Fomentarius

Fomentarius is a Latin adjective meaning “of fomentation” or “for poultices,” and in scientific naming it appears as a epithet in several organism names. The best-known use is in the fungal species formerly and commonly placed in Fomes fomentarius, with some historical references to Inonotus fomentarius as well. The epithet itself reflects a historical association with medicinal poultices and with tinder used to start fires.

The most famous bearer of the name is the tinder fungus, Fomes fomentarius, a large, hoof-shaped polypore that grows on hardwoods, especially birch, in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The fruit body is hard and perennial, typically gray to brown with darker concentric zones on the cap, and a pale, porous underside that yields a white to pale brown spore surface. It is slow-growing and can persist for many years.

Ecology and distribution: Fomes fomentarius is commonly found on dead or weakened living trees, occasionally causing a slow rot in living hosts. It is widespread across Europe, Asia, and North America, favoring cool, moist habitats. The species is considered saprotrophic and occasionally weakly parasitic, contributing to wood decay over time.

Uses and cultural significance: The dried, corky interior of the conk can be dried and processed into amadou, a fibrous tinder used historically to ignite fires with flint and steel. The fungus has featured in traditional medicine and crafts as tinder, insulation, and material for primitive fire-making techniques, and it remains a notable example of a widely distributed, long-lived polypore.

In biology and mycology, fomentarius as an epithet thus links historical tinder usage with a name that spans multiple organisms and contexts.