Content
Polypore and chaga are parasitic species that grow on tree trunks. The latter can often be found on birch trees, which is why it received the corresponding name - birch mushroom. Despite the similar habitat, these varieties of tinder fungus are strikingly different not only in appearance, but also in properties.
What is chaga
It is a species of basidiomycetes of the genus Inonotus. Chaga is the name given to only the sterile form of the birch mushroom. In the literature you can find other names of the described species - beveled polypore or Inonotus oblique. You can find such a basidiomycete not only on birch, but also on maple, elm, beech, and alder. If a tree has a break, damage to the bark, and spores of the parasitic organism Inonotusobliquus have entered it, chaga is formed as a result of such infection.
A few years after the lesion, an irregularly shaped fruiting body forms on the tree trunk.
It grows over decades, unlike the tinder fungus, which matures over the course of a season. As a result, the beveled inonotus can reach up to 30 cm in diameter and up to 15 cm in thickness.
The color of the growth is bluish-black, the surface is uneven, covered with bumps and cracks. At the fracture you can see that the inside of the fruiting body is dark brown and is completely riddled with white tubes.The growth of Inonotus oblique continues for 20 years, this leads to the death of the tree on which it settled.
What is tinder
This is a large group of saprophytes that belong to the Basidiomycetes section. They parasitize wood, leading to the death of the plant. But, unlike chaga, tinder fungi sometimes grow in the soil.
You can find them in park areas, pastures, and roadsides.
Unlike Inonotus oblique, tinder fungi have prostrate, sessile bodies in the form of a semicircle, flattened sponge or large hoof. The consistency of their pulp is hard, woody, corky or spongy.
The stem of the fruiting body is often absent
But species are known in which this part of the sporocarp has not atrophied.
This group of basidiomycetes is characterized by a tubular hymenophore, but some representatives of the species are distinguished by a spongy structure. The shape and weight of different types of tinder fungi are strikingly different. The size of some specimens can reach up to 1.5 m and weight up to 2-3 kg.
How to distinguish tinder fungus from chaga
Chaga, unlike tinder fungus, has an irregular shape in the form of a growth. Such a fungal organism can reach enormous sizes, infecting almost the entire trunk of a birch or other type of deciduous tree. Polypore fungi grow locally, girdling the trunk, creating a semicircle shape. There may be several more specimens of this species nearby.
In the photo of chaga and tinder fungus you can see that the surface of the birch mushroom is always black and loose, unlike the tinder fungus.
Birch mushroom is famous for its variety of colors, depending on the type, and its smooth, velvety skin
In humid weather, tinder fungi secrete droplets of water on the surface, but the mowed inonotus remains dry
Chaga grows and develops on cracks and damaged areas of wood; in contrast, tinder fungus grows everywhere.
The inner part of the birch growth is bright yellow, orange, while that of the tinder fungus is white, light gray, yellowish or cream
The places where the inonotus adheres to the tree contain wood, in contrast, the fruiting body of the tinder fungus consists only of its cells.
The tinder fungus is easy to separate from the tree, unlike the beveled inonotus, which is almost impossible to remove without the help of a tool.
Mostly in Siberia, it is cut down with an ax, then cleared of any remaining wood.
There is an opinion that birch polypore and chaga are one and the same, but this is not entirely true. Inonotus oblique is popularly called birch mushroom, but these species have a lot of differences. Experienced mushroom pickers in the video clearly show how to distinguish chaga from tinder fungus:
Application of chaga
Only growths that form on birch trees are considered medicinal. They contain resins, agaricic acid, and manganese in large quantities. Traditional medicine suggests that chaga can boost immunity, improve metabolism, and relieve chronic fatigue syndrome, gastritis and ulcers.
Inonotus beveled is collected for medical purposes starting in August
There is evidence that using tea with the addition of dried basidiomycetes gets rid of cancerous tumors, but this has not been scientifically proven. The growth is cleared from the tree with an ax, the light woody part is removed, and the mushroom is divided into small parts. Then the raw materials are dried in the fresh air or in an oven at a temperature not exceeding + 60 ᵒC.
Chaga is used as a healing tea. A small amount of dried, crushed fruit body is steamed with boiling water, infused and drunk as tea.Inonotus beveled is also used to prepare healing baths that cleanse the skin.
The pharmaceutical industry produces dietary supplements and suppositories that contain chaga extract.
Use of tinder
Some varieties of this class are also used in folk medicine. For example, tinder fungus is used to treat the liver and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Other diseases curable with tinder fungi:
- blood incoagulability;
- diseases of the genitourinary system;
- gout;
- insomnia;
- obesity.
Unlike Inonotus oblique, this basidiomycete is also used in everyday life. The dried fruiting body of the saprophyte is useful for lighting stoves and fireplaces. If you set fire to a dry piece of pulp and leave it to smolder, you can get rid of annoying insects in the room for a long time.
Conclusion
Polypore and chaga are parasitic organisms that have a lot of external differences. The only similarity is that they destroy the trees on which they grow. Unlike the tinder fungus, inonotus oblique has a woody structure and grows directly from the trunk; it is easy to recognize by its loose structure and black color. The tinder fungus is attached to the side of the wood, its flesh is spongy, and its color and shape are varied. There are many differences between these basidiomycetes, therefore, having studied their descriptions in detail, it is difficult to make a mistake in your choice.
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