Why did the mushroom go to the party?

Why did the mushroom go to the party?

Because he was a fun guy! Ah yes, it’s the old ones that are definitely best. But what are Fungi? Well they’re Fungi. Mushrooms, Toadstools, Molds, Yeasts and Truffles are all organisms that belong to a group called Fungi. There are about 70,000 species of fungi but it has been estimated that when unidentified and potentially undiscovered fungi are taken into account, then the total could be up to 1.5 million. That’s a helluva lot of shrooms.

Fungi are thought to have evolved about 900 million years ago from an organism that also gave rise to animals. This means that the humble mushroom that sits atop your steak on the dinner plate is actually more closely related to the cow that the steak came from then the carrots and potatoes that sit beside it. What distinguishes fungi from plants (in simple terms) is that they can’t make their own food by photosynthesis.

Fungi are so diverse it defies belief at times. 37 species have been recorded in the ruins of the Chernobyl nuclear power station. They have been found in severely contaminated areas and research suggests that they may be biodestructors of extremely radioactive material. They have been found in areas that have levels of radiation that are10,000 times higher than the level that can kill humans.

In 2000, a species called Armillaria ostoyae was found in Oregon that had been working it’s way through the soil slowly growing to an unimaginable size and killing trees as it went about it’s business. It covered 2,200 acres and was thought to be 2,400 years old. This fungi started off life as a single spore so small that it could only be seen through a microscope, and slowly grew over time to become the largest living organism ever found.

Mind boggling!!

Here are a couple of shots of Irish Mushrooms I took the other day in Howth. I went there specifically to find mushrooms but I didn’t think I would find the amount I did. They were everywhere. I haven’t identified any yet, but my id book isn’t the greatest. It only covers the commonest species. I must ask Santa for a more concise one. It’s definitely the right time of year to go mushroom hunting. There are many, many photo opportunities out there at the moment with various fungi covering almost every grassy and wooded area you can come across. That reminds me of an old joke. Why did the Fungi leave the party? Because there wasn’t mush room!

Yep, as I said earlier, it’s the old ones that are best.

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