Tinder Bracket Mushroom - Fomes fomentarius
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Tinder conk AKA hoof fungus or tinder bracket got its common name because it can be dried and used for tinder. Its Latin name is Fomes fomentarius and I harvest it from birch trees in the Adirondack Mountains, where it is plentiful.
It has antiviral, antibiotic, and anti-inflammatory properties and can be helpful in regulating blood pressure and sugar levels. It is strongly antioxidant. It may help fight cancer by inducing apoptosis, which is pre-programmed cell death. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is used for the treatment of oral ulcer, gastroenteric disorder, inflammations and various cancers. The secondary metabolites found in tinder conk are polysaccharides, triterpene glycosides, esters, lactones, betulin, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, organic acids, benzofurans, and coumarins.
It is also being studied by architects because its unique structure could lead to new high-performance ultra lightweight materials. Since the fungus assembles these structures itself scientists are studying whether self-assembling materials could be developed.
A number of research papers can be found by searching with Google Scholar.