Today's photograph is courtesy of PietervH@Flickr (shared via the Botany Photo of the Day Flickr Pool | original image). Thank you!

Red tree brain fungus belongs to informal classification of fungi called the corticioid fungi or crust fungi. These fungi have effused fruiting bodies (flat and spreading), and are typically associated with decaying wood. For Peniophora rufa, the woody host species always belong to Populus, or the aspens and cottonwoods. Via Mycobank, Peniophora rufa is distributed in "North America, following the distribution of Populus tremuloides; Europe and Asia, following the distribution of Populus tremula".

Katherine is responsible for today's entry. She writes:

Many thanks to PietervH@Flickr for today's image of Suillus paluster.

Suillus paluster is commonly known as a red bog bolete, marsh bolete or swamp bolete, and is also scientifically known by these synonyms: Boletus paluster, Boletinellus paluster, Boletinus paluster, and Fuscoboletinus paluster. If searching for more information about it online, you'll get better results by searching for Fuscoboletinus paluster or Boletus paluster, as these names were in common use (and still persist) for many years. Suillus paluster was proposed in 1996, by Kretzer et al. in Internal Transcribed Spacer Sequences from 38 Recognized Species of Suillus sensu lato: Phylogenetic and Taxonomic Implications (Mycologia, 88(5): 776-785).

The caps of Suillus paluster are 2-7cm wide, broadly convex to plane or slightly depressed, and pale pinkish-purple to reddish-purple in colour. The pore surface is 1.5-3mm and pale yellow becoming more golden yellow and brownish with age, and does not turn blue when cut. The stalks are 2-5cm long and 3-7mm thick, and flesh is yellowish white to yellow in the cap, but reddish under the pileipellis and white in the stalk. Suillus paluster has a non-distinct odour and a mild or slightly acidic taste. Marsh bolete is found in sphagnum mosses under larch, throughout "eastern Canada south to Pennsylvania, west to Wisconsin". It is also associated with Pinus taiwanensis in Taiwan (PDF), and can additionally be found in China (Sichuan), Japan and the Republic of Karelia in Russia (where it grows in association with larch). Suillus paluster is edible, and fruits throughout August to November.

Learning about Baudoinia compniacensis was the prompting for a "Botany and Spirits" series, as the story intrigued me so much. A big thank you to Dr. James Scott, Associate Professor from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto for sharing the first three images, and a nod of appreciation to Shadle@Wikimedia Commons for a photograph of the phenomenon caused by the organism at Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, USA.

Baudoinia compniacensis is known commonly as the angels' share fungus or warehouse staining mold. When distilled beverages are aged in wooden barrels, a portion of the liquid is lost to evaporation through the pores of the wood. For a spirit like rum which is distilled in tropical and warm temperate regions, the loss can reach (exceed?) 10% annually, whereas spirits aged in colder climates might lose 1-2%. The alcohol "lost" due to evaporation is called "the angels' share".

A decade or so ago, Dr. Scott was contracted by Hiram Walker Distillery in the community of Lakeshore, Ontario to determine whether a mysterious black mold blanketing local buildings and objects (including stainless steel fermenter tanks!) had anything to do with the distillery. Previous attempts by other researchers were either explained away as typical environmental fungi or recognized as a biological stumper. Dr. Scott immediately suspected something different than the typical, and started to track down fungi associated with ethanol. After discovering how to isolate and culture the fungus (the photographs above from Dr. Scott), he began to compare it with other fungi. His initial investigations led him to examine Zasmidium cellare, the cellar fungus, which grows in caves and cellars used for aging wines--but this had to be rejected because it was both different in morphology and grew in a very different environment. Researching in the mycology collections of the National Herbarium of Canada, he and Stan Hughes came across a sample of Torula compniacensis collected from Cognac, France (compniacensis = of Cognac) in the late 19th century. It closely resembled the sooty black mold from Ontario.

