domingo, 01 de octubre de 2023

September Salt Spring Island Fungus of the Month: TU,TU,ELEḴEP

Since today is National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, it seems worthwhile to look at this month's Fungus of the Month, TU,TU,ELEḴEP ("two two ah-leh-kehp" - you can hear the pronunciation here) from the perspective of the SENĆOŦEN-speaking peoples, who would have been among the first to name and know the fungi of Salt Spring Island.

"TU,TU,ELEḴEP" describes any woody bracket fungus that grows on trees, like this Fomitopsis mounceae observed by dianalynn1.

According to Nancy J Turner's wonderful Saanich Ethnobotany, it means "echo", named because the hard upper surface of the fungus echoes back the voice of someone who yells in the woods. Here's another one, observed by katemckeown.

This fungus is too tough and woody to be edible, but its echoing qualities were useful. For example, if placed over a doorway, the fungus protected those who lived in the household from malicious rumours and evil thoughts by "answering" them on behalf of the people who lived there.

Observed by enspring.

Mushroom season here is just getting going now, with the return of the rains. Happy spotting!

Publicado el domingo, 01 de octubre de 2023 a las 06:37 AM por corvi corvi | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

lunes, 02 de mayo de 2022

Victoria City Nature Challenge

Right now, the City Nature Challenge 2022 is happening! Salt Spring Island is part of the Greater Victoria group, so if you would like observations you have made today or over the weekend to be counted, join that community! Observations made as part of the City Nature challenge help governments and local scientists understand and protect biodiversity in our area.

Publicado el lunes, 02 de mayo de 2022 a las 09:12 PM por corvi corvi | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

jueves, 21 de enero de 2021

Today: Talk on Bioluminescent Fungi by Alan Rockefeller

Tonight, January 21, at 5PM Pacific Time, mycologist and iNaturalist member Alan Rockefeller is giving a talk on bioluminscent fungi via Zoom.

We celebrated Halloween of 2019 by discussing some bioluminescent fungi here on Salt Spring Island:

As a preview for the talk tonight, here are a few of Mr. Rockefeller's observations of bioluminscent mycenas:

I'm sure his talk will be ... brilliant.

Publicado el jueves, 21 de enero de 2021 a las 05:25 PM por corvi corvi | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

domingo, 06 de diciembre de 2020

October Salt Spring Island Fungus of the Month: Lactarius rubrilacteus

When cut or damaged, fungi in the Lactarius genus ooze a sticky opaque liquid intended to make the mushroom harder for insects to chew on. This gives them the common name of "milkcaps".  Usually the "milk" is white, but in some species it can be yellow, orange, or blue. Our extra-spooky fungus of the month, Lactarius rubrilacteus, appears in October and bleeds a red latex. 

observation by spinyurchin

Lactarius rubrilacteus is usually orangey brown, but may have blueish green blotches. It is a medium sized mushroom found in forested areas or under trees. But by far the easiest way to identify it is to break the cap or cut the gills and see if it oozes red; similar-looking Lactarius species have white or orange latex.

observation by dd45988

Milkcaps, like their cousins the Russulas, are mycorrhizal: they colonize the roots of trees and help the trees absorb water and minerals; in return, the trees provide the mushrooms with nutrients. Milkcaps can even transfer nutrients from one tree to another, so that older Douglas Firs help younger ones grow. 

 observation by caladri

The red-bleeding milk cap's partnerships with trees are very easy to study. In several studies of mature forests on Vancouver island, about a quarter of all trees were symbiotic with this species. Scientists can figure out underground fungal threads belong to Red-Bleeding Milk Caps and which trees they have colonized even without a DNA test - the fungal threads and the tree roots they colonize bleed red, too!

 observation by caladri

Happy belated Halloween from Lactarius rubrilacteus, the spooky mushroom that makes the whole forest bleed!

Publicado el domingo, 06 de diciembre de 2020 a las 09:47 PM por corvi corvi | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

sábado, 28 de noviembre de 2020

September Salt Spring Island Fungus of the Month: Strobilurus trullisatus

Douglas fir trees follow a 5-7 year cycle that affects how many cones are produced. One year each cycle,  the "mast year", all the trees make an extra-large crop of seed cones, sometimes thousands on a large tree. Other years have smaller crops, or sometimes almost no cones at all. 2019 was a very sparse year for Douglas firs across the island, but this year there are a LOT more cones. 

We aren't entirely sure why some tree species follow an irregular mast cycle. It might help keep the population of seed eating animals low, or the trees may be responding to weather cues. Whatever the reason, there will be an extra-thick layer of fallen cones on the forest floor this year. 

observation by corvi

As they age, the fallen cone mast will be colonized by the Fir Cone Mushroom, Strobilurus trullisatus. This small mushroom has a white cap and a yellow stem, and breaks down old Douglas Fir cones. It is the most common cone-decaying mushroom on the island. 

observation by spinyurchin

All fungi in the Strobilurus genus decay fallen cones, but Strobilurus trullisatus is found only on Douglas Fir cones. Sometimes it may seem to sprout from the ground is the cone is buried. Luckily, we'll have lots of cones! 

