Glowing Ghost Fungus and the ecological role of mushrooms

It’s tempting to imagine the forest as a dark and spooky place at night. The nocturnal critters come out to play and the atmosphere is predatory. Whilst some of this may be true, in many parts of the world, it might not be as dark at night as you think.

Bioluminescence is a natural phenomenon famously observed in fireflies, but can also be seen in a wide variety of plants and animals. Today we are featuring an Australian bioluminescent mushroom called the Ghost Fungus.

Quick Facts:

• Scientific name: Omphalotus nidiformis
  

• Geographic location: Southern Australia and Tasmania
  

• Distinguishing feature: Like an oyster mushroom
  

• Conservation status: Not Threatened

Ghost fungi manifest in wide, white gilled fans which appear ‘nest shaped’, like their Latin-derived name ‘nidiformis’ suggests. They can understandably get mixed up with oyster mushrooms but take heed. Ghost mushrooms are the dangerous cousins of oyster mushrooms, containing a toxic compound called illudin which leads to severe vomiting if eaten!

Collected off the decaying wood of a Banksia tree by Scottish naturalist, James Drummond in 1841 they were mistaken for similar species within the Omphalotus genus. Indigenous communities, such as the Kombumerri people, were aware of the Ghost fungus long before but steered clear due to suspicions that their glow indicated the presence of spirits or ancestors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soxswA4p5go

Ghost fungi are considered parasites that rely on tree substrate to grow on and survive. They are also part of a fungi group, known as saprotrophs, which are capable of breaking down organic material using extracellular digestion. Whilst they may be harmful to their host, saprotrophs play an important role in recycling nutrients that other plants use to grow.

Their fruiting bodies also attract a wide range of insects like cockroaches, crickets and slugs which eat the fungi. Whilst this may seem detrimental, these insects are suspected to act as a vehicle for the fungi’s spores, spreading the fungus to new areas for the next cycle of growth.

Aren’t mushrooms fascinating? If you’d like to learn more about specific mushroom species or more details about how bioluminescence works, get in touch down below.