Via a colleague, a living sample from Cognac was obtained by Dr. Scott; it was cultured and proved to be a match. But, it didn't yet have a valid name, as Torula was used for many years as a sort of placeholder genus for different species and genera of black molds, most of which have now been split into separate genera. Torula is now restricted to a very well-defined set of characteristics, and this species did not conform. A new genus was necessary, and so Baudoinia was put forth in 2007 (see: Scott, JA et al. 2007. Baudoinia, a new genus to accommodate Torula compniacensis. Mycologia. 99(4): 592-60. doi: 10.3852/mycologia.99.4.592 ).

The genomic sequence for Baudoinia compniacensis has been completed and the species is described on the Joint Genome Institute's site: Baudoinia compniacensis. Quoting from the site: "The extremophilic sooty mold Baudoinia compniacensis is the prominent pioneering species in the primary successional community known as "warehouse staining", where darkly pigmented microbes form dry biofilms on outdoor surfaces periodically subjected to low level exposure to ethyl alcohol vapour, such as those around distilleries, spirit maturation facilities ("bond warehouses") and commercial bakeries. Pronounced blackening often extends considerable distances from alcohol emission source, indiscriminately colonizing exposed surfaces ranging from vegetation to built structures, sign posts and fences (including those made from glass and stainless steel). Mature colonies are crust-like and scorched in appearance, sometimes reaching 1--2 cm in thickness".

For a longer version of this story about Baudoinia compniacensis (and where I learned about it), please read the Wired magazine article by Adam Rogers: "The Mystery of the Canadian Whiskey Fungus". It goes into far more detail than I can in this space, and Adam Rogers knows how to tell the tale.

I find it fascinating that this broadly-distributed organism (it is found around the world wherever distilleries are located) lacked a valid name until the 21st century, and that it was a mystery to many for such a length of time (despite its prominence in areas where it grows). Also intriguing is that it is yet to be seen in nature, where presumably it grows in small colonies associated with naturally-occurring fermentation processes (e.g., rotting fruit). It also is a strong reminder of the importance of well-supported herbaria; had there not been samples of the original collection from France in the National Herbarium of Canada, who can say how the story would have evolved. Fortunately, with the resampling and renaming, new specimens have now been deposited into collections worldwide such as the Microfungus Collection and Herbarium at the University of Alberta.

Additional photographs of this species and examples of "warehouse staining" are available via Wikimedia Commons: Baudoinia compniacensis.

Work-study student Katherine is the author of today's entry. She writes:

Thank you Marianne (aka marcella2@Flickr) for today's photo of Morchella esculenta.

Morchella esculenta sensu lato, or in the broad sense, is distributed globally. However, the "species" is taxonomically confusing, as explained by Michael Kuo: "The short version of the story is: the name has been confusing since it was created; it has been applied uncritically for centuries; and, here in North America, we have at least four genetically distinct candidates for the name (which represents a European mushroom that can't be compared to our mushrooms until someone figures all of this out)" (Michael has also posted a longer version). The species was originally described from collections made in Eurasia, and since this photograph is from The Netherlands, it may indeed be the true species as originally published. Then again, perhaps not; in "Species diversity within the Morchella esculenta group (Ascomycota: Morchellaceae) in Germany and France", a 2004 paper by Kellner et al. (doi:10.1016/j.ode.2004.07.001), differences in the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region within the nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) of 22 different samples of Morchella esculenta s.l., suggested the presence of three distinct species.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has a species profile for Morchella esculenta that makes mention of the taxonomic difficulties of the group, as well as a detailed description of the fruiting bodies and spore deposits.

Species of this genus in general are collectively referred to as the morels or sponge mushrooms. The name of the genus is derived from the old German word Morchell, a term meaning edible fungus or morel, and the species name from the Latin esculentus meaning edible, or good to eat. Unsurprisingly, Morchella esculenta, or the common morel, is considered one of the best edible fungi, and highly sought after by mushroom hunters. Fruiting bodies of Morchella esculenta are noted by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew as being "quite nutritious, containing high-quality protein, and being rich in minerals and low in calories". However, all sources I've read also note that they must be cooked prior to consumption! Uncooked morels are known to cause digestive upsets. Morels showing signs of decay should also be avoided, as they can be poisonous. David Arora in his book Mushrooms Demystified notes that one should always "split them length-wise to check for millipedes, slugs, and other critters that like to hide inside". Despite these issues, morels "[are] so esteemed in Europe that people used to set fire to their own forests in hopes of eliciting a bountiful morel crop the next spring!" Morels may also be preserved by being canned, frozen, or dried.

