Rust fungi – which are so named because of their characteristic, rust-colored spores – have the most complex life cycles of any fungi. These fungi are all obligate plant parasites and most have two hosts. To successfully cycle from one host to the other over the course of a year, rust fungi produce up to five different types of spores.
Phellinus igniarius is probably the most dangerous regularly-consumed mushroom. By itself, the mushroom is pretty much useless. However, many Native American groups discovered that the ashes of igniarius will increase the buzz of chewing tobacco. Today, this practice is particularly widespread among Native Alaskans. Despite attempts by health agencies to discourage this practice, usage rates are still above 50%.
Anastomosis is the process by which fungal cells fuse together. This process is very important for filamentous fungi because it allows them to form networks and is a key part to sexual reproduction.
Snakes of the Eastern United States are dying of a disease called Snake Fungal Disease (SFD). Recently, the cause of SFD was identified as the fungus Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola. This fungus normally contributes to the decomposition of dead animals, but has for some reason been infecting live snakes since the early 2000’ SFD is primarily characterized by a severe rash on the snake’s skin, although it may also affect the snake’s eyes or even liver. The infection often results in death and in some species the mortality rate appears to be 100%.
Xylobolus frustulatus is one of my favorite fungi. It’s not particularly interesting, but there is just something surreal about the way it covers the surfaces of logs. From a distance, the fungus looks like a thin layer of weathered paper or parchment covering the surface of a log. Upon closer inspection, however, the fruiting bodies look more like a mosaic composed of tiny, white, ceramic tiles. Thanks to its unique appearance, frustulatus is often called either “the Ceramic Fungus” or “the Ceramic Parchment.”
“Is this mushroom edible?” What a difficult question to answer. The world of edible mushrooms is littered with lookalikes, various degrees of edibility, mushrooms that are edible only under certain conditions, and mushrooms that no one has assessed for edibility. For Hypholoma sublateritium, the question is even more complicated. There is no consensus on whether or not Brick Caps are edible. North American field guides are divided on the issue and European field guides usually list these mushrooms as inedible or poisonous. In my local mushroom club, they are considered edible and are a welcome find in the late fall, when it is usually slim pickings for mushrooms. Because of this ambiguity, community is an essential part of mushroom hunting (despite its culture of secrecy and competition). If you are serious about mushroom hunting, you should be involved with a local mushroom club to ensure that you learn information about...
Mushrooms come in some surprising flavors. Probably the most unusual flavors are found in the group of mushrooms known as “Candy Caps.” These mushrooms taste/smell like maple syrup, butterscotch, camphor, burnt sugar, or curry. Thanks to their pleasant odors, these edible mushrooms are usually used in dessert dishes! I recently had the opportunity to taste some Candy Cap ice cream and was astounded by the intense maple syrup flavor provided by the mushrooms!
Across the globe, Amanita muscaria (the “Fly Agaric”) is the go-to mushroom for connecting humans with the divine. I will forego describing this mushroom, since I have already done that in FFF#069. Fortunately, you are familiar with this toadstool. It is the mushroom with a red cap covered in white dots, with white gills underneath, and supported by a white stipe. Probably about 90% of mushroom art is based on this mushroom, so you have definitely seen it around (for example: in Mario games, Disney’s Fantasia, lawn decorations, and Christmas ornaments). Aside from the visual aesthetic the mushroom provides in your daily life, muscaria has had a deep and lasting impact on a variety of cultures around the world, from Hinduism to Siberian shamans to Santa Claus.
This mushroom is one of the most common earthstars and can be found all across the globe. Geastrum saccatum does not have an official common name, although the name “Rounded Earthstar” is occasionally used. Most of the time, it is just called “an earthstar.” Most North American earthstars look very similar to saccatum, but it is possible to tell them apart without running for a microscope.
In its mature stage, this mushroom can be nearly impossible to differentiate from numerous other Turkey Tail-like polypores. Fortunately, young Poronidulus conchifer mushrooms produce unmistakable cup-like structures. This structure often looks like a cup fungus or a bird’s nest fungus without the eggs. For that reason, this mushroom is often called the “Little Nest Polypore.”
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