The 'bleeding Tooth Fungus' In The New HBO Series 'The Penguin' . . .

The 'bleeding tooth fungus' in the new HBO series 'The Penguin' . . .

It is literally Hydnellum peckii a.k.a devil's tooth fungus, or, well it is based on it . . .

Visually they are pretty much the same, but in 'The Penguin' the 'bleeding tooth fungus' has psychoactive properties, which is why they are used for drugs. The actual Hydnellum peckii does not have psychoactive properties, it does however have other medically relevant compounds.

In my post about Hydenllum peckii, I wrote:

" The red sap contains a chemical compound called atromentin, which has anticoagulant properties and is commonly used to help prevent blood clots from forming. The pigment-producing compound found in several fungi species, atromenin also acts as a smooth muscle stimulant and has antibacterial and antineoplastic (anticancer) properties. "

I must say, this is not medical advice of any kind and it should not be treated as such.

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Ghost pipe - Monotropa uniflora

I made this post about Monotropa uniflora to kick off the spooky season! While this post is not about a type of fungus, I could not resist writing about it. Besides its ghostly (lack of) colour, its dried out seed heads also look akin to pumpkins, which is just awesome!

Monotropa uniflora or ghost pipe does not contain chlorophyll (which gives most plants a green colour) and forms symbiotic relationships with fungi.

Description

The plant is waxy white with some black flecks, but some specimens have been described as having a pale pink colour and verey rarely having a deep red colour. The white variants have black flecks on their stems.

The ghost pipe ranges in height from 5 to 30 centimeters, sheathed with highly reduced leaves 5 to 10 millimetres long, which look akin to scales. These structures are small, thin, translucent and do not have petioles but instead extend in out of the stem.

The stem bears a single flower, which is 10 to 20 millimetres long, with 3 to 8 translucent petals, 10 to 12 stamens and a single pistil. The fruit, an oval capsule-like structure, grows and becomes upright when the seeds mature. After reaching maturity the stem and capsule look dark brown or black with a brittle texture.

The seeds of M. uniflora are small, ranging between 0.6 to 0.8 millimetres long. Once the plant has been pollinated, the seeds are pushed through the petals in a tiny slit and dispersed by the wind.

Unlike most plants, it is white and does not contain chlorophyll. Instead of generating food using the energy from sunlight a.k.a photosynthesizing, it is parasitic, and more specifically a mycoheterotroph. Most fungi are mycorrhizal and through the fungal web of mycorrhizae, M. uniflora roots ultimately tap food from where the host fungi are connected to the photosynthetic trees. The roots of this plant are covered in hairs called cystidia, which allow easy attachment to fungi hyphae. Its hosts are in the Russulaceae family.

Distribution and genetics

M. uniflora is found in three general distribution areas: Asia, North America, and Central and northern South America. DNA analysis has shown that these three populations are genetically distinct from one another. The species has 48 chromosomes.

Ecology

M. uniflora as a mycoheterotrophic plant asscociates with a small range of fungal hosts, all of them members of Russulaceae. It is often found growing neer beech trees in clumps of two or more with its fungal source nearby. Since it is not dependent on sunlight to grow, it can grow in very dark environments like in the understory of dense forests.

It flowers from early summer to early autumn, often a few days after rainfall.

The flowers of the ghost pipe are frequented by various species of bees and flies, most commonly bumblebees. By crawling into the flower for pollen, bumblebees play a role as an important pollen dispersal agent.

References:

1.

en.wikipedia.org

Monotropa uniflora - Wikipedia

2.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/beauty/mycotrophic/monotropa_uniflora.shtml

Images:

1.

jungledragon.com

MONOTROPA UNIFLORA. - by mossy rock studio - JungleDragon

MONOTROPA UNIFLORA.. Indian Pipe

2.

en.wikipedia.org

Monotropa uniflora - Wikipedia

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White elfin saddle - Helvella crispa

The white elfin saddle is visually the polar opposite twin of the black elfin saddle (discussed in this post), it has a ghost- and skeleton-like appearance.

