Funguary Day 15: Puffball

Mushroom fact of the Week!

Lichens are extremely durable. In 2005 NASA sent lichen to space to test how it stood up in the freezing cold vacuum. It was left outside in space for a period of time, and within 24 hours of rehydration had resumed all normal photosynthetic activity

Cross section of Xanthoria elegans, one of the two lichens sent to space!

I HATE PLANTS

-plant hate anon

ITS YOU D:<

@overwhelmedfernfrond come collect your anon I think they've wandered off again

Time to go big *uses time travel and ocean summoning to pull all the water that ever existed on Earth and dumps it in your inbox*- Flooder anon

*drowns*

NEVERMIND I HATE FUNGI NOW TOO

-plant hate anon

D:

I-

I have no words-

how could you 😭

@overwhelmedfernfrond heeeeelp 😭😭

Funguary Day 8: Destroying Angel

This mushroom is HIGHLY poisonous. I’m going to put a cut for this one because I’ve written a fairly vivid description of poisoning

People often eat this mushroom, mistaking the young destroying angel for a puffball mushroom (see below) or other edible species. Symptoms appear between 6-24 hours after consuming these mushrooms. Initial symptoms include violent abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms usually persist for 6-9 hours. Next there is a symptomless period in which the victim seems to recover. This provides a false sense of security while unbeknownst to the victim, the toxins are severely affecting the liver during this time. The fourth and final stage is a relapse, the toxins have completely destroyed the liver, causing gastrointestinal bleeding, coma, and kidney failure. Victims may “bleed out” due to the destruction of clotting factors in the blood. Death usually occurs within seven days after consumption. 

See the rest of my posts here!

Eat them Minecraft trees

@that-onecookiehead

Funguary Day 13: Fly Agaric

The Fly Agaric is quite possibly the most iconic mushroom there is. It was traditionally used as an insecticide. The cap was broken into pieces and sprinkled into saucers of milk. It contains ibotenic acid which both attracts and kills flies, thus, giving it its name. 

See the rest of my posts for funguary here!

Funguary Day 3: Spotted Cort

This is a lovely mushroom, and also a perfect example of mycorrhizal fungi!

The mushroom’s mycelium surrounds the roots of the tree and helps the tree to absorb water and nutrients. In exchange, the mushroom is provided with food and amino acids produced by the tree.

See the rest of my posts for Funguary here!

Funguary Masterpost

My posts for each day of Funguary!

This event is hosted by feefal and is primarily a drawing challenge in which people draw a mushroom for each day of February. I'm doing each day's drawing, but I'm not one to post my art often, so I will likely end up only be posting a couple of my favorites.

However, I still want to talk about the mycology of these mushrooms, so I'm going to make a post each day in which I talk about some of the cool science behind the mushroom of the day. We've got mushrooms that glow, mushrooms that digest themselves, and mushrooms that cause internal bleeding, so should be fun!

Science tidbits:

Feb 1st: Veiled Lady

Feb 2nd: Chicken of the woods

Feb 3rd: Spotted cort

Feb 4th: Burn Morel

Feb 5th: Enoki

Feb 6th: Inky Cap

Feb 7th: Wrinkled Peach Mushroom

Feb 8th: Destroying Angel

Feb 9th: Parrot Waxcap

Feb 10th: Guepinia

Feb 11th: Devil's Cigar

Feb 12th: Cremini

Feb 13th: Fly Agaric

Feb 14th: Crepidotus

Feb 15th: Puffball

Feb 16th: Mycena Chlorophos

Feb 17th: Pink Waxcap

Feb 18th: Turkey Tail

Feb 19th: Red Basket Stinkhorn

Feb 20th: Pixie Parasol

Feb 21st: Birds Nest Fungi

Feb 22nd: Oyster Mushroom

Feb 23rd: Fairy Ring Mushroom

Feb 24th: Purple Pinwheel

Feb 25: Trumpet of Death

Feb 26th: Indigo Milkcap

Feb 27th: Scarlet Cup

Feb 28th: Caesars Mushroom

Art:

Feb 1st Art: Veiled Lady

Feb 12th Art: Cremini

Funguary Day 11: Devils cigar

While emerging from the ground this mushroom looks like a cigar, giving it its name. When there is a sudden change in humidity (for example a rainstorm) this mushroom suddenly opens up, releasing its spores in a puff of “smoke”. Due to the pressure the spores release almost explosively, creating an audible hiss.  

It is also extremely rare, only being found in Texas and Japan