Trutovik present: description, medicinal properties and application
Everyone is familiar with this mushroom: someone heard about its miraculous properties, someone even bought it in a pharmacy, and everyone, without exception, met this handsome man in the forest at least once, mistaking it for an ordinary growth on a tree. The real tinder fungus is a unique and interesting representative of the mushroom kingdom. What does this mushroom look like, and how can it be used?
True tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius) or larch belongs to the genus Fomes, the Coriol family. This is an inedible saprophyte mushroom, which is also called a blood or larch sponge. The woody representative of the mushroom kingdom also has other Latin names:
- Polyporus fomentarius;
- Ungulina fomentaria;
- Boletus fomentarius;
- Fomes griseus.
The name "blood sponge" appeared in the tinder fungus not by chance - it has the ability to stop the blood.
- the fruit body of the fungus is very dense, woody, sessile, since it does not have a leg, in young representatives of the species it is in the form of a semicircle, and in adults it is hoof-shaped. It is formed on tree trunks and is connected to it by the lateral part; quite large, from 5 to 40 cm in diameter. The thickness is from 5 to 20 cm. The surface is smooth to the touch, but uneven, wavy, sometimes with cracks, with conical nodules along the edges. The color is matte gray in various shades (the older the tinder fungus, the brighter the upper part of the fruiting body), with well-defined concentric zones. In rare cases, a dense top layer may have a beige or yellowish tint. Old mushrooms may be black. In depressions and pits on the surface, the shade is darker than the main color;
- the pulp is corky, woody, very dense. Velvety to the touch when cut. It has a yellowish, brownish, reddish color and a pleasant fruity aroma;
- hymenophore (spore-bearing layer) is tubular, light gray or whitish in color. When pressed, its shade changes to a darker one. Since the tinder fungus is a long-lived fungus, the spore-bearing layer grows annually: a new one grows on the old layer;
- spores are white, smooth, elongated.
Distribution and fruiting period
Tinder fungus is widely distributed. It lives almost everywhere in the European part of the world and throughout Russia, in the northern hemisphere of the globe. The tinder fungus grows on deciduous trees, mainly on birch, alder, beech, common on aspen, oak. It occurs on old stumps, dying and dead trees, dried woody plants. Grows in rows or singly.
A real tinder fungus often settles on weakened, but still living and strong trees, gradually destroying their tissues. This fungus often causes the development of white rot on plants. The spores of the tinder fungus enter the tissues of the tree through cracks and other disturbances in the bark, breaks in the branches.
Similar species
A real tinder fungus has practically no counterparts in the world of mushrooms - it is too specific, attached to tree trunks, and has a unique hat color. But common features are visible with false tinder fungus (Phellinus igniarius), however, the hero of the article is much easier to detach from the tree than a representative of this species, especially if you tear it from the bottom up.
Also, a real tinder fungus can be confused with a bordered one (Fomitopsis pinicola). However, the second one can also live on coniferous trees, and its fruiting bodies look flatter. The main difference is a bright border on the edge of the cap.
Both similar species are inedible, and the false tinder fungus is not used even for economic purposes.
Collection and procurement rules
Real tinder fungi can be harvested all year round by collecting them yourself. However, only those mushrooms that grow on living wood should be taken.
It is necessary to store fruiting bodies and infusions from them in the refrigerator. The mushroom is usually used a couple of times a year for a month in the form of an infusion on vodka, boiling water. In some cases, the period of treatment or prevention can be extended up to 4 months.
Medicinal properties and application
The real tinder fungus contains various medicinal components and has been used in medicine since ancient times. Main medicinal properties:
- prevention of the development of cancerous tumors;
- the ability to stop bleeding, since the pores of the tinder fungus perfectly absorb blood;
- the ability to remove toxins from the body due to agaric acid;
- liver cleansing thanks to the polysaccharide lanofil;
- help with cough, tuberculosis, pneumonia and other diseases of the respiratory tract.
The use of tinder fungus was widespread in tsarist Russia - at one time the fungus was even supplied to foreign countries. He is called the king of all medicinal potions. For medicinal purposes, the mushroom was used in ancient Greece, where it was considered a panacea for various pathologies of internal organs, against depression and an antidote. Previously, it was used even in surgery.
In China, the mushroom is used for weight loss, problems with the digestive tract, and impotence. And women believe that this mushroom can improve the condition of nails and skin.
Attention: pregnant and lactating women should not use tinder fungus.
A real tinder fungus is really a versatile mushroom. It is also used for the production of souvenirs, kindling smoker in beekeeping, used as tinder. However, it continues to damage forest stands and landscapes. But in general, the "addiction" of the fungus to the destruction of living trees can be forgiven, because it also brings a lot of benefits to humans.
