Fomes Fomentarius

The tinder fungus can be found everywhere in Europe, and is especially prevalent holarctic from India and Pakistan via Asia and North America, but also in North Africa. The fungus, which attacks preferred dying trees, has long been an important raw material for various products. As early as in the Neolithic Age the loosely felt like middle layer of the fungus, called Trama, was processed to tinder, giving the fungus its name. The tinder fungus forms perennial silver gray to black fruiting bodies which can reach an age of up to 30 years. The width generally ranges from 20 to 30 cm, but even specimens with a width of 60 cm were observed. In the past tea was prepared from tinder fungus. Because of the contained and increasingly explored bioactive substances (in particular themushroom typical polysaccharides), the fungus is offered in processed form as a powder or extract also as a food supplement.