Nature's Nightlights: A Journey Through New Zealand's Glowing Mushroom Species
Nature's Nightlights: A Journey Through New Zealand's Glowing Mushroom Species
A look at the fascinating realm of bioluminescent fungi in New Zealand and the diverse array of species found throughout the country.
A glimmer of light flickers in the darkness, whispering the presence of an enigmatic world hidden just beneath the surface. The wonder of bioluminescent fungi has captivated my imagination, steering me down a path illuminated by the faint glow of these mysterious organisms.
Bioluminescent mushrooms offer an exclusive realm of fascination within the niche world of fungi. Though relatively recent discoveries in New Zealand, these glow-in-the-dark wonders are just beginning to shine on the stage of scientific inquiry.
This compilation highlights these intriguing species and introduces more found in the country.
The glow of these mushrooms varies, with some species illuminating only their fruiting bodies. In contrast, others reveal luminescence in specific parts such as basidiomes (where spores are born), gills, stipes, caps, or just the mycelium. Further adding to the allure, a species in one region may glow yet is in a different part of the world; that same species doesn't have any light at all (e.g., Panellus stipticus). The changeable behavior of bioluminescent mushrooms adds to the elusivity of tracking them down.
Hunting for these elusive, glowing fungi can prove an enriching pursuit. The search for rare bioluminescent mushrooms is akin to a real-life treasure hunt, with an estimated 113 species worldwide known to emit their otherworldly light.
What species of bioluminescent mushrooms are in New Zealand?
Delving deeper into the realm of bioluminescent fungi, we find a diverse array of species, each with its unique characteristics and glimmering patterns. Among them, we find the members of Family Mycenaceae, which boasts the highest number of luminescent species.
Mycena “Crystal Falls”
Given that Mycena species are difficult to differentiate without proper microscopy and DNA sequencing, tag names are often used as placeholders to indicate where the species was found. I lived in Dunedin, and Waipori and Crystal Falls is just to the north. It' was a goal of mine to find this species in the wild. I first learned of this mushroom after reading Anna Chinn's post - A Fungal Fairy-land, Revisited.
M. “Crystal Falls” has been found growing on the ferns of Cyathea medullaris, Cyeathea smithii, Blechnum sp., on the natives Ripogonum scandens and Metrosideros excelsa, and the exotic Salix fragilis.
American photographer Taylor Lockwood has not only taken photos of M. "Crystal Falls" but has also managed to capture an unknown and unnamed species of "Hobbit mushrooms" which took on juvenile Mycena roseoflava's appearance. Another species Lockwood sought was a kind of Hydropus suspected of glowing.
Mycena “Nile River”
Mycena "Nile River" has been found near Lake Brunner in the South Island. The mushroom has been reported to have abundant fruit bodies that radiate, and at times, the stems can glow so bright that a dead branch covered in them may be used as a beacon to let others find you.
As we journey through the verdant landscapes of New Zealand, from the lush ferns of Crystal Falls to the dense foliage near Lake Brunner, we find bioluminescent mushrooms such as Mycena "Crystal Falls" and Mycena "Nile River."
These fungi, though challenging to identify without proper microscopy and DNA sequencing, emit light in various parts and bear distinct growth patterns.
This species and Mycena "Taranaki" have been reported to glow, although M. Taranaki only emits light in the mycelium and grows in beech-broadleaved forests.
Mycena roseoflava
Recently found to glow in Stewart Island, M. roseoflava tends to only emit light in the stipe. M. roseoflava can be found all across the country.
Mycena sp. ‘Erua’
I've only encountered this species a few times but didn't realize it glowed until recently. My friend Liu Yang shot a few found growing on conifer leaves.
Mycena vinacea
Four species within Mycena Sect. Calodontes was reported to glow in Peninsular Malaysia. I was excited to experiment and see if this similar mushroom would glow. And indeed, it did!
After sequencing and comparing on GenBank, it was found to be Mycena vinacea. This is the first record of it glowing in New Zealand.
Interestingly, the species grows in duff amongst rotting fern roots and foliage and only glows in the basidiomes (where spores are produced in the gills).
Armillaria limonea
A. limonea was the first photo I saw of bioluminescent mushrooms and what initially piqued my bioluminescent curiosity. Taylor Lockwood was the first to find and record glowing fruitbodies of Armillaria novae-zelandiae and Armillaria limonea.
It's interesting to note that the glow is present only around the cap edges, whereas other Armillaria species around the world tend only to have bioluminescent mycelium.
This fungus feeds on wood and forms its edible mushrooms mostly on different kinds of fallen wood, such as tawa and tawai, or at the base of dead trees.
Armillaria novae-zelandiae
Armillaria novae-zelandiae occurs in indigenous forests as a decaying fungus of dead trees, stumps, and logs.
A. novae-zelandiae glows differently compared to A. limonea in that A. limonea tends to emit light around the cap edges, while A. novae-zelandiae glow mainly in the stipe and veil.
Armillaria hinnulea
A 2008 phylogenetic study of Australian and New Zealand populations of A. hinnulea suggests that the species was introduced to NZ from Australia on two occassions, once recently and another time much longer ago.
Given that two species of Armillaria in NZ are known to glow, the rest are assumed to glow as well.
Panellus luxfilamentus
There have only been a few observations of "Light Filament" / P. luxfilamentus on iNaturalist around Auckland. Still, the species reportedly have bioluminescent mycelium, while the fruitbodies are undetermined to glow.
Although these species of "ping pong bats" are placed in Genus Panellus, they'd be more appropriately put into Favolaschia, a genus derived from the Latin word "favus," meaning honeycomb (named for its large pores found on the underside).
While there have yet to be any photos that document Favolaschia glowing in New Zealand, it's worth noting F. cyathea, F. austrocyathea, and Panellus minimus and the like as potential candidates to experiment to detect if they'll glow.