Laccaria Laccata - Tumblr Posts

What is your favorite fungus that has a symbiotic relationship with trees and why?

I think it has to be the amethyst deceiver or Laccaria amethystina. A species which forms symbiotic associations with all kinds of trees, but most often with birch and oak trees.¹

There are so many reasons why I love this fungus, so many.

First of all, it is absolutely gorgeous. I remember seeing this species for the first time as a kid when visiting the forest and just being in pure awe because of how beautiful it was. I have been fascinated with this mushroom ever since. Besides sentimental and aesthetic reasons, I have other motives as to why I love this fungus so much.

I like how this fungus itself is edible, but when growing in arsenic rich soils can absorb the arsenic and become toxic. I would just love to research how the absorption of arsenic affects the fungus in different stages. Maybe I have not been looking thoroughly enough, but I have not been able to find anything about it. I find its ability to become toxic by absorbing arsenic from the soil really fascinating.

Another reason I love the amethyst deceiver so much is because of the genus it is in. Laccaria is so amazing! Another Laccaria species, Laccaria laccata which also forms symbiotic relationships with trees, is really awesome. Recently while researching this species, I came across an article written in the early 80's that for some reason I had not run across before. It wrote about the relationship of L. laccata with the douglas-fir, specifically with douglas-fir seedlings. L. laccata is extremely effective in suppressing diseases and promoting growth in the seedlings.² It is probably so effective because it has mycorrhization helper bacteria or MHB.³

But seriously, I do not know how I had not run across this research before, because there is a lot of it. If it interest you I would really recommend researching it because it is so interesting!

This Laccaria laccata btw:

To me the amethyst deceiver just has so many interesting properties which I would love to research myself, this is probably the main reason why I love this species so much. I would love an opportunity to look at this species under a microscope and just learn everything about it! I want to research if the amethyst deceiver is also very effective in preventing diseases or stimulating growth, maybe it has other awesome properties. I just want to know more about it!

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I hope this properly answers your question, if you have any more questions let me know:)) It was tough choice btw, because I have like 500 favourite species of fungi lol.

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Image sources:

Wild Food UK

Amethyst Deceiver

Very common and beautifully coloured, although the colour can be deceptive in photographs.

ePHOTOzine

Amethyst deceiver family by gill_f

Photograph posted by gill_f with the description: A group of Amethyst Deceiver fungi in our local woodland. Not been on EPZ for a while but

Text sources:

1.

2.

OUP Academic

Disease Suppression and Growth Promotion in Douglas-fir Seedlings by the Ectomycorrhizal Fungus Laccaria laccata

Abstract. In pot tests, primary roots of Douglas-fir seedlings germinating in soil were inoculated by soil injection with suspensions of Lac

3.

ResearchGate

(PDF) Mycorrhization helper bacteria associated with the Douglas fir-Laccaria laccata symbiosis: effects in aseptic and in glasshouse condit

PDF | A range of bacterial isolates from Laccaria laccata mycorrhizas and sporocarps were tested for their effect on ectomycorrhizal develop

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