It seems so sad -- a pretty mushroom turning into dripping goo. But it's a happy event! Come into my post and find out what's going on!
From Mushroom to Mess
There it is, in the brush, the grass, landscaping mulch, or even along gravel roads. It's a mushroom with a long, white, shaggy cap that's hanging free from its stem. As the cap begins to open and spread out, it starts turning to black, inky goo all around the edges. That goo keeps working its way up the cap, bit by bit -- until the whole cap has dissolved and dripped away. Leaving nothing but the stem and spots of black, inky goo on the surrounding leaves or the ground. Soon, the stem itself, and the spots, are gone. What's happening?
Other mushrooms dissolve like this, too. Mushroom scientists used to think they were all related1. But DNA studies showed otherwise2,3. This strategy of eating yourself to free your spores is happening in mushrooms that are in completely different families, not related at all!
If you want to see more dissolving mushrooms, check out my posts on the Haresfoot Inky Cap mushroom 1 and 2doing the same dissolving act last week. If you want to see a gardener completely mystified by the gooey mushrooms in his wood mulch, check out this Youtube video. You will know what's going on!. And @ewkaw showed another mushroom
Thank you @ewkaw for #FungiFriday! I hope we see more mushrooms every week!
What Do You Think?
Getting to know mushrooms is a great way to slow down and appreciate the complexity of nature. There is a lot going on out there! I hope you have enjoyed this little look at the Shaggy Mane mushroom, Coprinus comatus.
- Have you ever seen a Shaggy Mane mushroom?
- Have you ever eaten any Shaggy Manes?
- Have you ever seen a mushroom turning into black goo?
- What's your favorite mushroom?
I really do want to know! If you have ever made a Steemit post about a dissolving mushroom, put your link in the comments below. I'd like to look at it!
References:
- 1Aurora, D., 1986. Mushrooms Demystified. Ten Speed Press. Berkeley, CA.
- 2Cornell Mushroom Blog. The Dish on Deliquescence in Coprinus Species
- 3Kuo, M. (2008, February). Coprinus comatus: The shaggy mane. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/coprinus_comatus.html
The "coprinus comatus" are among the best mushrooms ..... (I have not been taking them for many years ...)
That means a lot, coming from you, @sardrt! I know you don't harvest the wild mushrooms anymore -- just their portraits! I'm glad that you have good memories of eating them. It's interesting how decay can look beautiful on some mushrooms.
That's the one!! :D
They are so cool when they melt and turn to goo. And they are actually edible? I heard otherwise... but maybe just out of being cautious.
Oh yes. Shaggy Manes (Coprinus comatus) are very delicious. You do need to get the ID right, especially since we are on different continents, lol. There are others that self-digest like that, that can make folks feel really ill if they drink alcohol, even a few days later. But that's not the Shaggy Mane. I hope I can find more of these Shaggy Manes this year. Then you will see me cook with the black, inky goo, too. Folks say that's no good, but that's misinformation. The goo is not rot. It's the legit mushroom!
Ohhh... I will not risk it then. They look the same to me tough..
I love those shaggy manes! I have seen them. I have eaten them. I have seen them turn to goo. The image below is my favorite mushroom. This is from the first time that I foraged it, in the summer of 2017, at 10,500 feet in the mountains of Colorado. I have never been more excited on a foraging trip than on that day!
That's a good testimony for the Shaggy Mane -- I know you go after the best tasting ones. Where I go for any of the edible ones, lol. I agree that Shaggy Manes are tasty! I had learned that the inky goo wasn't any good to eat, but recently I've seen plenty of discussion and recipes that say otherwise. So I'm hoping to get some Shaggy Manes this year to try that out.
I can't see under the cap of that one in your hand, but with the fat stem, it looks like a Boletus edulis. That's worth being a favorite mushroom, alright! Nice foraging!
It was an epic day. The ones in this size were perfect eating. None of them were eaten by worms. The larger ones we sliced and dehydrated and then turned into powder. They make for great additions to soup or sauces.