The Wikipedia entry on Morchella esculenta claims that this fungus species has also been used in Chinese traditional medicines for the treatment of "indigestion, excessive phlegm, and shortness of breath". Recent laboratory studies (in rodents) have shown "anti-tumour effects, immunoregulatory properties, fatigue resistance, and antiviral effects" and "antioxidant properties".

An entry compiled by Katherine; she writes:

Today, a brief entry along the lines of the recent run of autumn-coloured photographs, though it was taken during the Australian winter in late July. This photograph of the stunning red Cruentomycena viscidocruenta (Mycena viscidocruenta) is courtesy of Ken Beath (kjbeath@Flickr).

Commonly known as a ruby bonnet, Cruentomycena viscidocruenta is found in New Zealand and southern Australia (including New South Wales and Victoria). Via Discover Nature at James Cook University's article on Cruentomycena viscidocruenta, ruby bonnet has a cap that is 1-2cm in diameter, with the caps being convex when young and tending to flatten with maturity. The hollow stipe of ruby bonnet is up to 4cm long and 0.5cm wide. According to the Taranaki Educational Resource: Research, Analysis and Information Network (TERRAIN)'s article on ruby bonnet, "[Cruentomycena viscidocruenta] is usually found in small groups attached to small sticks and leaves especially in moist gullies in native forest, urban scrub and wood chip gardens".

As shown in Ken's photograph, Cruentomycena viscidocruenta is slimy when wet. The epithet viscidocruenta stems from the Latin viscos meaning "sticky" and the Latin cruent meaning "bleeding" or "bloody".

Additional photographs are available via New Zealand's Hidden Forest: Cruentomycena viscidocruenta, as well as a declaration on edibility ("No"). Mushroomobserver.org also has more photographs, along with a brief discussion on the possibility of using this species for dying clothes.

With today's entry, we welcome a new work-study student helping with Botany Photo of the Day, Katherine Van Dijk. Katherine is a fourth year student enrolled in the UBC's Environmental Sciences program. Katherine writes:

Thank you to mossgreen2011@Flickr for this picture of Pleurotus ostreatus.

Commonly known as an oyster mushroom, the name of this species comes from Latin: pleurotus meaning "sideways", and ostreatus relating to its similarity to the oyster bivalve (possibly its taste as well). This species is edible. First cultivated by Germany for sustenance during WWI, it is now cultivated world-wide. Due to its prevalent culinary uses, other names include píng gū in Chinese, nấm sò or nấm bào ngư in Vietnamese, and chippikkoon in Malayalam.

Wikipedia provides a fairly comprehensive description of the uses and prevalence of Pleurotus ostreatus, including its potential for lowering cholesterol, and its use in "mycoremediation", as termed by Paul Stamets.

Dr. Paul Stamets conducted an experiment with Dr. S. A. Thomas, whereby piles of soil contaminated with diesel are remediated using mycelia of oyster mushrooms. The results were compared to conventional remediation methods. A discussion of this study may be seen and heard in the TED Talks video "6 Ways Mushrooms Can Save the World" or Stamets' Fungi Perfecti site. The fungi act by breaking down the long chains of organic carbon from contaminants in the same way as they decay lignin and cellulose, their usual source of carbon.

At this past weekend's annual Whistler BioBlitz, I added another adjective to describe me. Joining bark-sniffing and (let's be honest) tree-hugging is "mushroom-licking". Sampling the guttation from this red-banded polypore (or red belt) is not something that would normally cross my mind. However, I accompanied some of the fungal experts at the BioBlitz, and it was suggested to me that the water droplets tasted like a weak mushroom sauce (they do) and imbibing them wouldn't harm me (not yet, though I did have an exceptionally strange dream last night). The video of me licking this polypore may or may not find its way online; perhaps in the future, when something scandalous is needed. For more on guttating fungi, see the article Why Do Mushrooms Weep? (PDF) from Fungi Magazine (an apparently unanswered question).

