The generic name combines the Ancient Greek words ("many") and ("pore").
Elias Fries divided "Polyporus" into three subgenera in his 1855 work "Novae Symbol Mycologici": "Eupolyporus", "Fomes", and "Poria". In a 1995 monograph, Maria Núñez and Leif Ryvarden grouped 32 "Polyporus" species into 6 morphologically-based infrageneric groups: "Admirabilis", "Dendropolyporus", "Favolus", "Polyporellus", "Melanopus", and "Polyporus" "sensu stricto".
The identity of the type species of "Polyporus" has long been a matter of contention among mycologists. Some have preferred "P. brumalis", some "P. squamosus", while others have preferred "P. tuberaster".
Several molecular phylogenetics studies have shown that "Polyporus", as currently circumscribed, is polyphyletic and will need to have its generic limits revised.