Magical mushrooms

I’d never have considered myself a mushroom hunter (more of a mushroom eater), but ever since I photographed that lone glowing ’shroom, I was nearing the point of a healthy obsession whenever I stepped onto that trail.

Last night, for once in many visits, we was not disappointed. The week’s downpours were not in vain.

They were everywhere, near the streams, on the opposite bank, next to the trail, on broken branches, in leaf litter, at the edge of the secondary forests. It was unlike anything we’d ever seen. With our lights off and eyes adjusted to the darkness, we could see them very clearly: little clusters of bioluminescent mushrooms, glowing an eerie, pale emerald green in the pitch blackness.

At that moment, I don’t think I would’ve have blinked had I seen a pixie or sprite or some other mythical folk. Or one of those kodamas from Mononoke.

There are globally only slightly over 70 (out of 14 000) described species of mushrooms known to be luminescent, and I’m pretty sure there were at least four difference species from that one little humble patch yesterday. No strenuous hike needed, even. Numerous explanations exist for their luminescence, but generally they still belong to the realm of the mysterious.

More photos on Flickr.