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The chestnut tinder fungus (Polyporus badius) belongs to the Polyporus family, genus Polyporus. A very remarkable sponge mushroom that reaches large sizes. First described and classified as Boletus durus in 1788. Various mycologists have called it differently:
- Boletus batschii, 1792;
- Grifola badia, 1821;
- Polyporus picipes, 1838
At the end of the twentieth century, the chestnut tinder fungus was finally assigned to the genus Polyporus and received its modern name.
Like other polypores, the chestnut tinder fungus settles on wood
Description of the chestnut polypore
The fruit body has a rather attractive appearance.It looks especially impressive after rain or heavy dew - the bright cap literally shines as if it were polished.
There is often some moisture remaining in the funnel-shaped recess
Description of the cap
The chestnut polypore can have the most bizarre shapes: funnel-shaped, fan-shaped or petal-shaped. There are specimens in the form of an outstretched saucer, a regular fringed circle with a depression in the center, eccentric ear-shaped or amorphously wavy. The color is reddish-brown, dark chocolate, brownish-pinkish, olive-cream, gray-beige or milky-honey. The color is uneven, darker in the center and light, almost white at the edge, and can change during the life of the mushroom.
The fruiting body reaches very large sizes - from 2-5 to 8-25 cm in diameter. Very thin, with sharp, uneven or wavy edges. The surface is smooth, slightly shiny, satin. The pulp is hard, white or light brown, elastic. It has a delicate mushroom aroma and is almost tasteless. It is quite difficult to break. In overgrown specimens, the tissue becomes woody, cork-like, and quite brittle.
The heminophore is tubular, finely porous, descending unevenly along the stalk. White, creamy pinkish or pale ocher in color. Thickness no more than 1-2 mm.
This specimen resembles an elephant's ear or an oriental fan
Description of the leg
The chestnut polypore has a relatively small thin stalk. It is usually located in the center of the cap or shifted to one edge. Its length is from 1.5 to 3.5 cm, thickness from 0.5 to 1.6 cm. Dark-colored, almost black. The color is uneven, lighter towards the cap. Young mushrooms have a velvety pile, adult specimens are smooth, as if covered with varnish.
The leg is sometimes covered with a creamy pink coating
Where and how does it grow
The habitat is quite extensive. You can meet the chestnut tinder fungus in the European part of Russia, in Siberia and the Far East, in Kazakhstan, in Western Europe, in the northern part of America and in Australia. Grows in single, rare groups in deciduous and mixed forests, in damp, shaded places. It prefers to settle on deciduous wood: alder, oak, poplar, fagus, willow, walnut, linden and others. It is extremely rare to find it on coniferous trees.
It can develop both on a living tree and on dead wood, stumps, fallen and standing dead trunks. Quite often it is a neighbor of the scaly tinder fungus. Myceliums begin to bear fruit when warm weather sets in, usually in May. Active growth is observed until the first frosts at the end of October.
Is the chestnut polypore edible or not?
The chestnut polypore is classified as an inedible mushroom due to its low nutritional value and hard pulp. However, it does not contain toxic or poisonous substances.
Despite its beautiful appearance, there is no nutritional value
Doubles and their differences
The chestnut polypore, especially young specimens, can be confused with some representatives of the genus Polypore. However, their record size and characteristic color make these fruiting bodies one of a kind. It has no poisonous counterparts in Eurasia.
May tinder fungus. Inedible, non-toxic. It is distinguished by the light color of the leg and the absence of fluff on it.
Its cap is noticeably pubescent with small brown scales and has an umbrella shape
Winter polypore. Not poisonous, inedible. It is distinguished by its smaller size and larger, angular pores.
The color of the cap is closer to chestnut brown.
Polyporus blackfoot. Inedible, non-toxic. It is distinguished by a purple-black color of the leg with grayish-silver pubescence.
The cap has a distinct indentation at the junction with the stem
Polyporus variable. Inedible, non-toxic. It has a thin long leg, smooth and silky to the touch.
Funnel-shaped hat, bright brown, with radial stripes
Conclusion
The chestnut polypore is quite widespread on all continents of the Earth. In favorable years, it bears fruit abundantly, covering trees and stumps with an original lacquered and shiny decoration from its fruiting bodies. It grows both in small groups and individually. Inedible due to low nutritional qualities, it will also not cause harm to the body. It has no poisonous counterparts; an inattentive mushroom picker may confuse it with some similar species of tinder fungi.
