Amadou
Amadou is a spongy material derived from Fomes fomentarius and similar fungi that grow on the bark of coniferous and angiosperm trees, and have the appearance of a horse's hoof (thus the name "hoof fungus"). It is also known as the "tinder fungus" and is useful for starting slow-burning fires. The fungus must be removed from the tree, the hard outer layer scraped off, and then thin strips of the inner spongy layer cut for use as tinder.
![](../I/m/Amadou_p%C3%AAche.jpg)
Amadou was a precious resource to ancient people, allowing them to start a fire by catching sparks from flint struck against iron pyrites. Remarkable evidence for this is provided by the discovery of the 5,000-year-old remains of "Ötzi the Iceman", who carried it on a cross-alpine excursion before his death and subsequent ice-entombment.[1] Amadou has great water-absorbing abilities. It is used in fly fishing for drying out dry flies that have become wet.[2][3] Another use is for forming a felt-like fabric used in the making of hats and other items.[4][5] It can be used as a kind of artificial leather.[6]
![](../I/m/Fomes_fomentarius.jpg)
Before such uses, amadou needs to be prepared by being pounded flat, and boiled or soaked in a solution of nitre. One method of preparation starts by soaking a slice in washing soda for a week, beating it gently from time to time. After that it has to be dried; when dry it is initially hard and has to be pounded with a blunt object to soften it up and flatten it out.[3]
References
- Cotter T. (2015). Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation: Simple to Advanced and Experimental Techniques for Indoor and Outdoor Cultivation. Chelsea Green Publishing. p. 281. ISBN 978-1-60358-456-2.
- John Van Vliet (1999). Fly Fishing Equipment & Skills. Creative Publishing. ISBN 978-0-86573-100-4.
- Jon Beer (October 13, 2001). "Reel life: fomes fomentarius". The Telegraph.
- Greenberg J. (2014). Rivers of Sand: Fly Fishing Michigan and the Great Lakes Region. Lyons Press. p. 93. ISBN 978-1-4930-0783-7.
- Pegler D. (2001). "Useful fungi of the world: Amadou and Chaga". Mycologist. 15 (4): 153–154. doi:10.1016/S0269-915X(01)80004-5.
In Germany, this soft, pliable 'felt' has been harvested for many years for a secondary function, namely in the manufacture of hats, dress adornments and purses.
- Alice Klein (Jun 16, 2018). "Vegan-friendly fashion is actually bad for the environment". New Scientist.
External links
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Look up amadou in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
- http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/DisplayBlock~bid~5928~gid~.asp
- https://web.archive.org/web/20070203071356/http://www.bushcraftuk.com/content/articles.php?action=show&showarticle=175
- http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/content.php?r=307-Polypore-Fungi-in-Primitive-Fire-Making
- http://www.primitiveways.com/Amadou%20substitutes.html
- http://paulkirtley.co.uk/2011/easy-way-to-use-fomes-fomentarius-as-tinder/