mushroommyceliummystery

[mushroommyceliummystery]

Bizarre Fungi, Bizarre World

Hello and once again welcome back to my learning journey into the bizarre world of fungi. As always, we have our pre-post disclaimer that I am not an expert in this field by any means and you should always consult a professional before ingesting any mushrooms. I am happy to report that I was able to find and photograph a truly beautiful specimen I stumbled upon while on my daily walks! As usual, we will have our identification of the mushroom of the month later in the post. Though I have some good news there is also some bad as this blog will most likely be changing a bit going forward after a bit of dormancy in these winter months. Hopefully, I will be able to come back with better content and better insights after I finish dealing with some other responsibilities! Anyways now that’s out of the way we can talk about the more exciting things. The topic this time around is a bit more freeform as I’ve just been delving into a variety of different more exotic mushroom types in my research and discovery.

Now as we talk about this handful of very interesting fungi that I have found I strongly recommend searching them up on your own, so you are able to see how visually interesting they are! Now not all of them are only visually interesting but also have some other interest whether it’s how they interact with their environment or the mystery behind them that we have yet to understand fully.

The first of these fungi is the Chorioactis Geaster commonly known as the Devil’s Cigar or Texas Star in the United States and the Kirinomitake in Japan. Now the first point of interest with these fungi is that it belongs to a genus that only it is a part of. The second point of interest is the fact that it can only be found in two very specific regions of the world those being Texas and Japan. Within these regions, there are even more specific places they can only be found in making them incredibly rare. It is not definitively known why these fungi are in such different and specific locations though one hypothesis was human interaction. However, as their estimated genetic divergence has been calculated to be at least 19 million years ago this rules out the potential of human interaction causing this distance. 

The next fungi that I found incredibly fascinating are the Pilobolus Crystallinus which is small in stature but makes up for that in its wild speeds. How is a fungus fast you might ask well they are able to shoot their sporangium from themselves at a range of around 6 to 10 feet with a huge acceleration of 0-60 miles per hour in that short span. This acceleration achieved puts an enormous amount of Gs on the object which clock in around 20,000. In humans, we are only able to withstand around 9 Gs for only a few seconds so the difference is immense. 

The last of the fungi I wanted to share is the Hydnellum Peckii however I'd like to note there are countless more interesting mushrooms to learn about. What makes the Hydenellum Peckii or more commonly known as the Devil’s Tooth so interesting is not only its appearance but what makes it appear that way. At first glance, the fungi look like a gory mess however the process that creates this scene from a horror movie is called guttation. When water builds in the soil around the fungus it can force water up through the roots and then through the top which bubbles up red due to the pigment within the fungus. Even without this process the mushroom still has an interesting form as it often resembles a monster’s tooth. With the added red to that form, it makes even more sense of why it is referred to as the Devil's Tooth!

Finally, it is time for the mushroom of the month and though the identification process was a bit easier due to my own prior knowledge one should still always follow some set process for identification! First, we look at where it is growing to narrow down some potential candidates. From there we look at coloration, distinct markings, under the “cap” and compare these to a database of various mushrooms that grow where I found these. The result I came to is the Trametes Versicolor or the Turkey Tail as they are commonly referred as. These mushrooms are used in a variety of ways for health benefits in humans though I would advise against picking your own. Since there are mushrooms that have a similar resemblance that you do not want to involve yourself with called Stereum Ostrea or the false turkey tail. That wraps it up for this post so thanks for stopping by and hopefully see you soon!

[mushroommyceliummystery]

A Foragers Gold

Hello again and welcome back to my learning journey into the amazing world of fungi. As always pre-post disclaimer that I am not an expert in this field by any means and you should always consult a professional before ingesting any mushrooms. Now I have some unfortunate news for this week in the realm of mushroom spotting as there have been none. It has been rainy, but it has been cold as well so spotting any of these fungi has been increasingly hard. I am hopeful on the next post I will have seen some new pictures ready fingers crossed. The mushroom of the month will still be happening though it will not be a mushroom I have found and pictured myself, unfortunately. Anyways let’s get into this week’s topic and what is that topic you might ask? Foraging and cooking it’s a mix of the two as I’ve been looking into how to incorporate these mushrooms that grow all around us back into our diets!

