Unusual fungi: photos and names

Mushrooms can be fatal, edible, magical, incredibly beautiful, and completely unremarkable. In this article we will consider the most unusual fungi. Photos with names will also be presented.

Panellus stipticus (panel)

This common species grows in Europe, Australia, North America and Asia. Such unusual mushrooms grow in groups on stumps, logs and trunks of trees, especially on birches, beeches and oaks.

Lactarius indigo (blue butterfly)

A fairly common species of fungi that grows in the east of North America, in addition, in Asia and Central America. It grows on the ground in coniferous and deciduous forests. Fresh mushrooms have a dark blue color, and old ones have pale blue. The milk that these unusual mushrooms secrete, if broken or cut, also has a blue hue. The hat in diameter reaches 15 cm, the leg in height - up to 8 cm, in thickness - up to 2.5 cm. The edible mushroom. It is sold in the markets of Mexico, China and Guatemala.

Tremella mesenterica (shivering orange)

This fungus grows more often on dead trees, as well as on their fallen branches. The orange-yellow gelatinous body has a twisty surface, becoming slippery and sticky during rain. These unusual fungi grow in the cracks of the cortex, while appearing during rain. After the rain passes, it dries up, turning into a wrinkled mass or a thin film, capable of reborn again from moisture. It is widely distributed in mixed forests, in tropical and temperate regions, including Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, South and North America. The mushroom can be used for food, but it is tasteless.

Clavaria zollingeri (pale brown clavaria)

This is a common sight. These unusual fungi have a pinkish-lilac or violet tubular body, growing to a height of 10 cm and a width of up to 7 cm. The tips of the thin and brittle branches are mostly brownish and rounded. It is a saprobic species that absorbs nutrients during the splitting of organic matter. It mostly grows on the ground.

Rhodotus palmatus (rhodotus)

Considering the most unusual fungi in the world, it is impossible not to mention this. He is the only representative in the family Physalacriaceae. Little common. It is collected in North Africa, in the east of North America and in Europe, where its numbers are falling very rapidly. It mainly grows on logs and stumps of hard rotting trees. Mature individuals are distinguished by a "venous" characteristic surface and a pinkish color.

Geastrum saccatum (star-shaped sack-shaped)

It grows on decaying trees in Europe and North America. Mushroom pickers consider him unfit for food due to his bitter taste. This is a common type, while the peak of its fees falls on August. There is an opinion that the hole located on the outer layer of his body has a star-shaped form due to the collection of calcium oxalate, which occurs before its opening. This fungus in Brazil was called the "star of the earth".

Aseroe rubra (sea anemone)

Marine anemone is quite common and well recognizable because of the shape of the starfish and its unpleasant smell of rot. It grows on the forest litter in the gardens, resembles a bright red star, covered with a mucus of brown hue, and has a leg of white color. Involves flies.

Polyporus squamosus (scaly tinder)

Such unusual forms of mushrooms are a widespread species that grows in Europe, Australia, North America and Asia. On trees, they cause rot of white color. "Saddle Dryad" - this is its alternative name, which refers to dryads from Greek mythology, which these mushrooms could ride.

Clavulinopsis corallinorosacea (coral mushroom)

The fungus is so called because of its similarity to sea corals. They have a bright color - orange, red or yellow. They mostly grow in the old forests. In this case, some coral mushrooms are symbiotic, while others are saprotrophic or parasitic.

Amanita caesarea (Caesar fungus)

These are very unusual edible mushrooms that grow in North America and Southern Europe. For the first time they were described in 1772 by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli. The fungus has a bright orange cap, sporiferous yellow plates and a foot. He was very fond of the ancient Romans, calling him "bollet".

Lycoperdon umbrinum (raincoat brown)

This species of mushroom grows in North America, Europe and China. He has no open caps. Spores arise inside him, in an elastic spherical body. Spores, ripening, in the center of the body form a glebe, which has a characteristic texture and color.

Mycena interrupta

Examining the most unusual mushrooms, it is impossible not to mention the mitsene. It grows in New Zealand, New Caledonia, Australia and Chile. The mushroom hat reaches a diameter of 2 cm. It is painted in a bright blue color. At the moment when mushrooms appear, they have a spherical shape, while expanding as they mature. The hats are slippery and sticky.

Morchella conica (cone morel)

These are unusual edible mushrooms, resembling the top of the honeycomb. They consist of a network of wavy bands, which have small cavities among themselves. The conical cone is very much appreciated by gourmets, in French cuisine in particular. In mushroom pickers, it is very popular because of its pleasant taste.

