Fungi to observe · Fomes fomentarius
Discover the tinder fungus
A hoof on a tree trunk? Puschel puzzles over the shape. Flauschi shows him the tinder fungus, which grows on wood.
The short answer
A tinder fungus has a hard hoof-shaped fruiting body on a trunk. Tiny openings underneath are pores. Spores pass out through them and help the fungus spread.
See the connection
Simplified drawings, not to scale. Not a guide for identifying species.
An imagined Wusel scene
Puschel and Flauschi investigate
Puschel looks up. Puschel“Does the tree have a tiny balcony?” Flauschi smiles. Flauschi“That is a tinder fungus.” They stay on the ground and study the curved lines on its upper surface.
Fungus facts
Three things to notice
Shape
The firm fruiting body grows like a shelf on the trunk and resembles a hoof.
How it lives
Tiny pores underneath are the openings of small tubes. Spores form on the inner walls of these tubes and pass out through the pores.
In the forest
Tinder fungi live on wood and play a part in its natural decay.
Try explaining it
What are the tiny pores underneath tinder fungus?
Choose a), b) or c), then explain your choice.
- a)Seeds from which new trees grow.
- b)Closed spots without an opening to the outside.
- c)Openings through which spores escape.
Show the explanation
Correct: c): Openings through which spores escape.
Pores are tiny openings. Behind them are tubes where spores form.
Word help
- spore
- A tiny unit that helps fungi or ferns spread. In suitable conditions it can start further development. It is not a seed.
- mycelium
- A network of fine fungal threads, often hidden in soil or wood.
- fruiting body
- The spore-producing part of a fungus. A cap and stalk are one example, not the whole fungus.
- pore
- A tiny opening. In pore-bearing fungi, these openings lie underneath the fruiting body.
Explore in more detail
Here you will find longer explanations and further details. You can explore them together.
How does a trunk become part of the soil?
Wood contains tough materials that do not simply disappear in rain. Tinder fungus releases substances called enzymes that help break wood components down. Its threads absorb dissolved materials. The hard hoof-shaped structure on the trunk is a fruiting body, not the whole fungus.
Compare and understand
Fungi, other organisms and time transform dead wood, allowing materials to re-enter natural cycles. Dead wood is therefore not useless rubbish. Keep clear of rotten branches, do not knock fruiting bodies off, and do not use tinder for a fire experiment.
An optional question for further exploration
You can use the longer explanation above. This is extra, not needed for the first quiz.
Mini quiz
An extra question
How are tubes, pores and spores connected in tinder fungus?
Show answer
Spores form on the inner walls of small tubes. The pores are their openings, through which the spores pass out.