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Bordered polypore is a bright saprophyte mushroom with an unusual color in the form of colored rings. Other names used in the scientific literature are pine tinder fungus and, more rarely, wood sponge. In Latin, the mushroom is called Fomitopsis pinicola.
Description of a bordered polypore
The bordered polypore has a sessile fruiting body adherent to the tree bark. The shape of a young mushroom is a semicircle or a circle, old specimens become pillow-shaped. The leg is missing.
The perennial fruiting body of the bordered polypore, as shown in the photo, is divided into several colored zones in the form of semicircles.
Small indentations can be discerned at the border of each circle
Old areas of the fruiting body are colored in gray, gray or black, new areas that grow outside are orange, yellow or red.
The pulp of a bordered tinder fungus is rough, hard, spongy; with age it becomes corky, woody. At the break, it is light yellow or beige, in overripe specimens it is dark brown.
The reverse side of the fruiting body (hymenophore) is creamy, beige, the structure is tubular. If damaged, the surface darkens.
The skin of the mushroom is matte, velvety, with high humidity, droplets of liquid appear on it
The size of the cap ranges from 10 to 30 cm in width, the height of the fruiting body does not exceed 10 cm.
Spores are spherical, oblong, colorless. The spore powder can be white, yellowish or creamy. If the weather is dry and warm, sporulation is abundant, traces of spore powder can be seen below the fruiting body.
Where and how it grows
Bordered polypore (fomitopsis pinicola) grows in a temperate climate, in Russia it is widespread. The fungus grows on stumps, fallen trees, you can also find it on dry. He chooses both deciduous and coniferous trees, affecting sick and weakened units. Growing on the trunks, the bordered tinder fungus provokes the appearance of brown rot.
Is the mushroom edible or not
It is eaten, but as a mushroom seasoning, since the fruiting body instantly hardens after harvesting. Saprophyte does not cause poisoning.
Doubles and their differences
Bordered polypore has a bright, recognizable color, it is difficult to confuse it with other representatives of the species.
Somewhat similar to the described mushroom - real tinder fungus. The form and habitats of these representatives of the species are identical.
The only difference is the light gray, smoky color of the present tinder fungus, it is classified as an inedible species
The benefits and harms of a bordered polypore in nature
The described mushroom can cause irreparable harm. But in folk medicine, it is considered a useful component of many drugs.
Why pine tinder fungi are dangerous for trees
Developing under the bark of a tree, the mycelium of a tree sponge causes the appearance of brown rot. This disease completely destroys deciduous or coniferous crops, turning their trunks into dust.
In the northern regions of Russia, pine tinder fungus destroys wood in warehouses during logging. There, a serious struggle is being waged against him. Also, the mushroom is dangerous for wooden buildings made of treated wood.
In all regions of the country, bordered tinder fungus causes damage to forestry and parks.
The Role of Bordered Polypores in the Ecosystem
An important natural process is the decay and decomposition of wood. The mushroom acts as a forest orderly, decomposing sick, obsolete trees. Also, the bordered tinder fungus is involved in the destruction of flax processing residues.
The wood sponge breaks down organic residues, converting them into mineral fertilizers, increasing the quality and fertility of the soil. Cultivated and forestry plants receive more nutrients during the growth process.
The healing properties of pine tinder fungus
The mushroom is used in folk medicine. It is believed to have medicinal properties.
Some of them:
- hemostatic effect;
- anti-inflammatory properties;
- normalization of metabolism;
- increased immunity;
- treatment of the organs of the genitourinary system;
- elimination of toxins from the body.
Due to the last of the listed properties, tinder fungus is used in the composition of antidotes.
Also, the fruiting body of the fungus contains substances - lanophiles. Their use is considered to be effective in restoring the damaged liver. They induce the diseased organ to secrete enzymes that break down fat and other difficult-to-digest substances, which helps to restore normal metabolic processes in the body.
The use of edged polypores in folk medicine
Wood sponge is harvested starting in August.
Unripe, young fruiting bodies have the greatest medicinal value.
To prepare medicines based on tinder fungus, it is dried and ground into powder.
For the treatment of prostate adenoma, a dangerous male disease that provokes the development of oncology, a decoction is prepared.
In a saucepan, mix half a liter of water and 2 tbsp. l. mushroom powder from tinder fungus. The container is put on fire and brought to a boil. Boil the medicine over low heat for an hour. Then they cool and filter.
