Horse hoof fungus, Latin: Fomes fomentarius, Gaelic: spong grows readily on dead birch trees fringing Scotland’s peat bogs. An extremely dry composition makes it perfect for use as tinder. Not only does its shape lend itself to fitting snugly into a pocket or fold in a plaid but it also burns very, very slowly making it invaluable to the semi-transhumance culture of the peatlands.
Robin A Crawford 