https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/182212662
Mushrooms have been used as a food source in Alaska; other times, they're used for dyeing wool or other natural fibers. They can also be used in medicine and some cause hallucinogenics. They are also rich in nutrients, meaning that their uses to the people varied depending on the spices.
I believe the species on the tree are the Bracket fungi, a distinctive group of hard, woody fungi that grow on trees, stumps, and fallen logs. They also lack a stem and have semi-circular caps on tree trunks that look like shelves. They like to grow in damp forests, mainly on birch trees, but can also grow on others. The Alaska natives used them as medicine and would be used to start fires or carry embers. They also used it to enhance the effects of tobacco. It was also an ingredient used to make chewing tobacco. Some people even used them as canvases for paintings.
My experiences with mushrooms, in general, are very limited; the only ones I see are the ones growing in my backyard. Those ones are usually bright red and orange or brown mushrooms. The only ones I've seen on trees are the wavy ones, and I only see them when camping. I found these mushrooms when surveying the yard; they were back behind my house on the edge of the woods. I saw the old tree, and when I approached, it was completely covered in mushrooms. I think I remember this tree when I was a kid, five or six years back, but there were maybe one or two mushrooms on it back then. I'm amazed at how far they've come and wonder how much more will grow.
Bracket fungi are a vital part of wood decay, meaning fungi generally absorb organic matter. Some are considered parasitic to plants as they can cause diseases like mildew or rust. They range from single-celled to multi-celled and can be found almost everywhere on the planet. Fungi are a very vital part of the ecosystem and help maintain order, so it is important to learn more about them.
Sources:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5414170.pdf
https://alutiiqmuseum.org/collection/index.php/Detail/word/676
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypore
https://microbiologysociety.org/why-microbiology-matters/what-is-microbiology/fungi.html
Comments
My knowledge of fungi is very limited but I'm glad to know at least 1 more type thanks to your observation. It's pretty interesting that you've been able to watch the progression of the fungi growth on this tree in your yard. It would be so cool to take a photo every week or every month and then compare the progression over a span of time. Thanks for sharing!
Hi, Hannah! Just like Jillian’s post that I also commented on, I thought the photos in your observation were a totally different species than what they really are–for instance, I thought the fungi in the picture was that of Bear’s Bread (Ganoderma applanatum) but you seem to have identified it more correctly. Thank you for sharing the information you collected; there are quite a few things considered new knowledge for me such as how Alaska Natives used the specific fungi to enhance the effects of the tobacco plant. Thanks for your great post and I hope to see more of the interesting flora and fauna you observe in your area as the semester continues!
We have so many different types of mushrooms up here in Nome, they always pop up in the fall time it seems like. I've never known much about mushrooms and was always told "they are poison" so have never thought much of them until last year. I took an Alaskan biology class and spent sometime learning about the different types of fungi, what they were used for and which were safe to eat. I also learned that people in my home community actually go out and harvest the safe ones. Very interesting post!
Add a Comment