Fomitopsis pinicola is a species of northern temperate coniferous forests. It most often grows on coniferous logs or stumps (pinicola = "pine-dwelling"), where it is an important agent of decay. Infrequently, it can be found on dead hardwoods or, sometimes, parasitic on living trees. It is inedible, in large part due to its woody nature. Michael Kuo's always-excellent MushroomExpert.com has a brief article on Fomitopsis pinicola.

Alexis Kho, Botany Photo of the Day summer work-study student, is again the author of today's entry. Alexis writes:

Jim Cornish@Flickr took this photo of Polyporus brumalis in Gander, Newfoundland, Canada. Thanks, Jim!

Polyporus brumalis is a fungus found in some parts of the Americas and Eurasia. This species is called winter polypore (brumalis meaing "of the winter") because it fruits in the wintertime in areas with mild temperate climates. In regions with colder, harsher winters, however, it will fruit in the spring and summer (see Schalkwijk-Barendsen's Mushrooms of Western Canada from 1991). The preferred substrate of winter polypore is the dead branches of hardwoods, especially birch trees. The mushroom caps of this species range in size from 1.5 to 10cm across, and have an inrolled margin and a depressed shape. Polyporus brumalis can be distinguished from similar looking species by the brown stalks of its mushrooms and the oval-shaped radially-arranged pores on the caps' undersides (Phillips' Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America from 2005). Polyporus species in general are mostly leathery and woody in texture, making them inedible (via Miller's Mushrooms of North America).

A tip of the hat to Jim Cornish@Flickr for sharing today's photograph from last autumn in Newfoundland and Labrador (tops on my list of places yet to visit in North America).

Jim's photograph perfectly illustrates the English common name for this species of temperate forests in the northern hemisphere: angel wings. In the written accompaniment to his photograph on Flickr, Jim also explains the scientific name: "pleur meaning 'on the side' a reference to the stalk being on the side of the cap, cybella meaning 'small cap' and porrigens meaning 'sticking out'".

Pleurocybella porrigens is a wood-decay fungus associated with conifers (particularly Tsuga, the hemlocks), and more specifically, a white-rot fungus (in general, these digest lignin in wood and leave cellulose behind, though they can also digest both -- but lignin is less abundant, so it can give the appearance of leaving cellulose behind).

Important for some BPotD readers whenever a fungus is featured is the question of whether it is edible or not. For many years, the answer would have been "yes, but not particularly tasty". However, see: Savuc, P and Danel, V. 2006. New Syndromes in Mushroom Poisoning. Toxicological Reviews. 25(3):199-209. In this paper, the authors describe that in Japan a "convulsive encephalopathy outbreak was reported in patients with history of chronic renal failure" after ingestion of Pleurocybella porrigens (in Japan: sugihiratake). The question as to what caused the outbreak seems to have been answered: see Wakimoto, T et al. 2011. Proof of the Existence of an Unstable Amino Acid: Pleurocybellaziridine in Pleurocybella porrigens. Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 50(5) 1168. However, the why of the outbreak of poisonings remains unknown. Michael W. Beug explores that question in Pleurocybella porrigens toxin unmasked?, an article in McIlvainea: Journal of American Amateur Mycology.

Today's entry was written by Claire:

This vibrant photograph of the fungus Colus pusillus was taken by andrikkos (andrikkos_from_droushia@Flickr). Much thanks andrikkos! I was intrigued by the two other posted photographs from andrikkos as well: Colus pusillus 2 and Colus pusillus 3.

Belonging to Phallaceae, or the stinkhorn family, the fruiting bodies produce sticky masses of fetid smelling spores called gleba. The foul smell is intended to attract flies and other detritus-loving organisms that aid in dispersal when the sticky spores coat the insect's bodies. This particular fungus bears the common name craypot stinkhorn, and the visible fruiting parts, like others in Phallaceae, originate from an egg-shaped structure that emerges from the forest floor. Additional detailed pictures of this fungus are on Michael Kuo's MushroomExpert.com: Colus pusillus.

