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Fellinus burnt, also known as false burnt tinder fungus, is a representative of the Hymenochetes family, the genus Fellinus. In common parlance, it was called – tree fungus. Outwardly, it resembles a cork, and, as a rule, is located on damaged areas of dead or living wood, thereby causing enormous damage to trees.
Description of the false burnt tinder fungus
This species forms rot on wood
The fruit bodies are sessile, woody, hard and perennial. At a young age, they are cushion-shaped, with time they become prostrate, hoof-shaped or cantilevered. Their size varies from 5 to 20 cm in diameter, in some cases it can reach up to 40 cm. They are perennial and can live up to 40-50 years due to the strength of the fruiting bodies. The surface of the burnt tinder fungus is uneven, matte, at the initial stage of maturation velvety to the touch, becomes bare with age. The edge is rounded, thick and ridged. The color of young fruit bodies is usually reddish or brown with a grayish down, becoming dark brown or black with obvious cracks with age. The fabric is heavy, hard, brown in color, becoming woody and black as it matures.
The hymenophore consists of small tubules (2-7 mm) and rounded pores with a density of 4-6 pieces per mm. The color of the tubular layer changes depending on the season. So, in summer it is painted in a rusty-brown color, in winter it becomes faded to a light gray or ocher hue. In the spring, new tubules begin to grow, so the hymenophore gradually becomes a rusty-brown tone.
Placed on a horizontal substrate, for example, on stumps, this specimen takes on the most unusual shape.
Spores are non-amyloid, smooth, almost spherical. Spore powder is white.
Where and how to grow
Phellinus scalded is one of the most common species of the genus Phellinus. Most often found in Europe and Our Country. As a rule, it grows on drying and living deciduous trees, and also settles on stumps, dead wood or dead wood. It occurs both singly and in groups. Phellinus burnt can grow on the same tree along with other types of tinder fungus. When settling on wood, it causes white rot. In addition to the forest area, the tinder fungus can be found on a personal plot or park. Active fruiting occurs from May to November, but it can be found throughout the year. This species grows on apple, aspen and poplar.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
The species in question is inedible. Due to its hard pulp, it is not applicable in cooking.
Twins and their differences
Due to its unique shape, burnt fellinus is quite difficult to confuse with other tinder fungi. However, there are several representatives that have external similarities with the species in question:
- Plum fungus. The fruit body is small in size, of various shapes – from prostrate to hoof-shaped. Quite often forms diverse clusters. A distinctive feature is the location, since the double prefers to settle on the trees of the Rosaceae family, in particular on the plum. Not edible.
- False blackish tinder fungus – inedible. In most cases, it lives on birch, less often – on alder, oak, mountain ash. It differs from the considered species in the smallest spore size.
- Trutovik false aspen belongs to the category of inedible mushrooms. It grows exclusively on aspens, in rare cases on some varieties of poplar. Quite rarely, it takes on a hoof-like shape, which is a distinctive feature from the burnt fellinus.
Conclusion
Phellinus scorched is a parasitic fungus that lives on various deciduous trees. Despite the fact that this species is not suitable for human consumption, it is used for medicinal purposes, in particular in traditional Chinese medicine.