Fomitopsis betulina (Bull.) B.K. Cui, M.L. Han & Y.C. Dai
(Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)

Taxonomic hierarchy:

Species	Fomitopsis betulina (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)
Genus	Fomitopsis (a genus of bracket fungi)
Family	FOMITOPSIDACEAE (a family of bracket fungi)
Order	POLYPORALES (polypores)
Subclass	AGARICOMYCETIDAE (a subclass of basidiomycetes)
Class	AGARICOMYCETES (a class of fungi)
Subphylum	AGARICOMYCOTINA (a subphylum of fungi)
Phylum	BASIDIOMYCOTA (spore droppers, basidiomycetes)
Kingdom	FUNGI (true fungi)
Domain	Eukaryota (eukaryotes)
Life	BIOTA (living things)

Fomitopsis betulina is also a member of:
Fungi s.l. - fungi (in the broad sense) (via Fungi)
Lower Plants - lower plants (via Fungi s.l.)

Records of Fomitopsis betulina (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus) :
1: Fomitopsis betulina (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)
9 Sep 2001	OSGR: SU46	51° 20’ N, 1° 20’ W	Vice County: Berks (VC 22)	England
on fallen Birch trunk

2: Fomitopsis betulina (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)
21 Oct 2000	OSGR: SU47	51° 30’ N, 1° 20’ W	Vice County: Berks (VC 22)	England
strange form with cracked cuticle on burnt tree trunk

3: Fomitopsis betulina (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)
14 Oct 1999	OSGR: SU46	51° 20’ N, 1° 20’ W	Vice County: Berks (VC 22)	England
on Birch trunk

4: Fomitopsis betulina (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)
9 Oct 1971	OSGR: SE66	54° 0’ N, 0° 60’ W	Vice County: North-east Yorks (VC 62)	England
on dead, standing birch trunks

5: Fomitopsis betulina (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)
3 Apr 1970	OSGR: SK38	53° 20’ N, 1° 30’ W	Vice County: South-east Yorks (VC 61)	England
on fallen dead birch trunk

Identification Works

	Author	Year	Title	Source
	Anderson, R.	2001	Fungi and Beetles - diversity within diversity	Field Mycology Vol 2 (3): 82-87.
	Schwarze, F.	1993	Piptoporus betulinus (Bull.: Fr.) Karsten - Birch Polypore or Razor-strop Fungus	Wood Rotting Fungi Mycologist Vol 07 (3): 122-3.

Fomitopsis betulina (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

FOMITOPSIDACEAE
(a family of bracket fungi)

POLYPORALES
(polypores)

AGARICOMYCETIDAE
(a subclass of basidiomycetes)

AGARICOMYCETES
(a class of fungi)

BASIDIOMYCOTA
(spore droppers, basidiomycetes)

FUNGI
(true fungi)

Eukaryota
(eukaryotes)

BIOTA
(living things)

Fungi s.l.
(fungi (in the broad sense))

NBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Fomitopsis betulina (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)

BioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 16 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Fomitopsis betulina (Birch Polypore, Razorstrop Fungus)

A very common parasite on Betula throughout the UK. It eventually kills the host and continues to fruit on the standing or fallen trunk. The pith of the fungus is pure white, very tough and finely fibrous. Thin slices were used at one time to cover razor-strops which were used for stropping (straightening the cutting edge of) cut-throat razors after sharpening. Strips of the pith were also used by entomologists for mounting insects under the name of "Polyporus Pith", before the days of Plastazote.

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Taxonomic hierarchy:

Fomitopsis betulina is also a member of:

Identification Works

BioImages - Virtual Field-Guide (UK)