The winter sun, shining through a clear sky with a cool breeze gently blowing, made it feel like a perfect day.
As I walked through the muddy road into the woods looking for mushrooms, I couldn't help but ask, "Mushrooms, where have you all gone?" I felt a little disappointed as I could hardly find any.
As I was chilling and enjoying the tranquil atmosphere, my phone rang, and it was my brother in the Philippines on the line. Excitedly, he said, "There are too many mushrooms here on the ground!" I replied, expressing my jealousy for not finding any. I teased him to join Fungi Friday and post the mushrooms online. He explained that he was on a service assignment in an area with poor internet, but he encouraged me to post them, and he would join later.
Here are his finds! I roughly identified them through his photos and descriptions, so they may not be precise.
Looks like one of the Ganoderma Species, possibly the Reishi "mushroom of immortality" due to their medicinal properties.
Cymatoderma elegans, leathery and tough big mushrooms. a study shows that its extract tested on mice inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
Possibly Southern Cinnabar Polypore (Pycnoporus coccineus); if so, its extract is used for making natural dye and is also used in bioremediation to break down crude oils and pigments.
Daedaleopsis confragosa, commonly known as the thin-walled maze polypore or the blushing bracket. It has amazing medicinal benefits according to a few studies; it has antibiotic, antihypertensive, and anti-tumor effects.
In the Philippines, a tropical island, you'll come across unusual mushrooms on the ground. Three weeks ago, while trekking down the seaside, I spotted these growing on the base of the coconut tree.
Possibly Dyer’s polypore, one of the common fungi used for dyeing clothes and yarn because of its rich pigments and available color spectrum.
Then, in my mum's garden, I found these little ones:
These cuties are growing on/in an old coconut shell, they are possibly the Fuzzy foot; Golden trumpets; Bell Omphalina. (Xeromphalina kauffmanii).
Favolaschia pustulosa (White pore fungi).
Wine Glass Fungus (Podoscypha Petalodes)
In one study, this fungus posseses significant antioxidant potential, and the acid extracted from the mycelia is a recognised antiviral agent.
and ......then....
After a muddy walk, as I reached our doorstep, these bunch of mushrooms surprised me.
Oh dear! These turned out to be the highly toxic funeral bell (Galerina Marginata) on my plant pot that I identified three months ago; they regrow and survive the winter!? That was a big surprise!
But....
No matter how beautiful they are, they are deadly, so I have decided to pack them for safety.
In life, sometimes we think we have to look far, but unexpected surprises can just be around the corner. And we sometimes have to decide for the best. Life is really full of twists and turns, and sometimes the most meaningful discoveries are found in the seemingly ordinary daily ways.
Thank you for reading.
Have a wonderful day, everyone!
Mariah 😊