Now first off, the most important part of this entire process when eating a mushroom found out in the wild is to be sure it is the exact one you are looking for. Expertise in the field of mushroom hunting is a difficult ability to obtain however it is crucial to being able to safely eat what you forage. Wrong identification of any mushroom can lead to sickness and potentially even death, so extreme caution is recommended. To begin gaining this expertise one must first familiarize themselves with what can grow around them. What is good to eat, what is poisonous, where to find these fungi, what are the right growing conditions/seasons are, and so on. Having these general understandings can lead to deeper ones after doing research on each of the mushrooms you can find locally.

Tools you may want when out foraging for mushrooms include a basket or way to carry the mushrooms you forage and a knife of some kind to cut the mushrooms. Now there is some contention in the mushroom foraging community whether you should cut or pull your mushrooms however it seems it more depends on what you want to do with them. Pulling a mushroom out of the ground lets you see what’s going on below it, therefore, making some identification easier. Cutting them makes for easier and not as dirty transportation so cleaning them to eat is not as difficult. Research has shown that cutting or pulling them has no impact on future growth however it’s still in your best interest to forage sustainability.

Cooking these mushrooms depends on your own tastes and texture wants as there are a wide number of ways one can serve these up. If you opt for a simpler way of eating them just fry them up in a cast-iron skillet with some salt and pepper. Or if you want to get fancy and use a whole recipe with the foraged mushrooms only being a part of a potentially bigger fully foraged meal! Mushrooms are so great because of their versatility when it comes to cooking. Some mushrooms can stand as substitutes for meats like in a Portobello burger or one that tastes like seafood with the chicken of the wood’s fungus. There are so many different flavors and textures present within a variety of mushrooms you could very well despise one and love another.

Finally, for this week’s mushroom which is not as exciting since I don’t have my own picture to share nevertheless, we will continue. This time around I decided we would look at a more visually interesting mushroom to identify. After seeing the picture I’m sure many are familiar with this mushroom as it is quite a popular one. First off, its cap structure is quite unique compared to most other mushrooms or fungi having an almost brain-like structure to it. Coloration we see a yellow-like beige color that seems uniform throughout the stem and cap. Without further ado, we have a morel mushroom a very tasty but somewhat difficult to obtain ingredient. Not only are they difficult to obtain but are difficult to forage as well due to the presence of false morels. Which are just mushrooms that look very similar in structure with color variations to the morel mushroom. If foraging for these kinds of mushrooms exercises extreme caution and consult an expert before ingesting them as their poisonous counterparts are quite dangerous. Now that does it for this week’s portion of the mushroom learning journey. Hopefully next time around ill have some nicer pictures for you but until then thanks for stopping by and see you soon!

[mushroommyceliummystery]

Promises of Psilocybin

Hello again and welcome back to my learning journey into the intriguing world of fungi. Pre-post disclaimer that I am not an expert in this field by any means and you should always consult a professional before ingesting any mushrooms. The mushroom spotting as of late has been a bit dull unfortunately but I was able to capture these little ones pictured above. Apologies for the picture quality as my phone just did not want to focus on them at all. As per usual we have a bit to talk about before we dive into our mushroom identification and I'm excited about the topic of this post. For this post, we will be diving into the more mystical side of these organisms and taking a look at their psychedelic properties.

I have been researching primarily two aspects of mushroom's psychedelic properties the first being their use in the form of therapy. As of late, there have been more and more studies coming out about the potential of the compound found in some mushrooms Psilocybin when it comes to treating depression, anxiety, addiction, and PTSD. The other aspect beyond the therapeutic one is their use in humans over the course of our time here on earth. As there are many different cultures that have used or accidentally used different fungus that have these psychedelic effects on our brains.

The dive into the world of medical research has been an interesting one especially with the history of psychedelic use in this field and its taboo nature. Starting with the first of two depression-related trials done by Johns Hopkins Medicine. In 2016 the first trials were done with patients diagnosed with life-threatening cancer. These studies demonstrated that with these Psilocybin treatments paired with psychosocially supported conditions there was a significant reduction in existential anxiety and depression within these patients who had life-threatening diagnoses. For the more recent study that was done the participants were those who have had a long-term history with depression unrelated to a life-threatening diagnosis. This study like the previous also demonstrated a significant decrease in over half of the participants of their symptoms. These two studies alone show much promise as these treatments are few and far between compared to the chronic application of things like SSRIs to treat depression. With the FDA categorizing these treatments as breakthrough therapy we could see more trial approvals in the coming years eventually transforming this into a potential alternative.