Fruitbody

The cap is typically 3 to 8cm across and 1 to 4cm high. The saddle-shaped cap is irregularly lobed and has a cream to a pale ochre colour. The upper surface is smooth¹, while the underside is pale ochre and very finely fuzzy. The cap does not attach to the stem where they meet.²

The stipe is 2 to 4 centimetres in diameter and 4 to 8 centimetres long.¹ The stipe is robust, densely ribbed, chambered and have a white to pale yellow colour.²

The flesh of the white elfin saddle is very thin and brittle.²

Microscopic features

The asci (seen on the left below) are typically 300 x 18 μm. Each ascus contains eight spores.¹

The spores (seen on the right below) are ellipsoidal, 18-20 x 10-13 µm and hyaline. The spore print is white.¹

Ecology

Helvella crispa is probably mycorrhizal and can be found growing singularly or gregariously under broadleaf trees, particularly under beeches and oaks, and very often beside paths. It most often emerges from the ground but might also grow from humid hardwoods, meaning it.¹

This mushroom grows from the late summer into the autumn. Sometimes it appears in the winter in warmer regions.²

Distribution

This species can be found growing decidious woodlands in Britain and Ireland, the mainland of Europe and many parts of North America.¹

Note: the links to the images are in the image discription.

References

1.

2.

Mushroom Appreciation

White Elfin Saddle: Identification Guide

Helvella Crispa, also known as the White Saddle or White Elfin Saddle, is a mushroom that has captivated people for centuries. Its unique sh

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Beefsteak mushroom - Fistulina hepatica

Which slasher got to this mushroom? Michael Myers? Ghostface?

Fruitbody

The cap is 7 to 20 centimetres across and 7 to 14 centimetres deep, it is irregularly shaped but often semicircular, fan-shaped, or tongue-like, with a lobed and wavy margin. The surface is wet and sticky when fresh, finely bumpy and bald. The cap has a liver red, reddish orange, or brownish red colour.¹

The pore surface is white to pale pinkish in colour, becoming yellowish and eventually reddish brown in age, bruising brown. The tubes are up to 1.5 centimetres long and distinctly separated with circular mouths.¹ This is unlike most polypores in which the pores are bonded together.²

The stipe is absent, or rudimentary and lateral. It is colored like the cap above, covered with the pore surface and firm in texture.¹

The flesh is whitish, streaked with reddish areas. It has a thick, soft and watery texture, exuding a reddish juice when squeezed.¹

Microscopic features and spore print.

The spores (seen below) are ovoid, smooth and about 4.5-6 x 3-4µm.² The spores are also hyaline to yellowish in KOH. The basiadia are 4-sterigmate, the hyphal system is monomitic and clamp connections are present.¹

The spore print is pale pinkish to yellow in colour.²

Ecology

This species saprobic and sometimes weakly parasitic on the wood and deadwood of oaks and other hardwoods, causing a brown rot. Fistulina hepatica is annual, growing from summer to fall. It grows alone or in small groups near the bases of trees and on stumps.¹

Distribution

It is widespread throughout Britain and Ireland and is found throughout the mainland of Europe and is widely distributed throughout North America.²

Note: the links to the images are in the image discription.

References

1.

2.

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Black elfin saddle - Helvella lacunosa

Another post for the spooky season . . . the black elfin saddle's chambered stipe gives it a skeletal and a somewhat spooky appearance. It might be found in burnt or disturbed grounds.

Fruitbody

The cap is 2 to 4 centimetres across and about 4 to 10 centimetres high.¹ The saddle-shaped cap is irregularly lobed and convoluted, attached to the stipe in several places and has a black to dark brown colour.² It is the smooth outer surface of the cap that bears spores, while the inner surface is sterile.¹

The stipe is 1.5 to 4 centimeters long and 5 to 15 millimetres thick. It might have a whitish colour when young, but soon turns a gray to dark gray colour. The stipe is deeply and ornately ribbed and pocketed, the ribs are rounded, or sometimes sharp and double-edged.²

The flesh of the fruitbody is thin, brittle and chambered.²

Microscopic features

The asci (seen on the bottom left) are typically 340 μm long x 16 μm diameter, each ascus contains eight spores. The paraphyses are about 5 μm diameter, cylindrical¹ and hyaline.² Some paraphyses have capitata apices.¹

The spores (seen on the bottom right) are smooth², ellipsoidal, 15 - 19 x 10 - 13 μm and hyaline. The spore print is white.¹

Ecology

Black elfin saddles can typically be found among leaf litter in all types of woodland, they are often found on burnt ground or in otherwise disturbed woodland clearings.¹ The species is probably mycorrhizal, growing alone, scattered or gregariously.² Helvella lacunosa grows between summer and autumn.¹

Distribution

This species can be found throughout Britain and the throughout the mainland of Europe, it can also be found in North America.¹

Note: the links to the images are in the image discription.

References

1.

2.

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Thank you for tagging me! ♡

This is wildly accurate lolll!

Tagging: @squidsandthings @lameotello @edukincon @belis86 @pissass11 + anyone else who wants to join:)

No pressure btw!:)

Consider yourself tagged if you are reading this:

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