Fun(gi) Facts in All Caps
Sunday
Just as an orange is the fruit of a much bigger tree, the familiarly-shaped mushroom is a fruiting body representing only about 5% the size of the far larger underground fungus.
Monday
Below some cute little autumn-growing “honey mushroom” caps in Oregon’s Malheur National Forest lives the largest known organism on Earth. This single individual of the Armillaria ostoyae species, fondly known as the “humongous fungus,” currently spreads underground a mind-boggling 9 square km, or about 3.5 square miles and is an estimated 10,000 years old.
Tuesday
But if you’re looking for huge mushrooms growing above ground, the “American titan” Macrocybe titans mushroom grows to have caps up to 3 feet wide, and 400 million years ago you could find the monster mushroom Prototaxites growing over 24 feet tall.
Wednesday
Some mushrooms glow with bioluminescence for the purpose of attracting spore-spreading insects, and one variety in India glows so brightly the locals call them “electric mushrooms” and use them as natural torches. In a more direct connection between mushrooms and electricity, a study in Japan confirmed centuries of anecdotal evidence that shiitake mushrooms grow better near locations struck by lightning.
Thursday
Be careful with your mushrooms. The hugely varied fungus kingdom produces mushrooms that can taste great, benefit your health, alter your consciousness, or kill you. At current count, there are about 2,300 mushrooms which are edible or have medicinal benefits. The compound psilocybin, present in many mushroom species, has hallucinogenic effects, and many mushroom species are poisonous to humans, including the aptly-named “death cap,” which resembles edible varieties but is responsible for about 90% of annual mushroom-related fatalities.
Friday
Mushroom spores tend to be tiny and abundant, resembling puffs of smoke. Normally they rely on the wind to disperse them broadly, but new research shows some species actually change the temperature of the mushroom gills so as to create miniature air currents that give the spores a small lift and head start.
Saturday
Though ancient, fungi offers environmentally-friendly needs for modern packaging. Mycelium, the underground root part of the fungus, can be used for compostable, biodegradable packaging similar to styrofoam or plastic.