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Lamma-Gung
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Joined: 01 Aug 2002
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Location: Yung Shue Wan
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 Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 3:10 am Post subject: Magic mushrooms |
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Picture taken today, close to the playground. Ideal mushroom growth weather these days...
These huge mushrooms have grown out of the trunk of a 5-story tall tree in the last 6 weeks or so. Standard all-brown ones are common, but the white edge is what attracted me.
The fungi have actually grown through and around the needles from the tree, incorporating them into the toadstools; see the needles sticking out of the white bottom of the toadstools.
Anyone know what these are called and are they edible?
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Alan
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Joined: 05 Sep 2002
Posts: 2990
Location: Tai Wan Kau Tsuen
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| Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 6:05 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | Ganoderma applanatum.
Common Name: Artist's Conk
Artist's Conk is a large polypore, also called a "shelf mushroom." Polypores are wide and flat, and they usually grow on tree trunks or on the sides of stumps and fallen logs.
Artist's Conk can grow up to 20 inches wide. They have a woody feel and are rough and horny. Usually, they are fairly flat, but sometimes they are hoof-shaped.
These fungi are gray to brownish in color, but can be green when covered with algae or moss. Artist's Conks grow year-round. You can discover how old they are the same way you can a tree. By cutting it in half, you can count layers. Each layer represents a year.
Artist's Conk can grow by itself or in small groups. They grow on dead wood, and sometimes on wounds in living trees. When it grows on living trees it is a parasite. This fungi weakens the wood it grows on, making places for insects and woodpeckers to start holes.
This fungi gets its name because when you flip it over you can carve writing or pictures in it. The picture will stay in the fungus and cannot be erased. |
So inedible, but you can use it for graffiti. |
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Lamma-Gung
Site Admin, Webmaster, Lamma-zine Editor
Joined: 01 Aug 2002
Posts: 5631
Location: Yung Shue Wan
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| Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 9:06 am Post subject: |
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Thanks a lot, Alan!
But the ones in the link do not have this pure-white edge and bottom. Is it a special subspecies of Artist's Conk? The all-brown ones are fairly common on Lamma. Or they just turn all-brown when getting older?
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Alan
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Joined: 05 Sep 2002
Posts: 2990
Location: Tai Wan Kau Tsuen
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| Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 9:41 am Post subject: |
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My Hong Kong Fungi guidebook says | Quote: | | 10-35 cm across, sessile, thick bracket-shaped, upper surface red-brown, uneven, often with concentric zones, margin white becoming brown with age. |
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LAMMA-ZINE:
Aug 18: SCMP Pays Up (Finally) 
