Omphalotus nidiformis - Ghost Fungus at the Springbrook Research Centre.

Springbrook Research Centre Luminous Ghost Fungus
	Omphalotus nidiformis (Berk.) O.K.Mill. Mycol. Helv. 6: 93 (1994) Daytime photo side view click the image for a larger view
	Daytime photo top view click the image for a larger view
	Digital image by torchlight of a specimen grown in 24 hour darkness. click the image for a larger view
	Digital image in night mode of the same specimen as above grown in 24 hour darkness. click the image for a larger view
	Nightime photo 35mm photo, 5min time exposure. The fruit bodies do not produce enough bioluminescence to enable a DVD video camera to hold focus. 35mm photography gives better results. click the image for a larger view
	Have you ever seen a tree glowing in the dark? This tree found 15-01-2004 covered with Omphalotus nidiformis provided a brilliant display. Very bright green glow visible from 100m away through the rainforest. The tree although still alive was hollow and partially rotten at near ground level. It fell during a storm recently and to carry on observations the trunk was cut into 2m long billets and laid on above ground pipe racks to discourage rainforest snail damage to fruit bodies. click the image for a larger view
	Same tree taken at night click the image for a larger view
	14-04-2005 The same 2m long billets cut from the fallen tree above and kept on above ground racks, fruiting 15 months later both through the bark and from the core wood. The emergence of fruit bodies this year has been delayed due to the exceptionally low rainfall experienced during the summer months.
	This tree was found 30-03-2007 with a new colony of Omphalotus nidiformis. Specimens have been taken for propogation.
	Same tree at night.

	04-01-2003 (Top view) This brightly glowing specimen found growing at ground level on the root buttress of a bull-oak was 'rescued' for further observation from the beetles, slugs and rainforest snails. click the image for a larger view
	04-01-2003 (Side view) click the image for a larger view Note the insects in between the folds of the hymenium. These small insects are actually laying eggs to hatch on the host plant.
	06-01-2003 (same specimen as above) click the image for a larger view Note the newly hatched insect lavae having their first meal on this decomposing Omphalotus specimen. Only a few nights have passed since the insects were noticed in between the folds of the hymenium.
	05-05-2005 Omphalotus Nidiformis mycelium generated from tissue culture 20-04-2005. 8 days growth of replate on MYA. Click the image for a larger view
	05-05-2005 Omphalotus Nidiformis mycelium generated from spore 20-04-2005. 15 days growth in a 500ml jar on MYA. Click the image for a larger view

Common Name: Ghost Fungus

This and other clustering specimens found on the walkway to our glow worm colony has a funnel-shaped pileus (cap) being cream in colour with a darker colouration in the centre of yellow to brown. The gills are white and the spore print initially white turns light brown within a short period.
It is unusual to find this fungus on the Springbrook Plateau, in fact this is the first time an abundance of same has been recorded here in the past 20 years.

This fungus seems to prefer initially colonising live tree butts at ground level and extending upwards.

The luminescence it displays to the eye at night looks a very pale silvery-green colour, but when photographed it appears darker green.
Unlike the Mycena varieties we are studying, the luminescence of this ghost fungus when looking down at a ground level specimen is quite faint and can easily be mistaken as moonlight reflection. This is due to the thick fleshy pileus being hardened by weathering and sunlight, subduing the luminescence from the gills below. When viewed from below the luminescence is quite bright, although not as bright as the Mycena species of mushroom. Specimens grown outside and above ground in partial tree shaded conditions develop a hard crusty tan coloured pileus membrane and can remain alive for up to 8 days if not attacked by snails and crickets. Specimens fruiting in total darkness in a controlled environment (stable temperature and humidity) do not develop this crusty membrane, remaining almost pure white and consequently display much brighter luminescence although for a shorter period of time (4 days).

The extraordinary ravenous insect and snail feeding activity brought about whenever these fungi appear is possibly why more sightings of this fungus are not reported.
For example, a specimen of around 100mm diameter growing in the wild would last about 4 hours before being devoured by giant rainforest snails, beetles, bush cockroaches and giant crickets.
Tree growing specimens above ground level have a better chance of longevity.

Articles previously published external to this site suggest it is poisonous to humans if eaten.

The luminousity of this fungus attracts a variety of nocturnal insects and gasteropods, the more noticable being rainforest snails, bush cockroaches, beetles and crickets that eagerly devour it's soft flesh.
Some species of small insects also use this fungus as a breeding ground as the fungus decomposes.
Perhaps it is best that the insect life do indeed devour the Ghost fungus as if left standing in an enclosed environment as it decomposes, it exudes a foul odour that would severely test the most hardened sense of smell.

Here we have a giant rainforest snail
making very short work of a ghost fungus. This is the fate that befalls most luminous fungi on Springbrook.
Apology for the quality as this shot was taken at night by pen-light.

click the image for a larger view

Giant rainforest cricket Gryllacidae eating ghost fungus.They have an appertite for luminous fungi.
Thorny crickets also eagerly devour the luminous fungi.
In the wet season thorny crickets after gorging on the soft flesh of the mushroom, have been observed glowing in the dark, and leaving luminous "footprints" on the wet soil behind them.
Photo taken at night by pen-light.

click the image for a larger view

G.Maguire
Springbrook Research Centre