what is this?

[monkey boy]

i was out in the woods yesterday and i saw a tree stump, it had looked like that it was chopped down a long time ago, it had what i think is fungus on the side there was 3 off them near each other, they were dry and hard, iv taken one and i hope someone can tell me what it could be, iv heared about horse hoof but iv never seen it befor to know,

here is some pics
thanx monkey boy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sammyray/3379855806/in/set-72157615077998731/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sammyray/3379856224/in/set-72157615077998731/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sammyray/3379856626/in/set-72157615077998731/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sammyray/3379857004/in/set-72157615077998731/

 

[Shewie]

Looks like hoof fungus to me but I can't be sure

 

[alpha_centaur]

Yeah I'd aggree that it looks like horse hoof fungus. But I'm no expert, in fact I wouldn't trust me to identify edible mushrooms in a supermarket

 

[catman61]

looks like hoofsfoot to me but again i'm no expert is it soft or hard?

 

[BIGWOLFY]

it looks like an old Phellinus igniarius The fungus is found in broadwood trees particularly beech and birch its good for fuel for fires it burns like charcoal I use them for cooking on when I can get them.
http://images.google.co.uk/images?um=1&hl=en&q=phellinus+igniarius&btnG=Search+Images

hope this helps bigwolfy

 

[monkey boy]

that does help, if it helps, it very hollo and hard but light. bigwolfy is phellinus igniarius any good for carying fire for long periods of time

 

[xylaria]

The specimen looks very decayed, the way ridges on the rim go up in lines it suggests it may of been a horse hoof [fomes fomentarius] but the layer that amadou is made from seems to have been consumed by insects. The dried fungus should burn slowly though still.

I don't normally drop hints, but I am severely dyslexic and not using capital letters makes written language very difficult to read. There is also a good percentage of members that don't have english as a first language.

 

[BIGWOLFY]

Is phellinus igniarius any good for carrying fire for long periods of time ? in one word yes see vid link Ray Mears carries fire and talks about antlers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ypDSOkMwoM&feature=related

hope this helps bigwolfy

 

[monkey boy]

that does help thanks, im gonna use it to carry my fire next time i go out trekking

 

[brucebb]

This was found near Bristol on Birch. Very hard top, white underneath and a layer of light brown soft corky material between.