Piptoporus betulinus (Bull.) P. Karst.
(Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesPiptoporus betulinus (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)
GenusPiptoporus (a genus of bracket fungi)
FamilyFOMITOPSIDACEAE (a family of bracket fungi)
OrderPOLYPORALES (polypores)
SubclassAGARICOMYCETIDAE (a subclass of basidiomycetes)
ClassAGARICOMYCETES (a class of fungi)
SubphylumAGARICOMYCOTINA (a subphylum of fungi)
PhylumBASIDIOMYCOTA (spore droppers, basidiomycetes)
KingdomFUNGI (true fungi)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Piptoporus betulinus (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus) :
1: Piptoporus betulinus (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)
9 Sep 2001 OSGR: SU46 51° 20’ N, 1° 20’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
on fallen Birch trunk
Image 1: AttachmentImage 2: Bracket - side viewImage 3: Bracket - top viewImage 4: Bracket surface - central area - enlargedImage 5: Bracket surface - margin - enlarged
2: Piptoporus betulinus (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)
21 Oct 2000 OSGR: SU47 51° 30’ N, 1° 20’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
strange form with cracked cuticle on burnt tree trunk
Image 1: LSImage 2: Side view - towards baseImage 3: Side view - towards top
3: Piptoporus betulinus (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)
14 Oct 1999 OSGR: SU46 51° 20’ N, 1° 20’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
on Birch trunk
Image 1: Bracket - in situ - from aboveImage 2: Bracket - in situ - from above (2)Image 3: Bracket - in situ - from belowImage 4: Brackets - in situImage 5: Cap surface - close-upImage 6: Fruitbodies on trunkImage 7: Fruitbody - pore surfaceImage 8: Fruitbody - RSImage 9: Fruitbody - RS - cuticle - close-upImage 10: Fruitbody - RS - tube layer - close-upImage 11: Fruitbody - top surfaceImage 12: Pores - close-upImage 13: Pores near margin - close-upImage 14: Pores - near margin - close-upImage 15: Pore surface and sterile marginImage 16: top surface - close-upImage 17: SporesImage 18: Spores (2)Image 19: Spores (3)Image 20: Spores (4)
4: Piptoporus betulinus (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)
9 Oct 1971 OSGR: SE66 54° 0’ N, 0° 60’ W Vice County: North-east Yorks (VC 62) England
on dead, standing birch trunks
Image 1: In situ - on dead, standing birch trunks
5: Piptoporus betulinus (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)
3 Apr 1970 OSGR: SK38 53° 20’ N, 1° 30’ W Vice County: South-east Yorks (VC 61) England
on fallen dead birch trunk
Image 1: Fruitbody - old

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Anderson, R. 2001 Fungi and Beetles - diversity within diversity Field Mycology Vol 2 (3): 82-87.
Schwarze, F. 1993 Piptoporus betulinus (Bull.: Fr.) Karsten - Birch Polypore or Razor-strop Fungus Wood Rotting Fungi Mycologist Vol 07 (3): 122-3.

Piptoporus betulinus (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Piptoporus betulinus (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 16 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Piptoporus betulinus (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)

A very common parasite on Betula throughout the UK. It eventually kills the host and continues to fruit on the standing or fallen trunk. The pith of the fungus is pure white, very tough and finely fibrous. Thin slices were used at one time to cover razor-strops which were used for stropping (straightening the cutting edge of) cut-throat razors after sharpening. Strips of the pith were also used by entomologists for mounting insects under the name of "Polyporus Pith", before the days of Plastazote.

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