Mushrooms:
The Underground Story
Of all the living organisms, fungi are one of the most intriguing and unusual. For ages, they have been a part of folklore in many cultures. Of the many fungi found in the different parts of the world some at least would have been eaten by early man. Let’s pause for a moment of silence to honor those brave pioneers. The Old Testament mentions grain fungi diseases called ‘rusts’.Ancient Romans believed in ‘rust’ gods and offered them prayers and sacrifices. Primitive peoples of Americas carved stones figures combining mushroom caps with human shape stems, probably used in cult or religious ceremonies. Modern day fairy tales include the striking and deadly poisonous Fly Agaric, with its bright red cap and white patches. It’s the culinary aspect of fungi, though, that keeps them in our sight and we the Poles are no exception.The ubiquitous garlands of dried mushrooms and preserved jars, figure prominently in any self respecting Polish kitchen’s pantry. In season, the aptly named King Bolete [Borowi ki or Prawdziwki in Polish] and Chanterelles [Kurki] are featured in many restaurants, as the author can testify after sampling fresh mushroom delights throughout Poland.
While eating mushrooms is a treat for many, as is hunting for them, for the intellectually curious they also offer a window into a strange and interesting subterranean world. Let’s play amateur mycologists and take a peek. As reported by ABC; In Oregon, a fungus spreading through the roots of trees, now covers 2,200 acres, making it the largest living organism ever found. Popularly known as the Honey Mushroom, the Armillaria started from a single spore too small to see without a microscope and has been weaving its black shoestring filaments through the forest for an estimated 2,400 years, killing trees as it grows.The outline of the giant fungus, stretches 3.5 miles across, and extends an average of three feet into the ground. It covers an area as big as 1,665 football fields. Forest Service scientists are interested in learning to control Armillaria because it kills trees, but they also realize the fungus has served a purpose in nature for millions of years, and speaking of…Indian newspaper ‘Siasat’ just reported on what is being called the worlds oldest fungus and possibly earliest know multicellular life was found in South Africa. This 2.4 billion years fossil [Earth is 4.6 billion years] shows slender filaments bundled together like brooms, could also be the earliest know specimen of the branch of life to which humans belong; the “superkingdom” that includes plants, animals, and fungi, but not bacteria. The find suggests that fungi arose not on land but in the deep sea where they lived and thrived under an ancient ocean bed, tucked in the crevices of volcanic rocks.
So what are they now?… An enormous assemblage [50,000 to 100,000] of greatly varied species, differing in appearance and growing in a variety of habitats but sharing one common feature—they lack chlorophyl which is essential to practically all plants.
The group includes molds, yeasts, mushrooms and ‘toadstools.” Mushrooms are usually defined as the edible, spore producing bodies of some fungi. In contrast, the term toadstool is applied to those that not only inedible but may also be highly dangerous.
Fungi are not plants or animals, but resemble animals in that they too are dependent on green plants for food. Some fungi form mutually beneficial partnership [symbiosis] with other organisms. Examples include forest trees, orchids, lichens and bacteria. A three way involves bacteria helping to break down organic matter, making it available for the fungi and these in return provide essential growth substances which the bacteria lack, while also secreting natural antibiotics which help to protect plants’ roots. Such are the fungi complexities as they live their quiet lives, deep under our feet, or out of sight, only to mushroom in the season and bring us joy in observation and/or eating. No one should attempt to pick wild mushrooms for consumption without proper training or supervision
Julian Boryczewski,
Member of the Ohio Mushroom Society