Mushrooms and Other Fungi

Safety Alert: Toxic Mushrooms

The information provided on this page does not serve as a mushroom identification guide.
If you believe you have been poisoned by a wild mushroom, call poison control at 1-800-222-1222 immediately.  

 

A large white mushroom grows out of a mossy substrate.

NPS/ R. Wang

A Kingdom of Their Own

Not plants, not animals, but fungi – a category of life that includes mushrooms, molds, mildews, and yeasts! Until the late 1960s, fungi were considered plants. Lab testing proved that they were not, producing evidence that fungi vary greatly in cellular structure from vegetation. As a result, the scientific kingdom of fungi was created. On a genetic level, fungi are more closely related to humans than plants.

Fungi are eukaryotes, meaning their cells contain a nucleus, or command center. They do not contain the pigment chlorophyl and do not perform photosynthesis, making them fundamentally different from plants. Instead, fungi ingest nutrients by consuming the environment around them. Underground root-like structures help fungi absorb moisture and nutrients from their surroundings.

Monument land is dependent on the work of fungi. Mushrooms are powerful decomposers, meaning they break down dead organisms and alter soil chemistry. Often, but not always,. the presence of mushrooms indicates decay. If you spot mushrooms growing widely over a tree trunk, the inside is likely dead. Similarly, patches of mushrooms on the forest floor indicate nutrient- rich areas. Other microfungal organisms such as molds perform similar vital processes. Mushrooms are the dynamic force of life that connect forests together.

 

A patch of yellow mushrooms grows on the forest floor.

NPS/ Anne Longman

Breaking Down What Breaks Things Down

Generally speaking, there are two types of fungi.

Macrofungi

• Macro, the Latin root for large. These are fungi that produce easily visible fruiting bodies, such as mushrooms and puffballs.

Microfungi

• Micro, the Latin root for small. These are fungi without multicellular fruiting bodies, such as mold, mildew, and yeast.

You might see multicellular fruiting bodies, or mushrooms, within the monument. Mushrooms come in many shapes, sizes, colors, and forms, some looking radically different from each other. Examples of mushroom types include: chantarelles, morels, jellies, and polypores.

 

Top: a rounded mushroom cap, middle: a long stem, and bottom: visible mushroom gills.

Top: NPS/ Anne Longman, Middle/Bottom: NPS/ Sarah King

Main Parts of a Mushroom

Mushrooms grow at varying speeds. Some experience their whole lifespan in 24 hours, while others take months to mature. Due to their differing timelines of growth and decay, mushrooms are often found in a state of flux. This means they can appear deflated, flattened, wilted, or otherwise different than they do at peak form. Constant change makes identification difficult, but by using the structures outlined below, much can be determined about a mushroom, no matter where it falls in its life cycle. Use the slider to compare differences between the same mushroom species at different points in its life cycle.

Cap

The top of a mushroom, attached to the stem. The cap protects the gills. A mushroom begins growing with the cap in a closed shape. The cap then opens to allow air flow in the gills. Caps can exist in a variety of shapes and sizes but are generally domed.

Stem

Also called a stalk, the stem is the base of a mushroom, connecting the cap to an underground root-like system.

Gills

Gills are line-like structures that run along the underside of the cap, often leading to a central point. Gills produce spores, which allow certain mushrooms to reproduce. Some mushrooms have pores instead of gills.

or

Pores

Small holes through which spores are released. If a mushroom does not have gills, it has pores.

 

Jelly Baby Mushroom Comparison

Left image
Peak Jelly Baby
Credit: NPS/ Anne Longman

Right image
Deflated Jelly Baby
Credit: NPS/ Anne Longman

 

A yellow-orange mushroom growing in a cone shape.

NPS/ Sarah King

Mycelium vs Mushrooms

Fungi contain root like strands called hyphae, which when combined make up a structure called mycelium. Mycelium is a vast underground network of fungal connections that allow mushrooms to grow. These networks can range from microscopic to miles wide. One of the world’s largest living organisms is a mycelium network located in the Malheur National Forest of Oregon. The Humongous Fungus (yes, that is its actual name) takes up an estimated 2,385 acres.

Habitat

Fungi grow best in continually damp, dark locations. Forest floors, areas with decaying organisms, or other nutrient rich environments are most suitable for their survival.

Mycorrhizal Fungi and Trees

Some fungi are mycorrhizal, meaning they form relationships with the roots of plants. This relationship is symbiotic, or beneficial for both fungi and plant. This connection is commonly noticed between mushrooms and trees. Trees provide sugars as a product of photosynthesis to the fungi, and fungi provide water and nitrogen to the trees. Mycelium networks are exceedingly good at pulling moisture from the soil, and trees perform photosynthesis in high volumes. The connection of each organism could not exist without the other.

Toxic Traits

Although some mushrooms are delicious, many are deadly! Maine is host to a variety of poisonous mushrooms. Some fruiting fungi contain compounds called amatoxins. These chemicals cause dizziness, apoptosis (cell death), and in severe cases liver failure. For more information on toxicity in fungi, visit this page from the National Library of Medicine.

If you believe you have been in contact with or ingested toxic fungi, seek help immediately. Poison Control Hotline: [phone]

 

KAWW Fungi

15 Images

Explore photography of fungi at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.