After spending a few dry, mushroom-less months in the heat of Nha Trang, Vietnam, I’ve returned to Kuala Lumpur, where the rains have once again begun to nurture the fungi-rich forests. I'll be based here for the next month or so, foraying as often as possible.
My first adventure back on Malaysian soil took me to Ulu Bendul, a lush recreational forest nestled at the base of Gunung Angsi, a couple of hours outside of KL. This spot is a treasure trove, and I was lucky enough to meet up with my good friends Luca and Siew to explore.
After an hour-long MRT ride, Siew picked us up, and we continued on the scenic drive southeast. When we arrived at Ulu Bendul, the towering trees and hot and humid forest air promised a productive hunt.
A steep but rewarding 5 km round-trip trek followed, during which we stumbled upon many species—giant Lactifluus, vibrant blue-staining Lactarius, and even some false truffles.
The real showstopper, though, were tall blue-tipped Phaeoclavulina cyanocephala coral mushrooms that played a trick on me, as I thought they were clusters of incense sticks.
Nestled half-exposed in the soil at the base of Randia scortechinii/Tinjau belukar and Shorea leprosula (Meranti tembaga), I spotted tiny Hysterangium sp., a genus of truffle-like fungi in the family Hysterangiaceae. These small fungi were white to cream-colored but bruised red.
While not edible for humans, small mammals, like bonobos in the DR of Congo, have been observed consuming H. bonobos, which makes me wonder what animals might be eating these Malaysian species.
While away from Malaysia, I got excited when my friend Siew posted her mushroom find, which left me (and many others) puzzled. Luckily, the same mushroom was growing from the same spot. The caps were brown and wrinkly, but with age and as they dried, they became powdery.
With each visit, I’m reminded of why I fell in love with the forests here—there’s always something new to discover. I’m looking forward to what the next month of adventures will bring and sharing those moments with you all.
Ulu Bendul and Gunung Angsi