Now for something that I find incredibly interesting but a bit morbid that being a particular fungus called ergot. This fungus that affects rye grain has the ability to induce hallucinations, cause irrational behavior, and even death. These symptoms are called Ergotism that is the poisonings from eating grains and its impacts on humans or other creatures. Why are we talking about this specific fungus though well the reason is it may have been a contributing factor in why the Salem witch trials occurred. When looking at journals and documents of the time in Salem the conditions for an outbreak of ergot are perfect. That being a warm and rainy spring/summer in the year 1691. As the rye crop infected with ergot was eaten during the winter of 1691 we begin to see the signs of Ergotism and the witch trials beginning. These witch trials then stop the following summer where we have less ideal conditions for ergot to grow. This isn't the only instance though of the fungus wreaking havoc on human settlements across the world as there are countless others. However, it's a new insight into what was really potentially happening in a very popularized portion of American history.

Now for the second mushroom of the month this month and as a side note identification will be a little bit more challenging this time around. Unfortunately, I didn't study this mushroom as much as I did the other two before or after taking the picture as I was in a bit of a hurry. Going off the picture and what I recall of the little mushroom is what I'll be using to initially help me try to identify this fungus. This mushroom seems to be in the early stages of its growth. So I began searching with key terms such as tiny, baby, or other similar words accompanied with mushroom. It took some digging around before I found the Mycenae Galericulata which is what these two seem to be. These are very common forms of mushroom that can be found in the entire temperate zone of the northern hemisphere. They are considered inedible though even if they were I am still far from confident enough to eat a mushroom I alone have identified. Hopefully, next time around I will not only have a better picture but more time to study the fungus before I leave it alone. Thanks for stopping by see you soon!

[mushroommyceliummystery]

Paul Stamets, The Fungi Pioneer

Hello again and welcome back to my learning journey into the wonderful world of fungi. As always disclaimer I am not an expert by any means, and you should always consult a professional before ingesting any mushrooms. Now that's out of the way It has been raining quite a bit this week, so it has been the perfect weather for mushroom spotting, and I was able to capture the incredible specimen pictured above. The conversation on that little one will be further down this post as I have something else, I would like to talk about first!

This week I had the pleasure of watching a movie on Netflix titled “Fantastic Fungi”. Let me tell you what a wonderful movie it was! From the time-lapses of a variety of different fungi growing in their natural habitats. Very detailed animations showing the mycelium networks underground that connect trees and plants to each other. A captivating collection of stories spanning the highlights of human’s relationship with these organisms over the course of our time here on earth. Also, to my surprise though it shouldn't really have been my favorite mycologist Paul Stamets had a prominent role in the film. He spoke about his personal experiences with fungi and the amazing research he has been able to do in his life. 

The film is filled to the brim with thought-provoking information on these mysterious fungi and really serves as a great starting point for those who have even the slightest interest in them. Whether your one who is interested in the environmental impact they have had and can have on the earth. One who is interested in their psychedelic and by proxy potential healing properties within humans. Or just the boundless applications they can have that you may have never even thought about this film has it all.

To highlight the two most interesting portions for me which both surrounded the research that Paul Stamets has helped with or conducted himself. The first being an experiment done on various piles of petroleum and crude oil waste in response to the issue of pollution. With four piles one control, one with enzymes, one with bacteria, and one with mushroom spores. The mushrooms ended up absorbing the oil and being able to break carbon-hydrogen bonds. The pile with mushroom spores was covered with oyster mushrooms after six weeks of being left alone while the others had not changed. Not only did the mushrooms thrive the pile itself became an oasis of life with different insects being attracted by the mushrooms, which then attracted the birds to the insects which brought seeds along with them. Now, this once pile of waste had become a little ecosystem that was supporting life. How amazing is that? To be able to create life from what we would think only has the potential to destroy it.

