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Garment tinder (Phaeolus schweinitzii) is a representative of the Fomitopsis family, the genus Feolus. This species also has a second, no less famous name – feolus sewing. In most cases, the fruiting body of this specimen is presented in the form of a cap, in some cases there is a small stem that holds several caps at once. Below is detailed information about the tinder sewer: a description of the appearance, habitat, edibility and much more.
Description of the tinder Schweinitz
In older specimens, the color of the cap becomes dark brown, close to black.
The shape of the cap can be different – flat, round, funnel-shaped, semicircular, saucer-shaped. Its thickness is about 4 cm, and the size can reach up to 30 cm in diameter. In young mushrooms, the surface is bristly-rough, pubescent, felt, becomes bare at a more mature age. At the initial stage of maturation, it is painted in grayish-yellow shades, and over time it acquires a brown or rusty-brown color. Initially, the edges of the cap are slightly lighter than the general background, but after some time they are compared with it.
The hymenophore is tubular, descending, yellow at the initial stage of ripening, acquires a greenish tint with age, and becomes dark brown in mature mushrooms. In young specimens, the tubules are rounded with jagged edges, up to 8 mm long, gradually becoming sinuously patterned. The leg is either thick and short, tapering downward, or absent altogether. As a rule, it is located in the center, has a brown color and a fluffy surface.
The pulp of the tinder fungus is spongy and soft, in some cases it becomes flabby. In adulthood, hard, hard and fibrous. When the mushroom dries out, it becomes light and very brittle. It can be painted in yellow, orange or brown shades. It has no pronounced taste and smell.
Theolus Schweinitz is an annual mushroom that differs from its relatives in its rapid growth.
Where and how to grow
The development of the tinder fungus Schweinitz falls on the period from June to September, however, this specimen is found in autumn and winter, depending on the climatic conditions of a particular region. Most often located in the European part of Our Country, Western Europe and Western Siberia. This species prefers to grow in temperate and northern regions of the planet. As a rule, it lives in coniferous forests and bears fruit on trees, mainly on pines, cedars, larches. In addition, it can be found on plum or cherry. Settles on the roots of trees or near the base of the trunks. It can grow singly, but most often mushrooms grow together in groups.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
Trutovik Schweinitz belongs to the category of inedible mushrooms. Due to the particularly hard pulp, it is not recommended for human consumption. In addition, this specimen does not contain any nutritional value, since it does not have a pronounced taste and smell.
Twins and their differences
The tinder sewer has external similarities with the following gifts of the forest:
- Trutovik odorous – inedible copy. As a rule, the hat is much smaller in size – no more than 20 cm in diameter, moreover, its color varies from grayish to brown. Another distinguishing feature is the pillow-shaped form of the fruiting bodies.
- Pfeifer’s tinplate – has a hoof shape and white pores. The surface of the fruiting bodies is divided into orange-brown concentric zones. In winter, this mushroom is covered with a waxy film of yellow color. Not edible.
- Sulfur yellow tinder fungus belongs to the category of conditionally edible mushrooms, but experts do not recommend eating it. The considered species is similar to the twin only at a young age. A distinctive feature is the bright color of the fruiting bodies and the release of watery yellow drops.
- pink tinder fungus – an inedible mushroom of an unusual color, settles in coniferous forests. Fruiting bodies are perennial, hoof-shaped, rarely imbricate. At the initial stage of development, the surface of the cap is pink or lilac, with age it becomes brown or black. A distinguishing feature from the tinder fungus is a pink hymenophore.
How Schweinitz’s tinder fungus affects trees
The species in question is a parasite that connects to wood with mycelium, causing brown root rot. Trutovik Schweinitz can be located not only on wood, but also on the soil, settling near it. The disease process stretches for several years, since the rot increases by about 1 cm per year. At the initial stage of decay, a strong smell of turpentine is noticeable, and in the final degree of damage, the wood becomes brittle and breaks into separate pieces. Rot is distributed along the trunk in spots or stripes, on average it affects a tree up to 2,5 m high.
An infected tree can be distinguished by the presence of parasitic fungi and the slope of the trunk, which reaches 60 degrees. This phenomenon occurs due to the death of the root system. Also, on a diseased tree, one can notice cracks in the butt part, where films of a light brown mycelium are visible. When tapped, the infected tree makes dull sounds.
Conclusion
The tinder fungus is a parasitic fungus that is located on coniferous wood, thereby causing enormous harm. Despite the fact that this species is not applicable in the field of cooking, it is used in the industrial sector.