Fungus Fact Friday

Tagged: amazing

#141: Pilobolus spp., the Hat Throwers 0

Fungus Fact

#141: Pilobolus spp., the Hat Throwers

Fungi in the genus Pilobolus grow on the dung (they are “coprophilous”) of herbivores and are well-known for their unique spore dispersal mechanism. Using highly specialized spore-bearing hyphae, the fungus can launch globs of spores up to 3m (10ft) away!  Its genus name literally means “Hat Thrower,” which is also used as a common name.  Another common name is “Shotgun Fungus,” but that can also be applied to Sphaerobolus spp. (FFF#122), so I recommend against using that name.

#132: Microbotryum spp., the Anther Smuts 0

Fungus Fact

#132: Microbotryum spp., the Anther Smuts

Of all the sexually transmitted infections in the world, the anther smuts are probably the most bizarre. Fungi in the genus Microbotryum infect plants in the pink family (Caryophyllaceae) as well as a few other species.  When a plant infected with an anther smut tries to produce flowers, the fungus hijacks the process and forces the plant to make anther-like structures filled with fungal spores instead of pollen.  The spores are primarily transmitted to new flowers by pollinators, but can also be spread by wind or splashing raindrops.

#123: The Candy Caps 1

Fungus Fact

#123: The Candy Caps

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!

#122: Sphaerobolus stellatus, the Artillery Fungus [Archived] 2

Archived

#122: Sphaerobolus stellatus, the Artillery Fungus [Archived]

Note: this is an archived post. You can read the current version of this post here. Happy New Year! To celebrate, I decided to use some fungal cannon fire to start 2016 off with a bang!  Although it is tiny, Sphaerobolus stellatus gets just about as close as a fungus can to actually being a firework.  The tiny, star-shaped fruiting bodies are designed to launch a spherical sac of spores high into the air.  This unique spore dispersal strategy has resulted in a variety of common names, including: “Artillery Fungus,” “Cannonball Fungus,” “Cannon Fungus,” “Sphere Thrower” (which is a literal translation of its Latin name), “Shotgun Fungus,” “Shooting Star,” and “Bombardier Fungus.”

#111: Stemonitis spp., Chocolate Tube Slime Molds or Tree Hair 0

Fungus Fact / That's Not A Fungus!

#111: Stemonitis spp., Chocolate Tube Slime Molds or Tree Hair

“Hair Growing on Wood – Believe it or Not” proclaimed one of the exhibits at the Ripley’s Believe it or Not pavilion during the 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago. The curious organism on display was Stemonitis fusca, which belongs to a group of organisms commonly known as “Chocolate Tube Slime Molds” or “Pipe Cleaner Slime Molds.”  However, thanks to its moment of fame 82 years ago, “Tree Hair” is also an acceptable common name for these species.

#085: Schizophyllum commune, the Mushroom With Over 28,000 Sexes [Archived] 3

Archived

#085: Schizophyllum commune, the Mushroom With Over 28,000 Sexes [Archived]

Note: This is an archived post. Read the current version of this post here. Commonly known as the Split Gill, this little mushroom is easily distinguished by its small gills, which appear to be split lengthwise. The Split Gill is a notable mushroom because of its unusual morphology, ecology, and genetics.  Before I get into the bizarre world of fungal sexes, I would like to describe the physical characteristics of this distinctive mushroom.

#022: Nematode-Trapping Fungi 1

Fungus Fact

#022: Nematode-Trapping Fungi

Fungi have developed a variety of ways to trap and kill nematodes. These include: adhesive branches, adhesive knobs, adhesive networks, non-constricting rings, and constricting rings.  None of these fungi use nematodes as a primary food source.  However, fungi sometimes need extra nutrients, especially nitrogen.  Forming traps is very energy-intensive, so they are only formed when nutrients are scarce and nematodes are present.  Fungi detect nematodes by “eavesdropping” on ascarosides, the chemicals that nematodes use to communicate with each other.  If you want to see these fungi in action and/or get a better understanding of nematophagous fungi, watch the YouTube video (in two parts) linked below*.  For your convenience, I have noted the time at which each type of trap is discussed in the video.

#010: Fungal Fossils 0

Fungus Fact

#010: Fungal Fossils

It may surprise you to learn that fungi are reasonably well represented in the fossil record. Most of these fossil fungi are microscopic and lack reproductive structures. Additionally, it is often difficult to infer their ecology, making positive identification difficult, if not impossible.  Fossil fungi are often found inside fossilized plant tissue.  This includes fossils of mycorrhizae, plant pathogens, and wood decomposers.  Many of these finds come from Rhynie Chert in Scotland, which dates to the Devonian period (around 400 million years ago, characterized by small land plants and the first forests).  This is around the same time of the first fossilized land plants.  The fact that mycorrhizae were already well-established by this time suggests that fungi were instrumental in helping plants colonize the land.  The best-preserved fossil fungi are found in amber, often growing on insects.  A mosquito trapped in Baltic amber (from the Eocene period, around 47 million...

#008: “A Glow in the Dark” 0

Fungus Fact / Literature Connection

#008: “A Glow in the Dark”

Literature Connection: “A Glow in the Dark” from Gary Paulsen’s Woodsong [text here]. I remember reading this short story for an English class in grade school, probably sometime in October.  It was only after re-reading this story for this post that I realized how much of the story had stuck with me over the past 7 to 11 years.  Maybe now I know I found it so compelling.  We were most likely learning about suspense at the time, which is why I decided to use this story for the Fungus Fact Friday post before Halloween.  After reading this story and my explanation, you should never again question whether or not fungi can be scary.

#007: Omphalotus illudens, the Jack-O-Lantern Mushroom [Archived] 4

Archived

#007: Omphalotus illudens, the Jack-O-Lantern Mushroom [Archived]

Note: this is an archived post. You can read the current version of this post here. Fungus Fact Friday #007: Spotlight on Omphalotus illudens, the “Jack-O-Lantern mushroom”. If the spirit of Halloween were a mushroom, it would be O. illudens.  This mushroom is commonly known as the “Jack-O-Lantern mushroom” for a couple of good reasons.  First, it is bright orange, like the pumpkins that decorate doorsteps all over the United States in October.  Not only is the cap orange, but so are the gills, the stipe, and the interior.  Second, the mushroom’s gills glow in the dark, especially when the mushrooms are young and fresh.  There are stories of this glow being bright enough to use a clump of mushrooms as a torch.  Again, this is reminiscent of the jack-o-lanterns carved out for Halloween.  Furthermore, the mushroom often has a sweet smell and is poisonous.  Nothing says Halloween like something...