Tinder fungus (Polyporus umbellatus)
Systematics:- Department: Basidiomycota (Basidiomycetes)
- Subdivision: Agaricomycotina (Agaricomycetes)
- Class: Agaricomycetes (Agaricomycetes)
- Subclass: Incertae sedis (undefined)
- Order: Polyporales
- Family: Polyporaceae (Polyporous)
- Genus: Polyporus (Polyporus)
- Species: Polyporus umbellatus (Umbelliferous polypore)
- Other names for the mushroom:
- Grifole branched
- Branched polypore
- Tinder fungus
- Polypor umbrella
- Grifole umbrella
Synonyms:
Grifole umbrella;
Grifole branched;
Branched polypore;
Branched tinder fungus;
Polypor is umbrella;
Grifola umbellata.
Tinder fungus is an original bushy mushroom. The umbrella polypore belongs to the polyporous family. The fungus is found in the European part of Russia, in Siberia and even in the Polar Urals, it was found in North America, as well as in the forests of Western Europe.
Fruit body - numerous legs, which are connected at the bottom into one base, and caps.
The mushroom cap has a slightly wavy surface, in the center there is a small depression. Some specimens have small scales on the surface of the cap. A group of mushrooms forms one settlement, in which there can be up to 200 or more individual specimens.
On the lower part of the cap, there are numerous tubes, the pores of which reach 1-1.5 mm in size.
The pulp of an umbrella white tinder fungus has a very pleasant smell (you can feel the aroma of dill).
The cylindrical stem of the mushroom is divided into several branches, at the top of each there is a cap. The legs are soft, very thin. Usually, the legs of the mushrooms are combined into a single base.
The spores are white or cream colored and cylindrical. The hymenophore is tubular, like all tinder fungus, descending far along the leg. The tubes are small, short, and white.
Umbrella polypore usually grows at the bases of deciduous trees, prefers maple, linden, oaks. It is rare. Season: July — early November. The peak is in August-September.
Favorite locations of griffins are tree roots (prefers oak, maple), dead wood, stumps, and decaying forest litter.
It is a saprotroph.
Similar to the umbrella polypore is the leafy tinder fungus or, as it is popularly called, the ram mushroom. But the latter has side legs, and the hat also has the shape of a fan.
Umbelliferous griffin is a rare species of polyporous fungi. Listed in the Red Book. Protection is required, as populations disappear (deforestation, logging).
It is an edible mushroom with good taste. The pulp of the mushroom is very soft, tender, has a pleasant taste (but only in young mushrooms). Old mushrooms (fully ripe) have a pungent and not very pleasant smell.