In 1988 the
writer found large areas of glowing forest floor at night here during our late spring and
summer wet season usually from early November through to March. The bulk of our annual
rainfall occurs in this warm period.
Fallen leaves in the very early stages of decomposition on the ground glow very brightly
on moonless nights , the luminescence can easily be mistaken as moonlight reflection on
wet leaves.
On close inspection of a sample leaf, the whole leaf glows quite brightly.
The areas where these luminous leaves occur are also occupied with an as yet unidentified
luminous caterpillar and also by giant
bioluminescent earthworms.
It will be interesting to determine whether the caterpillars glow due to eating the
luminous fungus.
I have found 3 distinct patches of luminous forest floor, the largest area being
approximately 2.5HA or around 6 acres.
The bioluminescence displayed occurs on large patches of forest litter during the
decomposition process.
Brief overview only:
Mycena delicatum
(Status = luminous substrate
reaction common, mushroom sightings rare)
By far the smallest mushroom growing on bioluminescent material found here to date.
It has a pileus diameter of 1.5mm and a stipe length of approximately 12mm.
This minute variety only grows on luminous decomposing leaves in what we have previously
described as being luminous leaf litter.
These tiny mushrooms growing
on brightly luminous leaf material do not appear to be bioluminescent.
It appears a fungus has been found that causes a bioluminescent reaction on the substrate
material even though
the fruitbodies are not bioluminescent.
| Common Name: |
Mushroom |
| Synonym: |
Mycena delicatum.[Maguire
2006] |
| Pileus |
Cap 1.5 mm broad,
hemispherical ; dry surface ; context thin, membranous,
semi-translucent-white/brown cap . |
| Lamellae |
Gills radial, normal, separate
from the stipe, white/transparent. |
| Stipe |
8-12mm long, approximately 0.1
to 0.2 mm diameter, round, hollow, rising from a basal disc, broad at disc
tapering toward the pileus ; translucent. |
| Spores |
spores white in deposit. |
| Mycelia |
the mycelia for it's size
produces extraordinary bioluminescence. |
| Habitat |
Found only in high altitude
sub-tropical rainforest . Thrives in wet conditions. |
| Edibility |
Not feasible |
| Comments |
This near-microscipic Mycena
forms large patches of bioluminescence in leaf litter, radiating outward; has the ability
to cause large areas of rainforest litter to glow in wet conditions; fruiting after
periods of prolonged wet weather at any time of the year at this altitude (714m). |
14-01-2006
Tonight after a period of prolonged rainfall a new find of the smallest of all our
mushroom discoveries to date growing on the luminous leaves.
 |
Mycena delicatum
(formerly Type "E" mushroom)
(Status = luminous substrates common, mushroom sightings rare)
By far the smallest mushroom on bioluminescent material ever found here to date has a
pileus diameter of 1.5mm and a stipe length of 12mm. Only grows on luminous decomposing
leaves on the rainforest floor. |
 |
Apologies for the
quality of the pics, all taken quickly by DV camcorder. The object on lower RHS is a match head
to give perspective to the minuteness of the subject.
|
 |
These mushrooms
do not appear to generate bioluminescence, yet the substrate material itself is
bioluminescent possibly due to fungal waste product disharge. |
 |
Same subject
taken 8 hours later, starting to wilt. |
 |
This specimen was
found growing on a stalk of a luminous leaf on 15-02-2006 Click image for larger view. |
 |
Same specimen as
above, underside view. Click image
for larger view. |
 |
Pic taken
12-06-2008. The leaf bearing the
fruitbodies is approximately 50mm long and was spotted at a distance of approximately 5
metres due to it's intense bioluminescence.
Click image for larger view. |
12-06-2008
The current study of this mushroom is being carried out in situ in the rainforest. This
mushroom is an unusual find as it contradicts the fixed idea in the world of mycology that
" all luminous fungi produce luminous fruitbodies".
note: only one of four new bioluminescent Mycenae found here at
Springbrook actually displays luminous mycelia, and this new mushroom named Mycena delicatum
is yet another example of variation in that the fruitbodies are not
bioluminescent. It is actually the mycelia that generates the remarkable bioluminescence.
Past observations:
12-12-2001
A 12 metre by 0.5metre strip of forest floor has been cut to a depth of 150mm transported
on sheets of plywood and transplanted into our underground facility , kept at a stable
temperature ranging between 17-23 degrees Celsius and a relative humidity of 90% in total
darkness.
26-09-2002
The surface coating of decomposing leaves is still glowing in the underground facility
whereas the outside natural environment in this current dry weather shows no sign of
luminescence at all.
18-10-2002
Bioluminescence still evident, but patchy.
16-03-2003
Still glowing . Humidity has been decreased to 70% to observe the effects on growth.
16-04-2003
The reduction in humidity has had little effect on the luminosity with surface leaves
still glowing.
The insect life brought into our enclosed environment with the original forest litter and
sub-soil has however multiplied and is starting to create havoc with other experiments
with different fungi .
The sub soil and material has broken down into soft mud as a result of lack of
subterranean drainage. Consequently this project will be terminated soon and persued
at a later date, preferably in a separate self-contained environment on existing soil.
10-11-2004
Three years after the original strip of leaf litter and soil was introduced into our
enclosed environment the insect problem seems to have stabilized. Now that the cold
weather has passed, warmer conditions and a top dressing of leaf litter has the sample bed
once again exuding bioluminescent properties over the total length of the 12m x 0.5m
containment area.
20-11-2005
Due to the decomposition process it requires a top-dressing of fallen leaf material every
3 months, and a daily application of surface moisture. The bed is still glowing after 4
years in total darkness.
12-02-2008
The forest litter has decomposed into humus thanks to fungal and insect interaction. It
was decided to remove the
bed of forest litter and the insect population to aid the fruiting of several different
types of luminous mushrooms.
G.Maguire
Springbrook Research
Centre |