Colus pusillus bears its gleba on the pileus, the underside of the fragile receptaculum (the cage-like structure - on a common mushroom-type structure this would be the underside of the cap). Colus pusillus is thought to only occur in Australia but the few species described to this genus are widespread throughout the world. From Mycobank, here is the original description of Colus pusillus.

If you know more about this Australian fungus, please feel free to correct or comment!

Thanks once again to Robert Klips (Orthotrichum@Flickr) for sharing one of his photograph with BPotD (original via the BPotD Flickr Pool). Much appreciated!

Though these may appear to be acorns rapidly fired into small bits of cookie dough, they are actually the fruiting bodies of the rounded earthstar, Geastrum saccatum. Geastrum literally translates to earth star, and the genus has a cosmopolitan temperate and tropical distribution. Geastrum saccatum contributes to that broad range, as it is the most widespread species.

As Robert explains in his comments on Flickr, earthstars resemble puffballs when the fruiting bodies first begin to develop. As it matures, the outer skin (outer peridium) splits and peels back, forming the star pattern. In some species, the shape and length of the segments of the outer peridium are enough to elevate the inner spore sac away from the ground, but in the case of Geastrum saccatum, the fruiting body remains relatively flat and close to the ground (or as Michael Kuo describes in a linked article above, the spore case "sits directly on the arms, as though in a bowl (without a pedestal)".

Geastrum saccatum is a saprobe, gaining its nutrients from dead or decaying organic matter.

No, it's not edible.

Growing up in a house heated mainly with firewood meant many weekend trips to the bush to cut trees down and cut the logs into firewood-lengths (not my job), split the largest (sometimes my job), and throw the wood on the truck or tractor bucket. Ever-present in these forest excursions were encounters with shrubs of Prunus, typically chokecherries (Prunus virginiana), infected with black knot. I remember making a point of walking carefully around these shrubs, as the black misshapen growths wrapping the branches were not something I was interesting in having touch me. On my most recent trip to Manitoba a couple weeks ago, I took the time to photograph this phenomenon in a way that I most remembered it -- obvious clumps of black something-ness standing out among thin leafless branches, in flat grey light.

The black growths are symptomatic of Dibotryon morbosum infection, as opposed to being (solely) the body of the fungus. Much like cancer in animals (out of control growth of cells), the black knots are the byproduct of too-rapid cellular growth, though in this case stimulated by fungal infection (see: gall). Dispersal of fungal spores from the infected black knots to new green shoots occur in springtime, particularly during periods of warm, wet weather. Small galls can be formed by the end of the first summer, but it isn't until the succeeding summer that the mass becomes larger and eventually blackens (see: Dibotryon morbosum life cycle).

Black knot (syn. Apiosporina morbosa) was only scientifically described in 1821, well after the initial botanical exploration of eastern North America. From Cornell's Black Knot Fact Sheet: "The disease can be found throughout North America but is most commonly found in the northeast. It was first reported as a destructive disease in Massachusetts in 1811. It was first described in 1821 by L. D. Schweinitz from specimens collected in Pennsylvania. Researchers believe the disease is caused by a native pathogen that was only found in the northeastern states until around 1875, when observations of the disease began arising in the central states." In the late 19th century, it was considered "the most destructive disease of tart cherries and plums", though it no longer seems to have a major economic impact except in ornamental landscapes.

Claire selected another wonderful image of a fungus for today's BPotD entry and writes:

I would like to thank Monika F. (monika&manfred@flickr) of Vienna, Austria for sharing this gorgeous photograph (original image) of Oudemansiella mucida via the BPotD Flickr Pool.

Oudemansiella mucida, better known as the porcelain mushroom, is a member of the Physalacriaceae (quite a mouthful!). Monika took this particular photo in Austria, and it is common in temperate regions around Europe. The mushroom is specific to beech trees and lives in clusters mainly on dead branches and trunks, but has also been sighted on live trees. Also called the poached egg fungus, Oudemansiella mucida can be consumed after its outer slimy coat is washed off. I don't believe the name is because of the taste, but likely because of its rounded, white, slimy cap that resembles an egg white. If you're in European forests in autumn, perhaps it might be worth it to take a shot at collecting Oudemansiella mucida.

