"Spooky, Possums"

Can't see the plants for the birds? Your birding will be far more meaningful, particularly, once the plant-bird associations gel. Somebody find me a botanist!!
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Rod Hobson
Posts: 509
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:03 am

"Spooky, Possums"

Post by Rod Hobson »

Folks,

I was walking the mutt around the base of Picnic Point this afternoon when I came upon several large clusters of a fungus growing along an old fallen and decaying eucalypt trunk. Although they were of a fairly nondescript appearance they did reminded me of the Ghost Fungus (Omphalotus nidiformis) that I was familiar with from the rainforest around Central Station on Fraser Island. This species is very interesting as, at night, it glows with a very conspicuous greenish-white luminescence, which belies its drab diurnal appearance.

So, just to be sure, I went out again after dinner tonight to check if this was indeed the Ghost Fungus and was happy to see it in all its spectral splendour when I got there about 7.00pm. I don't know how common this fugus is in the immediate area of Toowoomba and, prior to today, I've always associated it with a much wetter habitat. It could easily be overlooked by day, as it has no really outstanding or peculiar features. The Ghost Fungus can only be truly appreciated after dark.

The cap of this fungus, an agaric, is funnel-shaped growing in overlapping clusters on dead or living, native or exotic trees. It has a marked preference for decaying eucalypts, especially ones that have been burnt at some stage. This is the case with the host of the fungus that I found today. Its cap, which can grow to a diameter of 300mm is blue-black when young changing to white as it ages with a yellowish or purple tint to its centre. The gills are cream to white, as is the stem that can grow to 80 mm. The Ghost Fungus is a saprophyte. The luminescence is caused by a chemical reaction between enzymes in the fungus and oxygen. On Fraser Island one of the large land snails (Sphaerospira sp.) is very partial to a feed of this fungus.

The Ghost Fugus is widely distributed being known from coastal and subcoastal areas of southern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. It is also found in Tasmania and the south-west corner of Western Australia.

If anybody is keen for a look at this fungus then it's about 250 paces up the Fantail Track from its junction with the Firebreak, on the right hand side just before the third switch-back in the track. If you park off the road where the Firebreak joins to Table Top Drive then its only a 600 metre easy walk to the Fantail Track. It's a better way of spending the evening than watching the tripe that's on the television these days.



Regards,
Rod Hobson
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Robert Ashdown
Posts: 33
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 2:34 pm
Location: Toowoomba
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Ghost Fungi

Post by Robert Ashdown »

Images of these Ghost Fungi can be seen at my blog, at

.://ashdown4628.clients.cmdwebsites.com/blog/

Cheers

Rob
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