Content
Mushrooms that grow on tree bark or stumps are rarely considered edible by mushroom pickers. However, some of them have quite decent taste and are also characterized by healing properties. On the eve of the hot mushroom season, it is worth taking a closer look at this type of tinder fungi and understanding what Postia astringent is, what it looks like and whether it is edible.
Where do postia astringents grow?
The tinder fungus grows throughout Russia, so it is found everywhere in coniferous and mixed forests.The favorite place for growth of postia astringent is coniferous trees - spruce, pine, fir. Very often it is found on rotten remains of coniferous trees and stumps. It’s rare, but you can still find old hats on hardwood – oak, beech. Fruiting bodies, unpretentious to growing conditions, actively grow from mid-July until the end of October - beginning of November, that is, before the onset of cold weather.
What do astringent posts look like?
Postia astringentis is a widespread and unpretentious woody tinder fungus, white in color, with a round or complex body shape. It belongs to the annual polypores and is distinguished by a white, milky color that attracts the attention of mushroom pickers, a medium-sized fruiting body that has different shapes: semicircular, triangular, shell-shaped, kidney-shaped. Individual specimens can grow to large sizes, but this is rather an exception. On average, the thickness of the caps is 3 - 5 cm, but this is directly influenced by growing conditions. Postia astringent grows singly or in groups, where individual mushrooms grow together and acquire an irregular, sometimes very original, shape.
Mushrooms have very fleshy, juicy flesh - unpleasant and bitter in taste. The bare surface of the postia has delicate, soft pubescence in young individuals. Adult specimens become covered with wrinkles, tubercles, and become rough to the touch. Like all tinder fungi, the hymenophore of Postia astringent is tubular, white with a somewhat yellowish tint.
Is it possible to eat astringent fastings?
Postia astringents are inedible woody mushrooms, the properties of which have not yet been well studied. However, due to their bitter, extremely unpleasant taste, they are not eaten.In general, tinder fungi growing on trees are very rarely edible. As a rule, some of them can only be eaten at a young age. But postia astringent is considered an unedible, poisonous mushroom that is not used for cooking even at a young age.
How to distinguish postia astringents
Distinctive features of astringent fasting:
- small, transparent or whitish drops of liquid are released by young mushrooms;
- the fruiting bodies have sharp edges of the caps, only in very rare cases they are slightly blunted;
- from its closest relative - Postia bluish-gray - this variety is distinguished by its snow-white color;
- this representative is found on coniferous wood, rarely on oak and beech.
Postia astringentia is similar to tinder fungus and aurantioporus, which can be found not only on conifers, but also on deciduous trees. These mushrooms are also poisonous, although they have a less rancid and viscous taste than postia. Their caps have a richer, light brown color.
The video will allow you to have a good understanding of the toxic, most dangerous mushrooms for humans:
Symptoms of poisoning
In case of fasting poisoning, it is important to provide the person with qualified medical care as quickly as possible. The symptoms of mushroom poisoning are very diverse, and only a specialist can make the correct diagnosis. The following signs characteristic of poisoning may appear individually or in combination:
- severe nausea, vomiting;
- pain in the abdomen, cramps;
- headache, dizziness;
- diarrhea;
- general weakness;
- constant thirst.
Often the above symptoms are accompanied by disruption of the cardiovascular and respiratory organs.This entails:
- difficulty breathing and shortness of breath;
- drop in blood pressure;
- increased heart rate or, conversely, its rare occurrence.
As a rule, when poisoning with postia astringent, profuse sweat or strong salivation appears. In some cases, the poison can penetrate the central nervous system, causing its disorders and manifesting itself in a complex of characteristic symptoms:
- delusions or hallucinations;
- excitement or lethargy;
- loss of consciousness.
First aid for poisoning
Before a qualified specialist arrives, it is important to provide first aid to the victim. What is important to do in such a situation:
- Rinse the stomach by making the patient drink 1.5 liters of warm water in small sips. Add a little potassium permanganate to the water until it turns light pink. If there is no vomiting, then you need to induce it yourself after drinking water by pressing your finger on the root of the tongue. If traces of food are observed in the vomit, the procedure is repeated.
- Give a laxative and activated carbon, which, due to its absorbent effect, will absorb toxins.
However, if a person suffers from low blood pressure or it drops rapidly, vomiting and diarrhea can cause loss of consciousness, which will aggravate the situation. In this case, it is better to give the victim strong tea to drink. The main conditions for providing first aid are hunger and peace. You can place a warm heating pad on your stomach and legs, which will prevent poor circulation and relieve pain.In case of astringent postia poisoning, it is not recommended to prescribe medications or drink alcohol on your own.
Conclusion
Postia astringent is of no interest in gastronomic and medicinal terms. This is a poisonous tree mushroom that grows everywhere. It differs significantly in appearance from other fruiting bodies, so it is difficult to confuse postia with them, which practically eliminates the risk of poisoning.