The next incredibly interesting discovery that Paul Stamets made was within the field of pesticides and insecticides. He had discovered a feature within an Entomopathogenic fungus which is a fungus that can act as a parasite and kill/disable insects. This fungus specifically infects termites however the termites are smart and have a system to keep these fungi from spreading through their nests. Stamets found a biological switch that delayed this reaction to the fungi so the termites could not act and protect their nests like usual. The infected termite then would act as a type of trojan horse and be able to completely wipe out a termite nest with the Entomopathogenic fungi. This being a huge potential step forward in a direction to no longer using such harsh chemicals to protect from insects.

Truly if you have any interest in fungi, I highly recommend the film!

Now it’s time for the mushroom of the month (Photo credit to me once again... excuse my hand). I found this little one once again on my usual walking path and was quite surprised it had not been messed with or destroyed by other walkers. This one was a bit tougher for me to identify as the resources I was using on local fungi weren't matching up. The colors would align however the under cap is more porous and doesn't have the typical gill-like appearance. I consulted some message boards using descriptive terms to search and have concluded it to be a part of the Boletus species. More specifically a Boletus Rubellus or Boletus Bicolor however it is impossible to tell especially with my amateur approach to identification. Regardless of the specifics, it is truly amazing just how many different types of fungi you can find if you just keep an eye out! Thanks for stopping by and see you soon!

[mushroommyceliummystery]

I’ve held an interest in mushrooms and mycelium for a long time however, I have only ever had a surface-level understanding of each. So, I’ve decided to catalog my own learning experience of the topics in hopes that some of what I learn can be passed on. Now as a disclaimer I’m not an expert by any means and if I get anything wrong, please correct me. Most importantly though consult local professionals or local wildlife books before you use any of the information I’m providing. 

Why mushrooms though? Well, they are just such an interesting grouping of organisms to me. They are so odd, and alien-like with a variety of different effects they can have on humans from poisons, health benefits, and even psychedelic experiences. That’s not even delving into the interest of just the organisms themselves and how they operate. Before going too much into the informative side though Ill briefly highlight my limited experience with mushrooms and mycelium. I’ve eaten many different types and have enjoyed them all in varying degrees. I occasionally try to identify common mushrooms I see along my walks or in the woods never eating them though as I’m not that confident. The final bit of experience comes from listening to a few talks by mycologists like Paul Stamets about how amazing they are. 

Now that introductions are over let’s talk about the wonders of mushrooms and mycelium. They have been here for the long haul calling earth home for over 600 million years coming in a variety of forms throughout their history here. There are some so small you can barely see them with the naked eye with others spanning the length of over 2 miles for a single organism. Truly a visual spectacle with large ranges of vibrant colors, intriguing shapes, and formations you don’t see anywhere else in the animal kingdom. Even further they don’t belong to either common plant or animal groupings as they are their own thing! You could say they are a type of hybrid between plants and animals with modern mycologists categorizing them with more animal-like traits. Application of these organisms don’t just stop at some of these being edible but there is research in potential plastic and leather alternatives using mushrooms and mycelium. They really do it all and that’s one of the most interesting aspects of them is their versatility. You name it and there is probably a mushroom for that.

Now for the mushroom of the month (pictured above photo credit to me) as I might as well take my own mushroom spotting and bring it here to share. Once again don’t take my word as I could very well be wrong in my identification. This little one was found on the route I take to class most often. I have Identified this mushroom following a kind of rudimentary system which starts by analyzing the shape of the organism itself and comparing the mushroom to the season we are in. Then delving into deeper characteristics like the coloring, cap structure, unique features, location, and so on. These are then compared to a handful of local resources I have found online to get the result. Even with this type of Identification, there is still no clear way for me as an amateur mushroom spotter to be sure of this so take what I’m saying with a grain of salt. From my current understanding and through using my identification method I believe this mushroom to be an Amanita Phalloides. These mushrooms which are commonly known as death caps are in fact poisonous to us humans so there will be no frying these up. This mushroom is surprisingly one of the most poisonous mushrooms on the planet for a human to eat. They are not native to the USA but Europe however they have made their way around the world over the years. It is an interesting thought having something so potentially dangerous living so close, but I suppose that’s a part of the wonder when it comes to these organisms. You would never expect such a small little organism to be so dangerous though that’s only if my identification is right…. we all start somewhere though, and this post is my official beginning with mushrooms and mycelium! Thanks for stopping by and see you soon!