Fungus Question??

[Greg]

I have never claimed to know a lot about Fungi so I am wondering if anyone knows what this one is and does it have any uses?




Also any ideas what these ones are?









Thanks

 

[Geoff Dann]

#1 is Ganoderma australe/applanatum. You can draw on the undersurface (that's why it is called "Artist's Fungus") and it is reputed to have powerful medicinal properties (same as Ganoderma lucidum)

#2 is one of the poisonous brown Tricholoma species

#3 is probably Giant Funnel, which is edible when young (which this is) and in good condition (which it is not).

 

[Greg]

Thank you Geoff...can No.1 be used as a tinder?

 

[GGTBod]

number 3 picture looks like Wolf-fart Puffball, Stump Puffball (Lycoperdon pyriforme) if not it they are definitely a variety of puffball

 

[Geoff Dann]

Thank you Geoff...can No.1 be used as a tinder?

Probably. Never heard of it being used for that, but I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[Greg]

I have had No.1 identified as Horse's Hoof ...so tinder (Amadou) is a possibility..

 

[GGTBod]

I have had No.1 identified as Horse's Hoof ...so tinder (Amadou) is a possibility..

I don't think number 1 is a horses hoof (fomes fomentarius pls excuse spelling), I can't tell what tree it is on in your pictures but it looks a lot more like a Birch polypore (Piptoporus betulinus), commonly known as birch bracket, or the razor strop fungi, in the image showing the broken away area it is the fluffy material in the top section that can be made into great tinder, you can just dry it right out and then rough it up before use to increase surface area and can be used with flint and steel, you can char it like char cloth making this easier, boil it up and make amadou etc

here is horses hoof i was recently picking, both are polypores but the fomes is proper rock hard to get through the 'shell' and really looks like a hoof as it is always more tall than protruding from the tree, both make good tinder

 

[Greg]

It deffo wasnt a birch polypore...and the shell was solid.

 

[Nice65]

It's Ganoderma for sure, I've seen them many times.

 

[Wander]

Whoever told you it was Horse Hoof fungus is mistaken.
It's common Ganoderma, often called Artist's Conk, as someone mentioned earlier.

And yes, you can extract amadou from it (I have). You won't get as much as from Horse Hoof but it is still there just a much thinner layer. Cut down into and you're after the tobacco coloured velvety layer.
Personally I've always thought amadou was more trouble than it's worth. Never could understand the bushcrafter's fixation with it. Char cloth is much easier to make and more reliable. Ho hum.