Pine Destroyer, Fomes pinicola (Swartz) Cook. Fomes = tinder, for which purpose
the dried brackets were commonly used in the days of flint and steel; pinicola = pine
dweller, referring to coniferous trees on which they are so abundant. Type of rot—
Brown cubical rot. |

This is the bracket or shelf fungus “par excellence”, for it is not only one of the
most abundant species, but is widely distributed throughout the temperate world.

In British Columbia it commonly attacks Sitka spruce, Western hemlock and
Douglas fir, to mention three trees of economic importance, but over 90 species of
trees of all types are known to be affected by this species.

Dead standing trees or logs are more often the host of the Pine Destroyer than
vigorous living trees. It is most active in reducing forest debris to a friable mould,
hence the importance of using up cut timber before the fungus gets to work on it.

The brackets or “‘conks” of the Pine Destroyer are variable in shape and size. On
standing trees they are somewhat hoof-shaped and of a blackish colour, with well-
marked annulations of growth. The underside is creamy-white. On dead trees and
logs they are more often shelf or bracket-shaped and dark brown above. All brackets
are usually margined with a bright chestnut-coloured band, glistening as if newly
varnished.

As with other bracket fungi it is a perennial, growing larger year by year. In size
it may occur up to at least 18 inches by 91/7 inches.

THE PINE DESTROYER

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