Mushrooms at the zoo: unraveling a mystery of my own making

[urbpan]

At the Children's Zoo there's a bench--now in a keeper area away from the public--which is growing mushrooms. The wood is rotten and falling away from a thick layer of green paint. The mushrooms look familiar to me. Typically the wood used to make fences and benches is pine, often treated with compounds which prevent decay by insects and fungi. A few species of mushroom-producing fungi are reliably the first to colonize such well-defended resources. I've been trying to figure this one out, and keep confusing myself.


Woody or leathery mushrooms that grow directly from dead wood, and produce spores from a surface of many little holes are called "polypores." A number of species have pores which are elongated into structures that more or less resemble the gills of gilled mushrooms. This is where the confusion comes in. I'm pretty sure I've mis-identified this mushroom on this journal as Daedaleopsis confragosa and possibly elsewhere as Lenzites betulina.


However, I'm nearly certain that what we're seeing here, and what is living in my picnic table, is the mushroom from the Genus Gloeophyllum (probably G. trabeum or G. saepiaruim. (note: I am prepared to be wrong again) An important field marking, which I've pretty much overlooked in the past, is the color of the spore-producing surface. Wikipedia names this species "rusty gilled polypore." Arora, in Mushrooms Demystified offers this solace to the confused: "The gills at times join to form mazelike pockets and sometimes there are pores instead of gills (leading to confusion with Daedalea and Daedaleopsis..." also adding that this species was formerly grouped with Lenzites. Arora describes it as "a pest of telephone poles, structural timer in houses and bridges, etc." and one form (trabeum) "is said to be common on the woodwork of automobiles!"

Researchers have determined that at least one species of termite will suppress the growth of this fungus, by, the researchers hypothesize, introducing competing fungi. Presumably the Gloeophyllum destroys the component of the wood which is edible to the termites, while the fungi they introduce do not.

Sorry this is a kind of technical post for a Sunday morning. Let us forget all that, and meditate on this life form which thrives in exactly the conditions which humans provide with the intention of excluding its kind. Rock on, Gloeophyllum!

Comments

[urb-banal.livejournal.com]

The termite thing is interesting. What are they going to do to limit the termites?

I have a question or a suspicion I would like to have put to rest. I decided to track down the musty smell coming from the room at the bottom of the stairs. I pulled out a large plastic bin and an enormous millipede RAN AT ME. I didn't see it but I did feel horribly itchy and later found I had several nasty bites on my calve that swelled up. Then I saw the mold in the cupboard! Then I saw many more tinier millipedes. I got the impression that this was "her" perfect spot for settling down and that she was defending what might be a food source?

Do millipedes "farm"? Are they really that smart? I think they are a lot more clever than most bugs. I have had a few encounters and they awesome little bugs, or in this case buggers!


Young Son has now moved out and so I am trying to dry out the basement, I am fairly certain that it is mold benefiting from humidity and my recent lack of persistent cleaning (I have reasons not excuses!)and the fact there were fissures in the grout in the shower which I am fixing.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

What's who going to do to limit the termites?

I'd love to see pics of your millipedes! I would not expect to see enormous ones in Toronto, and it's hard to describe their movements as running. Any chance you mean centipedes? Sounds like house centipede behavior.

Millipedes feed on moist detritus and plant material. I don't know how clever they are but I haven't looked into it too far yet!

[urb-banal.livejournal.com]

I will try to get a photo next time. I am usually screaming when I see the big ones. When I say "big" I mean an inch and a half or so. (yes I am a wimp about bugs with lots of legs) Do they bite? I remember at the monastery one monk had a mesh tent like trap attached to the bottom of a stick to catch them and release them in the garden. She was terrified of being bitten as she claimed the bites were painful and swollen.

As for the termite thing, I get the feeling that I have to read the article understand. sigh.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of a person being bit by a millipede, though if they are roughly handled some species emit noxious chemicals. I've handled dozens (one today) to no effect.

The termites would want to limit the fungus because the fungus and the termites feed on the same thing (wood).

[drhoz.livejournal.com]

Interesting!