Birch Polypore

Also known as Razor Strop Fungus or Tinder fungus. This bracket fungus was found buried in the ice along with the remains of Otzi this Ice Man whose mummified body was found preserved in ice on the Italian/ Austrian border in 1991. It is likely that Otzi would have used the fungus for its medicinal properties or as tinder.

Barbers used to sharpen their cut throat razors on chunks cut from the tough fungus -hence Razor Strop Fungus.