Publicado el sábado, 28 de noviembre de 2020 a las 05:07 AM por corvi corvi | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

lunes, 02 de noviembre de 2020

August Salt Spring Island Fungus of the Month: Tapinella Atrotomentosa

Tapinella atrotomentosa, the velvet-footed pax, is one of the earliest of "autumn" fungi, an omen of the beauty to come.  It often appears in late august and is finished by October. It is a dense and sturdy large wood-rotting fungus usually found on douglas fir stumps. This mushroom is a gilled bolete, which may explain its solidity; boletes usually have sturdier flesh than agarics. It has gills that go most of the way down the stem, and fine dark fuzz at the base of the stem, which gives it both its scientific name - "atrotomentosa" means "black haired" - and the "velvet" of its common name.

observation by dianalynn1

Unlike many other fungi, the velvet-footed pax does not rely on being eaten by animals to spread its spores. When it is damaged, it defends itself at the site of the injury by converting innocuous leucomentins into a chemical called atrotomentin, which discourages insects from eating the fungus.  Its spores are spread by wind alone.

observation by caladri

Atrotomentin is what gives the mushroom cap its lovely cinnamon-brown colour, but it is not the only pigment in the mushroom. This species also produces orange flavomentin and violet spiromentin. Its attempts to remain slug and insect-free leave it full of hidden colour. When you cut the mushroom, the inside is greyish, not the brown or cream you would expect. 

Michael Kuo of MushroomExpert.com says:

Although chemical testing is probably not needed in order to successfully identify Tapinella atrotomentosa, its reaction to common household ammonia is so striking, purple, and unexpected that I recommend the test just for the fun of it.

This species can be used to dye wool or cloth, though with so many pigments and enzymes that transform them, the results are very dependent on temperature and pH, and can be quite unpredictable. It can impart a green, blue, grey, purple, or brown colour. This year, we tried dyeing with this mushroom, and while early results were faintly purple, the final colour was a less interesting tan, though it did retain a slight purple undertone.

Here is a beautiful skein of purple-grey yarn dyed with Tappinella atrotomentosa by Anna Kika

You can see even more colours of wool dyed with velvet-footed pax, and instructions on dying with it, on Shroomworks, a Sunshine Coast mushroom blog.

This fungus also starred in a photograph accompanying an article in the Driftwood about people on Salt Spring Island using iNaturalist.

Publicado el lunes, 02 de noviembre de 2020 a las 02:01 AM por corvi corvi | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

miércoles, 02 de septiembre de 2020

July Salt Spring Island Fungus of the Month: Amanita Pantherina

July's Fungus of the Month is Amanita pantherina, the Panthercap. Like many Amanita species, this mushroom emerges from the soil looking like a small white egg. As it continues to grow, the cap opens up into a classic mushroom shape and the white shell of the egg, called a "universal veil", is torn into small pieces that stick to the cap. It has a dark brown cap with white veil flecks, a white stem, white gills, and a bulbous base.

observation by ynill

It is poisonous, but a very dramatic and beautiful mushroom.

observation by dianalynn1

Panthercaps are found all around the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia, although some scientists think that the North American population is a separate species. Its widespread distribution and striking appearance lead it to show up often in human storytelling and art. Here are some stamps:

East German stamp, photographed by Nightflyer

Romanian stamp, photographed by Romanian Post Service

Panthercaps might be the original toadstool. The old German name for it, Krötenschwamm, means "toad-mushroom", and is probably the origin of the English word "toadstool". Frogs and fairies sit on panthercaps in German folktales.

observation by iancruikshank

In 1931, MC Escher did a woodcut of Amanita pantherina for his Emblemata, a book of woodcuts, each of which was associated with a Latin moral. The panthercap was labeled "Dissolutionis ex humore speciose praefloresco" - "I blossom beautifully out of the fluids of disintegration." This is not entirely true - we now know Amanita pantherina is symbiotic with conifer trees (Douglas Firs, on the Rock) and does not decay or disintegrate anything. It provide the tree with nutrients from the soil and receives sugar made via photosynthesis in return.

observation by caladri

In Japan, the panthercap is called "tengutake" (天狗茸), the Tengu Mushroom, associated with stories of tengu, mountain spirits that wear monk's robes and have the wings and heads of crows. Tengu are said to live on inaccessible mountain slopes. Like Panthercaps, tengu hatch from white eggs on mossy ground.

