Tinder Box Fungus

Description:

o, what about the history of Phellinus igniarius and indigenous peoples of North America? It's actually a very interesting story. The history of plant use for recreation, stimulation and ceremony reaches back thousands of years. Evidence exists in the form of figurines, pots, pipes and grave goods. Plants like coca, tobacco, coffee and tea have been smoked, snuffed, chewed, brewed, ingested and even rubbed on the body. These plants contain alkaloids packing powerful physiological punches. Among the alkaloids are caffeine, nicotine, morphine, codeine and cocaine, the -ines. Our early ancestors knew them well. Some plant alkaloids were useful for killing, like strychnine, curarine and coniine from the poisonous water hemlock. Others gave a person energy, fearlessness, heightened awareness or welcome relaxation. There is also evidence that when these plants were used, they were frequently mixed with lime or ash. You might wonder why you would want to mix a gritty, ill-flavored mess of gray paste with a leaf intended for chewing. The answer is that the alkaline enhances the buzz you get from the leaf. The chemical action of the alkaline substance on plant alkaloids helps release the alkaloids from the leaf and boosts their effect in the body. It is also likely that the presence of heavy metals plays a role in increasing the "buzz." This potent combination of alkalines and alkaloids was discovered early in the long history of civilization. Among the Incas, for example, coca leaf was chewed to combat fatigue and mask hunger. Adding a paste of lime (pulverized rock or seashells) or wood ash gave the chew an extra kick. You could even call it Inca crack. In fact, they had discovered what we now call freebasing. Many other early people made this discovery. In northern North America, the ash of Phellinus igniarius conks was widely used with indigenous plants before tobacco arrived. The Denaina, an Athabascan Indian people of the Alaskan interior, chewed a mixture of P. igniarius ash and balsam poplar bark in pre-contact times. Collections in Canadian and US museums show that P. igniarius was used with tobacco by the Micmac of Nova Scotia, Inuit of Labrador, Blackfoot of the North American Plains and Kwakiutl of the Pacific Northwest. This specific basidiocarp was selected and preferred above all other sources of ash. The reason for this is its high pH. But did each group rediscover this for itself? We can probably assume that both folkways and close observation of nature were at work here. We also might dare to wonder whether fungus ash was present in tobacco at the first Thanksgiving. As tobacco trade moved north, trade in Phellinus ash could well have moved south. And a major gathering and feast would be just the occasion to bring out all the finest commodities. Following these arguments, perhaps we can establish a circumstantial case for fungus at the first Thanksgiving. ( http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/... )

Habitat:

location: North America, Europe edibility: Inedible fungus colour: Black or blackish normal size: over 15cm cap type: Other stem type: Lateral, rudimentary or absent flesh: Pore material cannot be seperated from flesh of the cap spore colour: White, cream or yellowish habitat: Grows on wood Phellinus igniarius (L. ex Fr.) Quél. syn. Fomes igniarius (L. ex Fr.) Gill. Gemeiner Feuerschwamm Faux amadouvier, Tinder Box Fungus, Willow Bracket. Bracket 10–40cm across, 2–8cm wide, 5–20cm thick, hoof-shaped, very hard and woody; concentrically ridged, rusty brown when young later grey and finally black with the surface becoming cracked; margin obtuse, long-remaining rusty brown and velvety. Flesh rusty brown, hard. Taste sour or bitter, smell fungusy. Tubes 3–5mm long in each annual layer, rusty-brown. Pores 4–6 per mm, circular, rusty-cinnamon to maroon. Spores white, more or less globose, 4.5 x 6.5 x 4–5um. Setae thick-walled, very dark brown, fusoid with acute apex. Habitat parasitic on deciduous trees, especially willow, causing intensive white rot. Season sporulating from spring to late autumn, perennial. Uncommon. Not edible. Distribution, America and Europe ( http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/D... )

Notes:

Phellinus igniarius is classified as a polypore, with pores on the underside that bear basidiospores. It is closely related to Phellinus tremulae, another one of the causes of heartrot in trees. Phellinus igniarius is also a member of the Hymenochaetaceae, an enormously variable family of Basidiomycota that have certain microscopic characters that hold them together. All are xanthochroic (turn black in 3% KOH) and have simple septa rather than clamps on their dark hyphae. All of them cause a white rot in wood. In addition many have dark-colored setae or setal hyphae for protection. The species that we call Phellinus igniarius is probably a complex of species, with several "cryptic" (hidden) species. The broadly defined species is very variable, with a wide host range, growing on many kinds of hardwoods. It can be found in most boreal regions. In previous times, some researchers considered P. igniarius and P. tremulaeto be the same species. However, host distribution and microscopic characters, along with recent DNA evidence, have clearly separated the species. According to Gilbertson, R. L. and L. Ryvarden (1987. North American Polypores. 2:576. Fungiflora, Oslo) this complex also includes P. artcostaphyli (only on Arctostaphylos) and P. pomaceus (only on Prunus). Other species in addition to these four, including Phellinus laevigatus and P. nigricans, cause similar symptoms and are often grouped together by forest pathologists. You can read more about forest pathogens at www.forestpathology.org All of these Phellinus species are perennial, producing a new pore layer every year. Some can even live 20 or more years. However, the fungus itself is not as interesting as its interactions with people.