Take a decoction of 200 ml in the morning and evening
Take a decoction of 200 ml in the morning and evening
The medicinal properties of pine tinder fungus infused with vodka are especially well manifested. The mushroom is cooked shortly after harvest as it hardens quickly.
Preparation:
- Fresh, just picked mushroom is washed, peeled off - it tastes bitter.
- 1 or 2 fruit bodies are crushed with a blender until puree.
- Gruel (3 tbsp. L.) Is transferred to a bottle with dark glass and poured with vodka (0.5 l), tightly closed.
- Insist the remedy for 1.5 months at room temperature in a dark place.
Pre-strained, ready-made infusion (1 tbsp. L.) Is diluted with 125 ml of boiled water and taken twice a day.
Alcohol tincture will strengthen the immune system, speed up metabolism, and contribute to weight loss.
For a general strengthening effect, take an aqueous tincture of bordered tinder fungus. For cooking, the ingredients are taken in the following ratio: for 0.5 liters of boiling water, 1 tbsp. l. chopped mushrooms.
The pulp of the tinder fungus is cut into large pieces, placed in a thermos, and poured with boiling water. The container is closed, the infusion is left overnight. In the morning, filter the product, take half a glass twice a day. The course of treatment is 15 days. Then they take a week break, the treatment is repeated.Such therapy will not only increase the body's resistance to diseases, but also accelerate metabolism, reduce weight, and cleanse the intestines.
Limitations and contraindications
Bordered polypore is not a poisonous species, but it is not eaten because of its hardness and bitterness. For treatment with tinctures and other medicines made from its pulp, there are a number of restrictions.
Contraindications:
- children under 7 years old;
- incoagulability of blood;
- anemia;
- internal bleeding;
- During pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Infusions prepared using a bordered tinder fungus are taken gently. Overdose threatens with the appearance of vomiting, dizziness, and an allergic reaction. In rare cases, the fungus can provoke hallucinations.
Why does a fringed polypore cause vomiting in case of an overdose?
The fruit body of the basidiomycete contains a large amount of resinous substances. In alcoholic infusions and decoctions, their concentration increases. Medicines based on wood sponge are used with caution, as they can cause vomiting due to the presence of resinous substances in the composition.
Interesting facts about pine tinder fungus
Artists use the fruiting body of an old bordered polypore to prepare felt-tip pens. They are firm enough to draw and can be resized as you see fit.
Before the invention of electricity, the pulp of a wood sponge was used as silicon to light a fire.
It is used instead of coals for a forest fire.
Long before that, hats were made from the pulp of some bordered tinder fungi. The lower tubular part of the mushroom was cut off, soaked in an alkali solution for about a month, then the material was beaten off. The result was something in between suede and felt.
Gloves, hats, raincoats were made from such fabric.
Some fruit bodies reached such enormous sizes that in the 19th century they sewed a cassock for a German bishop from one such specimen, and this is a historical fact.
Today, folk craftsmen make souvenirs and crafts from the fruit body of this basidiomycete.
Covering the tinder fungus with varnish and making a depression in it, you can get a flower pot for succulents
Beekeepers use wood sponge as a filler for the smoker.
For the preparation of medicines, the fruit body growing on living trees is cut off.
If you set fire to the pulp of a pine sponge and leave it smoldering by the wasp's nest, you can get rid of the harmful insects forever.
Dried and crushed tinder fungus (100 g), diluted in 1 liter of water, is used against late blight. The aqueous solution is boiled, then cooled and sprayed with the affected plants.
If the pulp of Basidiomycete is soaked with saltpeter, cut into several pieces and dried, you can get material for lighting fires.
Lotions from a decoction of tinder fungus help to cure papillomas and other unaesthetic formations on the skin.
It is impossible to get rid of wood sponges in the garden with folk or industrial means. Such measures to combat bordered tinder fungus are ineffective. If the tree is still alive, the mycelium is cut out together with the bark and part of the trunk, the wound is closed up with garden pitch, and the wood remains are burned together with the saprophyte.
Conclusion
Bordered polypore is a saprophyte fungus that parasitizes deciduous and coniferous trees. Its appearance signals the weakness of the plant culture. Soon after the ripening of the first fruiting bodies, the bark becomes covered with brown rot, which completely destroys the trunk. The wood sponge, as the mushroom is also called, carries not only diseases and decomposition for plants, basidiomycete is used in folk medicine as a panacea for many ailments.