That's gorgeous! That's what everyone dreams of. I've never found one so clean and perfect. I bet you enjoyed cutting that and cooking with it. I hope you get more epic days like that!
You have shown us many kind of mushrooms....and this one is really interesting and amazing! I haven't ever seen a mushroom turning into black goo before! Thanks so much for sharing! ;)
Isn't it amazing how many different kinds of mushrooms there are -- and how different they can be from each other? These mushrooms can pop up and then disappear in 2 days. I bet a lot of them are never noticed by anyone! I'm glad you got to see this one! :D
Yes, that's really amazing and you are an expert on this indeed! I'm glad to meet you here and learned many wonderful things from you! ;))
This is really very interesting and informative blog on Shaggy Manes mushrooms. I have seen turning mushrooms in black goo but never had a chance to eat mushrooms. I always find your blog very interesting and very close to nature.
Thanks, @cheema1. Not all of the goo-making mushrooms are good to eat. But I'm glad that these Shaggy Manes are! That's neat that you have seen mushrooms doing the same where you are, too - dissolving into goo.
Yes ,I like shaggy manes as well! I get excited every fall when the weather starts to get cooler and they start to pop here in wisconsin! Love those shaggy manes!
Yay -- I'm always happy to find someone else who enjoys eating these strange mushrooms. I found this one in the spring, here in Oregon's Willamette Valley. I appreciate hearing that you eat them, too. I think it helps everyone else have confidence that it's possible to use them. Happy mushroom hunting -- next fall! ; )
I haven't seen this mushroom but I have seen some dissolved mushrooms during my walks in autumn. I did not now this much about mushrooms, thank you for this information, and I also need to say: great photos!
Thanks, @kerlund74. I like how some mushrooms are so temporary. They come and go, with hardly any notice. But even these fast-paced mushrooms leave some tell-tale signs for a little while. Fungus are so interesting. I think you are in good mushroom country, too.
They're edible,? I have them on my yard, but usually see them when they are at the black gooey mess stage! I do wish I knew more about mushrooms.
I wouldn't identify them just by their puddle or spots of black goo, because there are other mushrooms that do something similar. If you see them in your yard, you are lucky! That's some easy picking and good eating, if you get after them quick! They can turn to goo in your refrigerator pretty quick, too! And nobody likes that, lol! If you see any in your yard again, be sure to take a photo and post here! :D
Lucky you! :D :D :D
I love this Shaggy Main Mushroom eating. It's really good for health.
Thanks for sharing the great information about the shaggy main mushroom.
You are doing a great work @haphazard-hstead.
Thanks, @anayakhan! Do you have these kind in your area?
Human males have been known to do some silly antics trying to further the species, but at least we dont have to dissolve ourselves!
I've seen plenty of guys trying to dissolve their brain cells, just to impress a woman! And sometimes risk total destruction in feats of bravado, too. I'm generally happy, though, that guys don't dissolve themselves, lol.
Yikes. That's the first time I hear about dissolving mushrooms. Nature can be so strange and beautiful.
It is neat how decay can be so beautiful with these dissolving mushrooms. They come and go so fast, without being seen most of the time. Mushrooms can be so strange!
Who knew these were edible? These gooey little pieces of fungus. Tip!
All I saw that day was this one single Shaggy Mane. So I left it to its own goo. But a group of them? In my foraging basket they would go - in an instant! So good! Keep a lookout! If I find any this year, you will see me eat the goo, too! :D -- And thanks for the tip! I appreciate it.
Haha! I look forward to it!
Oh finally, here is something that looks familiar. I do get shaggy manes in my yard. I haven't done anything with them but I will surely be watching for them now. Will also watch them mature as it sounds interesting with the way you describe it.
Great to learn something new again. Thank you!
Lucky you, to see Shaggy Manes that handy! But they won't be in a market, lol. That would be a mess!
Great post, I always love learning something new :)
Thanks! I hope you get to see some of these mushrooms some time!
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