There are a few mushrooms known as Conks. This one is the Tinder Conk-Fomes fomentarius. It has several other names such as hoof fungus and a couple more with tinder as part. It has been used for that purpose for thousands of years as evidenced by the find of Ötzi the Iceman whose age was estimated to be 5000 years and was carrying several pieces which science has determined were for tinder.
These fungi are both tree decay pathogens and decomposers that remain on the tree until it is completely returned to the earth, sometimes for as long as 30 years. I found these near the Amethyst Brook waterfall that I shared a few posts ago and they were there the last time I visited but that was awhile ago and this birch tree may have fallen into the brook by now. If one was to use these to start a fire they would need to be prepared in advance, sliced thinly and dried.
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
It was great fun learning about conks, Steve, and the creative way humans have used them.
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Thanks, Jet. I am glad you enjoyed a bit of fun fungal history.
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Excellent photo, Steve. Wouldn’t it be a great project if you could go back to this same spot and rephotograph the same mushrooms every year until they have completely decomposed? That would be book-worthy! I’d buy it!
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That would be a great project. Thanks for the suggestion, Ken. I just may do that if this tree and shroom is still there.
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Cool and interesting history, and image, Steve!
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Thanks, Deborah! Glad that you enjoyed it.
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That’s very interesting about using these for tinder, it would’ve never occurred to me to try that. Although The Flaming Fungus would be a good name for a band.
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It’s not something you can just pick in t wild under needy circumstances as they do need to be dried and thinned…or rather thinned and dried. Flaming fungus sound like a foot problem. 🙂
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Patterns of some fungi are incredibly interesting, such as these Conks!
Your superb photograph shows the fascinating textures of the birch tree bark combined with that of the mushrooms.
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Most folks just think of mushrooms as those bland white capped variety we add to soups and stir fries but many are very attractive when viewed closely. Take a look at this related one for example.
I was very happy to get a nice branch for the polypore to be perched upon.
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I read a great essay by Paul Stamets about conk mushrooms and fungal intelligence, kind of like the conk is the wise old hermit of the forest.
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Can you link that essay, Melody. I’ve watched the film with him a few times. There is a lot of communication going on underground with fungi and trees and other plants as well.
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I tried looking for it, but no luck. I’ll see if I can find this, I can’t remember where I read it now. Oh, Orion Magazine??–but no luck finding it there either. Well, maybe I’ll remember more about this and find it.
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Thanks for looking, Melody!
Maybe this was it? I have one of the author’s books and he is a wealth of fungal knowledge.
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Interesting reading and viewing, Steve.
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Thanks, Belinda! Glad you enjoyed it.
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Interesting, I didn’t know that about these fungi. They do look like a hoof.
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Disney missed out on having these dancing with the hippos in Fantasia. 🙂
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These are reminiscent in shape of the ice formations you recently showed.
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They are. Nature is filled with chaos but there is a lot of repetitive shape.
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It always amazes me what nature can do. Cheers.
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Nature is just full of amazement. I am in constant awe. Thanks, Lynette!
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Interesting layering, cool find and shot!
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Thanks, Donna! Finding this shot mid-winter was a surprise and a gift.
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I didn’t know that about tinder, nor about the iceman having a piece. That’s a great photo, too, with the colors matching but the textures contrasting.
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Thanks, Lynn! I enjoy mushrooms a lot, both as food and photo subjects although I do not forage for them, and find them and their natural history fascinating.
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Made me grin ‘cos ‘conk’ is slang for nose here. 🙂
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Conk comking must be a thing then. 🙂
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I grew up with the expression about getting ‘conked in the head.’ Now I’m wondering if, way back when, people were using these as weapons: literally, perhaps metaphorically.
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Same here and I just kidded with Ann above about that. They are about baseball size so just maybe.
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I couldn’t seem to reply above. Thanks for the article on fungal intelligence, Steve–it wasn’t the one I read years ago, which was about Stamets’ personal search in Oregon old growth for a certain conk mushrooom (maybe agrikon?), but I enjoyed reading the info on fungus and mycelium in the one you linked to. Humans: seems like we coulda made a big mistake inserting ourselves at the top of the evolutionary tree–
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We could do better by exercising a bit of humility.
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