Tinder Fungus – Fomes fomentarius
Host trees
• Beech
• Poplar
• Birch
Description
• Perennial bracket
• Bracket shaped
• 10-50cm across
• Upper surface very hard
• Young bracket brownish in colour
• Mature bracket slate grey in colour
• Very obvious bulgy grooves
• The place of attachment to the tree looks corky
• Underside of the bracket is greyish brown
• Pores are fine and white
• Young bracket can be written on
Decay features
• White large mycelial lobes within immediate decayed wood
• White rot – first becoming brittle, next soft, finally extensively soft
Consequence
• Brittle fracture occurs near the fruiting body/bracket.
• Upper stem failure