Kanbatake - Inedible

Japanese kanbatake 　
Scientific name
Subtribe
Tribe		 piptoporus betulinus
piptoporus
polyporaceae		 kanbatake
kanbatakezoku カンバタケ属
sarunokoshikakeka サルノコシカケ科
English birch polypore aka razor-strop fungus
French polypore du bouleau 　
German Birkenporling 　

The "kanbatake" is a polypore growing on birches. Its is known as the "piptoporus betulinus", or birch polypore. In ancient European cultures, the birch was known as the tree of life and fertility.

An interesting feature of this polypore is that in many European countries, especially England and Northern Europe, it is known as the razor-strop fungus. It used to be dried, nailed on a wall, and utilized as a razor strop (研磨材）.

But the most interesting feature is certainly that "Oetzi", the neolithic (3,200 BC) iceman found near an Alpine glacier on the Italian-Austrian border, wore two necklaces, with pieces of this piptoporus srtung on them. Scientists speculate that "Oetzi" was using this polypore either as a razor-strop or for its medicinal purposes: as an antibiotic, it contains "styptic", which helps to stop bleeding. "Oetzi" was also carrying another dried mushroom in his girdle bag, consisting of pieces of "fomes fomentarius" or tinder fungus (aka true tinder bracket).

Houdaigi, Minakami-machi


Seasons All year 　 　
Habitats Woodland Nearby trees Parasitic to birch, predominantly on rotten trunks
Fruiting patterns Layer 　 　
Edibility Inedible Warning None

CHARACTERISTICS

Cap Colour Grey-brown to brown-cream. Spores Colour White.
Cap Diameter 5 to 20 cm. Spores Shape Sausage (allantoid).
Cap Surface Tanned skin-like, cracking when aging. Pores Density 3 to 4 per mm.
Cap Shape Semi-circular annual bracket to kidney. Tubes Colour White.
Cap Margin Smooth and rounded. Tubes Layer Up to 1cm thick.
Stem Length Short and fat attachment stem. Smell Type Pleasant.
Stem Butt rot Producing a brown butt rot on trunk once it has felt down. Flesh Colour Pink, turning to dark brown.
　 　 　 Flesh Character Soft and firm, changing to corky when aging.



Disclaimer: This site aims only to assist identification, not to guarantee correct identity; refer also to more detailed references. Never rely on this site to identify fungi to eat. Eating some fungi can easily kill.