Favolus tessellatus is a conspicuous polypore distributed throughout the Neotropics and up to the southeastern USA, although not so represented in public fungaria. It grows in preserved and disturbed remnants of montane or coastal humid forests, in seasonal semideciduous forests, and also in urban areas. Considering its ample distribution in tropical to subtropical America, based on collections and records in biodiversity databases, from both preserved and disturbed forest remnants, no sign of decline or direct threats to this species were detected. It is assessed as Least Concern (LC).

Favolus tessellatus Mont. (not Favolus tessullatus) was originally described from French Guiana by Montagne (1843). Later it was interpreted as a synonym of the broadly defined Polyporus tenuiculus (=Favolus tenuiculus) (Núñez & Ryvarden 1995), a species described from West Africa (Palisot-Beauvois 1806). Recently, a taxonomic study of Favolus in the Neotropics recognized F. tessellatus as a distinct species in the genus, based on the examination of the holotype and new collections (Zabin et al. 2024).
Hexagonia subcaperata from Jamaica (Murrill 1907), Hexagonia sulfurea from Mexico (Murrill 1912), and the recently described Favolus rugulosus from Brazil and Colombia (Palacio et al. 2021) fit the morphological concept of F. tessellatus and are recognized as later synonyms of this species.

Favolus tessellatus is a remarkable and conspicuous polypore with robust basidiomata and gregarious growth, being distributed throughout the Neotropical region, although not so well represented in public fungaria. Considering the wide distribution of this species in the Neotropics, and its importance as an edible mushroom species with potential for commercial cultivation, its threat level should be assessed.

Favolus tessellatus was described from French Guiana (Montagne 1843), being also known from Brazil and Colombia (Zabin et al. 2024; Palacio et al. 2021), Ecuador (Vandegrift et al. 2023), Jamaica (Murrill 1907), Mexico (Murrill 1912) and Paraguay (Veloso et al. 2023), with additional verified records in biodiversity databases such as iNaturalist and GBIF, in Brazil, Argentina, Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico and in the southeastern USA (GBIF 2024). Records of this species in Africa and Asia likely correspond to other species.

There are currently 19 recent collections of F. tessellatus in the Neotropics, fifteen from Brazil, two from Colombia, one from Ecuador, and one from Paraguay. Additionally, there are another 146 verified records of this species in biodiversity databases, such as iNaturalist and GBIF (GBIF 2024). This is a species with medium to high detectability due to its conspicuous, robust basidiomata, and gregarious growth. Given its extensive occurrence in both preserved and disturbed or urbanized areas across the Neotropics, reaching the southern state of Florida in the USA, coupled with its disjunct distribution likely attributed to insufficient sampling in certain areas, there is no evident indication of population decline or significant threats to the F. tessellatus population. Calculating the total number of sites where this species occurs as well as inferring its population size proves challenging due to its potentially widespread occurrence across tropical America.

Favolus tessellatus is an annual and generalist wood decaying polypore causing white rot. Basidiomata of this species are frequently found gregariously on dead-standing trees or fallen decaying logs of medium to large diameter in both preserved and disturbed ombrophilous and seasonal semideciduous forest remnants.

Due to the wide distribution in the Neotropical region and its occurrence in the south of Florida in the USA, in both preserved and disturbed areas, it is suspected that there are no direct threats to this species and its population size is likely stable. Despite this, its natural habitat throughout its potential distribution, such as the Atlantic and Amazon Forests, is continuously being threatened through deforestation, fragmentation (Lapola et al. 2023; Rezende et al. 2018), introduction of exotic and invasive species, increased fire frequencies and intensity of droughts due to anthropogenic climate change (Brooks and Balmford 1996; Lapola et al. 2023; Tabarelli et al. 2006; Pinto et al. 2006).

The species most likely does not require directed conservation actions. However, in order to keep its population stable, its natural habitat should be conserved.

Species within Favolus are generally regarded as wood-decay angiosperm generalists, but host specificity is poorly investigated for the genus, requiring further studies. Revision of fungaria specimens may reveal more records and help elucidate the species distribution and population.

Favolus tessellatus is reported as an edible species, and it has potential for being commercially cultivated for food (Palacio et al. 2021; Sanchez-Ocampo et al. 2022; Veloso et al. 2023; Zabin et al. 2024), but it is not widely consumed nor commercially traded