Photograph by the Metropolitan Museum of Art

They may fiercely protect forests or temples, play tricks on arrogant people, or teach humble people secret knowledge. It must have been odd for the first Japanese settlers on Salt Spring Island to see 天狗茸 in the mountains here as well.

Photography by WolfgangMichael

Publicado el miércoles, 02 de septiembre de 2020 a las 11:54 PM por corvi corvi | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

viernes, 31 de julio de 2020

June Salt Spring Island Fungus of the Month: Entomophthora

Here on the Rock we like to celebrate strange things, and we love our weird fungi, but this month's fungus might be the weirdest one yet. June's fungus is parasitic and a bit disturbing, and you may wish to skip the rest of this entry if reading about that sort of thing doesn't sound like fun to you.

The unseasonally rainy weather this June has contributed to an outbreak of Entomophthora, Fly Death Fungus, on some parts of the island. Entomophthora, as you might expect from something named Fly Death Fungus, is a parasite that grows on flies, to their detriment. After a fungus spore lands on a fly, the fungus begins to grow rootlike hyphae into the fly and begin to digest it.

observation by corvi

When the fly is near death, the hyphae grow into its brain and force it to land on the ground and then climb to the top of something tall. As the fly dies, the fungus makes it hold tightly and spread its wings. Then the fungus grows out between the plates on the fly's abdomen as a lumpy tan mass and releases spores. Because the fungus made the fly climb up high, the spores have a good chance of falling on another fly below the fungus to begin the infection cycle again.

observation by corvi

The flies in these pictures are dead and holding onto tall grass seed heads. Dead spore-releasing flies are also often found on chicken coops or animal stables, near areas where there are lots of flies.

Scientists are interested in this fungus as a natural way to control flies without pesticides. It's completely harmless to anything that isn't a fly. Video game designers are also intrigued by this fungus, but for very different reasons - the zombie video game Last Of Us uses an imaginary fungus similar to Entomophthora except it is able to infect and control humans as an explanation for how zombies are created.

Have you noticed fewer flies on the island this summer? Thank the rainy weather and Entomophthora!

Publicado el viernes, 31 de julio de 2020 a las 03:30 PM por corvi corvi | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

May Salt Spring Island Fungus of the Month: Sarcosphaera coronaria

Sarcosphaera coronaria, the Pink Crown,  is a unique mushroom in a genus all by itself; it has no close relatives. It first appears as a half-buried slightly squishy, hollow white ball. As it matures, the top of the ball splits at the center into 6-12 points, which then open like a flower until the mushroom overall resembles a crown, with a circle of points rising up from a flattened cup. The inside of the crown, where spores are produces, is a dramatic purple colour.

observation by corvi

This species is at the center of a historical mystery. Until the 20th century, it was widely eaten across Europe, and many old books recommend it for the table. However, in the 1920s, several people in the Swiss village of Courtételle, where Pink Crowns fried with onions, peppers, and garlic had been a springtime treat for centuries, were poisoned by it.

observation by scruffasus

Multiple families were sickened multiple times that year, and one woman died. The high profile incident was thoroughly investigated and described in newspapers, and people pretty much stopped eating the suddenly poisonous mushroom. There were a few more poisonings in the 1960s, but thankfully nobody died. 

observation by corvi

We're still not sure, a century later, what happened at Courtételle. Scientists have analyzed Pink Crowns looking for for all the usual mushrooms poisons: amatoxins, hydrazine, muscamol, muscarine, orellanine, but haven't detected any. The species does often contain unhealthy amounts of arsenic, but not in quantities high enough to explain the events at Courtételle - someone would have to eat 4 kilograms of mushrooms at a sitting to die of arsenic poisoning. An expedition in the 70s couldn't even find any Pink Crowns in the area where they'd been documented in 1920, so Sarcosphaera coronaria will keep its mysteries a little longer.

observation by vail

This spring, enjoy the sight of the mysterious Pink Crown on our island, but don't eat it!

Publicado el viernes, 31 de julio de 2020 a las 02:33 PM por corvi corvi | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

lunes, 06 de julio de 2020

Salish Sea Bioblitz

The Salish Sea Bioblitz runs from July 3 until July 12 this year. This bioblitz creates a "snapshot" of the diversity of species that live in the Salish Sea - birds, whales, seals, invertebrates, seaweeds... sadly, I don't think there will be any fungi. Aspergillus live in the ocean, but they're microscopic.

To help out the bioblitz, you can join The Great Salish Sea Bioblitz community. Then if you are next to or on the water between now and July 12, you can make observations and they'll be automatically added to the project.

The event also has a series of online talks about birds, whales, tidepools, art, and culture of the Salish Sea. You can see the schedule or sign up for an event here.

Publicado el lunes, 06 de julio de 2020 a las 11:04 PM por corvi corvi | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario