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Polyporus Fomentaria

Elfvingia (polyporus) fomentaria

The brackets of Elfvingia fomentaria resemble horses' hoofs. They are employed in the manufacture of amadou, or German tinder, which, in the form of sticks or fusees, commonly known as punk, is used for lighting cigars and pipes in the wind, or for touching off fireworks. The fusees are made by beating the fungus substance until it is flexible, and then dipping it into saltpetre.