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Fomes fomentarius |
Tinder Fungus and Hoof Fungus are two common names for the persistent, tough polypore Fomes fomentarius. This large bracket fungus attacks mainly birch but occasionally beech and sycamore. The pale leather-brown flesh was used for lighting fires (it burns very slowly); for this reason it was given the common name Tinder Fungus. Trout fishers use to carry chunks of dried hoof fungus, with which they would dry their flies to make them float. Called 'amadou', the material was specially treated and has the reputation of acting as a very effective desiccant. |
| This sombre fungus usually appears as a solitary specimen
but occasionally two or more tiers are produced.
On standing timber this bracket sometimes gains a hold in clefts in the trunks of older trees; the aged specimen shown here was found on a fallen beech tree. |
Description |
Annual layers of tubes
build up to produce a large hoof-shaped structure 10 to 40 cm across and
up to 20 cm deep at the centre of the attachment line.
The upper infertile surface is grey. |
Pores and Tubes |
Inside the fruiting body the flesh is hard and pale brown, while the spore-bearing surface has minute pores that are pale grey-brown at first but later become dark brown. |
Spore print |
Very pale lemon. |
Odour/taste |
The odour is faintly fruity; the taste acrid. |
Habitat |
On broad-leaf trees, particularly birch, beech and sycamore. |
Season |
All year round; shedding spores in late summer and autumn. |
Occurrence |
Infrequent. More common in northern parts of Europe. |
Similar species |
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