Eric adds: In addition to what Claire has written, study of this fungus led to the development of a powerful anti-fungal agent commonly used to protect agricultural crops. Oudemansiella mucida and another fungus, Strobilurus tenacellus secrete substances that deter competing fungi. Study of these secretions led to the development of azoxystrobin a powerful anti-fungal used extensively by farmers, particularly for wheat production. It is considered to have low environmental risk because it has low toxicity for mammals, birds, bees, insects, and earthworms. It is highly toxic to some freshwater and marine animals, but the chemical breaks down in the soil and if runoff is monitored may be used relatively safely.

Claire wrote today's entry:

A big thanks to Stephen Buchan of Edinburgh, Scotland for this fascinating photo of Diatrype disciformis, a photo shared via the Botany Photo of the Day Flickr Pool.

I was excited to see a photo of an ascomycete - my favorite phylum of fungi! The Ascomycota include molds, morels, truffles, many crop diseases (such as ergot or Claviceps purpurea) and some yeasts (like baker's yeast or Saccharomyces cerevisiae). The array of fascinating microscopic reproductive structures in this phylum of fungi are truly astounding and quite beautiful. If you are interested, I encourage looking into the diversity of these organisms. Ascomycetes are known for their ascospore producing structures, or asci.

Diatrype discoformis is from the Diatrypaceae, a family which includes somewhere between eight and thirteen genera (link suggests 8, Wikipedia lists 13). What you see in this photograph are a number of fruiting bodies that release ascospores--Mr. Buchan notes the pores on the surface of the small discs being the site of spore release. Diatrype disciformis is a saprobe commonly found all year round on dead deciduous trees, usually beech, in the forests of Europe. Thus, its common name is beech barkspot! Sadly, I must say that there isn't too much information on this particular species, but I am glad to share a little knowledge on the Ascomycetes I gleaned from my fungi class last year at UBC with Mary Berbee. Hopefully, everyone can appreciate the bizarreness of Diatrype disciformis that Stephen Buchan captured and perhaps the fascinating lives of these commonly seen fungi.

A new author today -- please join me in welcoming Claire Fadul, who will be working as Botany Photo of the Day Assistant from now until April. Claire is a third-year science student. I'm very grateful to those of you who donated to the Online Education fund to help support hiring a student.

Claire writes:

Thank you to swampr0se@flickr from Toronto, Ontario for sharing today's photograph via the Botany Photo of the Day Flickr Pool. I chose this ethereal photograph for my first entry because of how beautiful this fungus is and how intriguing as well (a big nod to swampr0se for the composition). I was very excited when Daniel allowed me to do fungi for my starting articles as they are a secret weakness of mine---secret no more!

Hericium americanum is a tooth fungus. Its common name is bear's head tooth mushroom due to the teeth-like or icicle-like protrusions from which it disperses its spores. swampr0se notes that her particular Hericium americanum was found on a dead maple. This is indeed common among this species as it is usually found on decaying hardwoods (though it can sometimes also be seen frequenting rotting conifers), defining the species as saprotrophic. For a definition of a saprobe, please take a look at MushroomExpert.com where additional facts can be read about this fungus species, including the fascinating story about its various naming problems throughout the years.

Of course you are asking, "Is it edible?" Why yes, it is! And for all you seafood fans out there, it tastes like lobster. I have no experience in this personally, but Tom Volk certainly does, and provides some recipe suggestions in the first paragraph of his article on Hericium americanum. Sadly, for all of our hungry readers around the world, this species can only be found in eastern North America from late summer through autumn. Luckily for local readers, there are a few other species in the genus such as Hericium abietis that can be found. You can check out Edible North American Mushrooms for some cooking suggestions.

Thank you to BPotD readers for your generosity and I look forward to writing to you in the future!

Daniel adds: Botany resource link: Frequent BPotD contributor Eric Hunt sent along a link a few days ago, pointing out a story on Wired Science that uses a photograph by former UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research director Dr. Quentin Cronk (photo featured on BPotD): Ancient Fossil Flower Is Father of Sunflower Family.