Xanthoria elegans (xanthory elegant)

This fungus grows exclusively on stones, near the burrows of rodents or bird plots. This is by nature lichen. It is one of the earliest lichens used to date rock surfaces. It grows very slowly (0.5 mm per year), after 10 years its growth slows even more.

Amanita muscaria (amanita muscaria)

The famous fly agaric is a psychotropic and poisonous basidial fungus. A red hat with white dots scattered over it-who did not see the fly agaric? It is considered one of the most famous fungi in the world. Such unusual fungi grow in Transbaikalia, as well as throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Despite the fact that the fly agaric is considered poisonous, there are no confirmed cases of poisoning, while in some parts of North America, Asia and Europe it is generally eaten after blanching. It has hallucinogenic properties, since its main component is muscimol. Some inhabitants of Siberia use it as an entheogen, in these cultures it has a huge religious significance.

Gyromitra esculenta (false morel)

He is very much like the brain, only brown or dark purple. It is also called "steak", because with proper preparation it is a delicacy. If you do not know how to cook this mushroom, then this dish can be fatal. It is poisonous in its raw form, and before it is used in a recipe, it must be steamed.

Trametes versicolor (multi-colored tramet)

We continue to study unusual mushrooms, the photos with the names of which are presented in this article. Trames multicolored grows everywhere. It grows mainly on the trunks of dead trees and is unique with its bright, colorful stripes. In the usual sense, it is inedible, although it is often used in classical Chinese medicine. Not so long ago, scientists found that the substance contained in this fungus increases immunity, and can also be used as an auxiliary component in the treatment of oncology.

Hericium erinaceus (combed hedgehog)

This fungus is also called the "lion's mane", "bearded tooth" and "monkey's head". But at first glance, there are no associations with the fungus. It grows on trees, while in the prepared form it is more like the texture and color of the seafood. The mushroom not only has excellent taste qualities, but is also used in classical Chinese medicine, reducing blood glucose levels and possessing excellent antioxidant properties.

Entoloma hochstetteri (sky blue fungus)

Unusual fungi, photos of which are in the article, include in their list and sky-blue. This fungus lives in India and in the forests of New Zealand. It can be poisonous, although its toxicity is poorly understood. Distinctive blue color of the fungus acquired due to the pigment of Azulene, which is contained in the fruit body. It also occurs in various marine invertebrates.

Chorioactis (Devil's Cigar)

Star-shaped fungus, called the "devil's cigar", is considered one of the rarest in the whole world. It is also known as the "Texas Star" and was found only in the central part of this state, in the 2 remote regions of Japan and in the Nara Mountains. If we consider mushrooms of unusual shape, this one occupies a worthy place in the list. It is a cigar-shaped dark brown capsule that takes the form of a star to open its spores. A surprising fact: in the world it is the only mushroom that makes a whistling sound when releasing its disputes.

Mutinus caninus (mutinus canine)

This fungus is known as the "mutinus canine". It looks like a forest thin mushroom in the form of a phallus, has a dark tip. It grows mainly in small groups in a deciduous heap or on a wooden trash, it can be found in autumn and summer in the eastern part of North America and in Europe. This type of mushroom is unfit for food.

Nidulariaceae (bird's nest)

In this article, we examined the most unusual fungi in the world. But we can not fail to mention this form. The bird's nest is a small group of mold fungi, which are mainly found in New Zealand. The name they owe to their appearance, which resembles a nest with small bird eggs. This form of fungus is used to spread their disputes - accumulated rainwater under pressure is squirted together with spores a distance of up to 1 meter.

Hydnellum peckii (bleeding tooth)

Such unusual fungi of the world grow in coniferous forests of America and Europe, as well as in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. They were also recently noticed in Korea and Iran. The fungus has a rather frightening appearance - a velvet white surface appears from its pores of a drop of red or pink liquid resembling blood.

The fungus is not poisonous, although it is not necessary to try it, since it has a bitter taste for discouraging predators and humans. Scientists have analyzed this fluid and found that it contains atromentine - a substance that prevents the formation of blood clots and the rapid coagulation of blood.

In this article, we examined the most unusual fungi on the planet. Many of them are amazing and even appetizing. But be extremely careful when using mushrooms for food - some of them can cause irreparable harm to your health, and also lead to death.