Pixel Wild
Hoof Fungus
Hoof Fungus
Fomes fomentarius
Fungi
COMMON

Stats

Lifespan
10-30 yrs
Size
Large
Diet
Decomposer
Biome
Temperate forest
Range
Northern Hemisphere
Movement
Sessile
Breeding
Spores
Defense
Armor
Status
Common

About

A bracket fungus that erupts from dying hardwoods in a hard, hoof-shaped conk with grey-brown concentric zones. Its dried inner flesh — called amadou — was used for millennia as tinder; pieces were found on Ötzi the Iceman, who carried it 5,300 years ago.

Life cycle

  1. 1.
    spore
    A microscopic spore drifts on air or water and germinates where moisture and substrate meet.
  2. 2.
    mycelium
    A thread-like mycelium spreads through the substrate, breaking it down into nutrients.
  3. 3.
    fruiting body
    A mature fruiting body emerges to release the next generation of spores.

Learn more

Taxonomy

Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Basidiomycota
Class
Agaricomycetes
Order
Polyporales
Family
Polyporaceae
Genus
Fomes
Species
Fomes fomentarius