A LIVING HISTORY BLOG.

18TH CENTURY LIVING HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA.

Sunday 27 June 2010

Laetiporus Portentosus


I have been studying photographs of various Australian fungi, and have come to the conclusion that the type I mostly find in the forest here is Laetiporus Portentosus.











Laetiporus Portentosus
This fungus makes an excellent tinder once charred. But the dust produced by the beetle that eats this fungus will catch a spark as is without charring.

Other types of similar fungi in Australia are: Ryvardenia Cretacea, and Piptoporus Australiensis.

2 comments:

David R. Reid said...

That certainly looks the same Le Loup.

I just read on an Australian Fungi blog that Laetiporus Portentosus was used by the Aboriginals to transport fire. No wonder it's such good tinder. Cheers Dave.

Keith said...

You are right Dave. I started using this fungus as tinder way back before we had electricity, let alone a computor. Still the exercise of finding and experimenting has been interesting and I have found other plant tinders since.
Thanks for the feedback.
Regards.