Content
Polypore fungi are a group of the basidiomycetes department. They are united by one common feature - growing on a tree trunk. The wood tinder fungus is a representative of this class and has several names: Wood tinder fungus, Pseudoinonotus dryadeus, Woody tinder fungus.
Description of the wood tinder
The fruiting body of the basidiomycete is formed in the form of a large irregular sponge. The surface is velvety, covered with a layer of soft fibers.
With high air humidity, the fruiting body of the tree tinder is covered with yellow, small drops of liquid similar to tree resin or amber
The flesh is hard, woody, dotted with a network of shallow potholes.These are pores through which liquid from the pulp is released to the surface of the skin.
The fruiting body is elongated, half-shaped, and may be cushion-shaped. Its dimensions are considered to be the largest: the length can reach up to half a meter.
The oak tinder fungus encircles the trunk of the tree on which it grows in a semicircle. The height of the pulp is approximately 12 cm. The edge of the fruit body is rounded, thickened and wavy, and the center is convex.
The skin of the basidiomycete is matte, the color is uniform, it can be mustard, light or dark yellow, red, rusty, olive or tobacco. The surface of the fruit body is uneven, lumpy, the reverse side is matte, velvety, white. Mature representatives of the species are covered with a rough crust or a thin, transparent layer of mycelium.
The hymenophore of the tree polypore is tubular, brownish-rusty. The length of the tubes does not exceed 2 cm; when dry, they become brittle. The spores are round, yellowish; with age, the shape of the tinder fungus changes to angular, the color darkens, becomes brown. The spore shell is thickened.
Where and how does it grow
Inonotus arboreal grows in the European part of Russia, including Crimea, the Caucasus, and the Middle and Southern Urals. Rare specimens can be found in Chelyabinsk, in the area of Mount Veselaya and the village of Vilyay.
In the world, Inonotus arboreal is widespread in North America. In Europe, in countries such as Germany, Poland, Serbia, the Baltic countries, Sweden and Finland, it is classified as a rare and endangered species. The decrease in its numbers is associated with the cutting down of old, mature, deciduous forests.
This is a wood-destroying species, its mycelium is located at the root collar of the oak, on the roots, and less often on the trunk. As the fruiting body develops, it provokes white rot, which destroys the tree.
Sometimes the spongy fruiting body can be found on maple, beech or elm
The tree polypore develops singly, rarely several specimens are attached to a tree trunk side by side in a tiled manner.
Inonotus arborea grows very quickly, but around July or August its fruiting body is completely destroyed by insects. The mycelium does not bear fruit every year; it only affects depressed, diseased trees growing in unfavorable conditions. As soon as the oak tinder fungus settles at the foot of the tree, the crop begins to wither, gives little growth, and breaks even from slight gusts of wind.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
The oak tree representative of the group of polypores (Pseudoinonotus dryadeus) is not an edible species. It is not eaten in any form.
Doubles and their differences
The appearance of the mushroom is bright and unusual, it is difficult to confuse it with other basidiomycetes. No similar specimens have been found. Even other representatives of tinder fungi have a less bright color, a rounded shape and a bumpy surface.
Conclusion
The tree polypore is a parasitic species that primarily affects the root of the plant. The mushroom cannot be confused with others, thanks to its bright yellow color and amber drops on its surface. It is not eaten.
