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by Michael McBain, previous Fungimap Webmaster
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The Death Cap, Amanita phalloides is responsible
for 90% of deaths caused by fungus poisoning world-wide.
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There are at least ten times as many fungi as
vascular plants, and this means at least 250,000 for Australia, of
which we probably know fewer than 5%. [from Grgurinovic, C.A. (1997)
Larger Fungi of South Australia]
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The Vegetable Caterpillar, Cordyceps sp.,
reproduces by its spores germinating in the body of a caterpillar,
which is then completely replaced by the growing fungus.
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Yeasts, used in making beer and bread, are a kind
of fungus.
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The rare Long-footed Potoroo is known to eat
several species of underground fungi in southern Australia and is
thought to be an important vector for dispersal of the spores of
native truffles.
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The stinkhorns and related species, such as
Fungimap target species Aseroë rubra and Anthurus archeri, give off a
powerful smell of rotting meat, attracting flies which then disperse
the spores.
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African termites actually cultivate a species of
fungus, Termitomyces.
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Reindeer go crazy for fly agaric mushroom (Amanita
muscaria), which the Lapp people traditionally used for its
hallucinogenic effects.
Lapp shamans used to eat the mushroom during the midwinter pagan
ceremonies of Annual Renewal. The first effect of eating it was a deep
coma-like slumber. When the shamans woke the drug stimulated their
muscular systems, so that a small effort produced spectacular results
- the intoxicated person perhaps making a gigantic leap to clear the
smallest obstacle. The effect on animals was generally the same,
and a mushroom-maddened super-reindeer traditionally guarded each
shaman. When missionaries first reached Santa's native Lapland, they
found a thriving pagan myth of reindeer flight. Rather than oppose it,
they shrewdly assimilated the stories into the folklore of Christmas
and Saint Nicholas. This then, is the true origin of the legend of
Santa's flying sleigh. The colour scheme of his outfit is taken from
the unmistakable red and white cap of the fungus. Lapps still scatter
the mushroom in the snow to round up reindeer. Incidentally, the urine
of people who eat the mushroom contains substantial quantities of the
isoxazole derivatives that produce the intoxicating effect.
Impoverished Lapps knew this, and collected round the huts of rich
Lapps who indulged in the mushroom at Christmas parties. When their
overlords came out to relieve themselves in the snow, the serfs
collected the urine to drink. When they, in turn, urinated in the
snow, the reindeer fought to utilise what remained of the mushroom's
intoxicating effects. There is a fairly comprehensive study of fly
agaric and its effects in Mushrooms, Poisons and Panacea by Denis R.
Benjamin (ISBN 0 7167 2649 1). More on this at:
http://www.psms.org
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An intriguing report in a Norwegian newspaper: - In
some areas of the country that had been affected by fallout from the
Chernobyl disaster, goat and sheep meat was found to have enhanced
levels of radioactive elements in the autumn. These elements had been
washed down into the soil below the level where they could be taken up
significantly by grass roots. But they were being brought up to the
surface again in the autumn by fungi, which the goats and sheep were
eating.
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Fungi as firelighters - Many species of polypores
have been used as tinder for making fire, but Fomes fomentarius,
'touchwood' or 'punk' has enjoyed primacy from the beginning. Its use
can be traced back for millenia as both native fruitbodies and as
fruitbodies bearing traces of human handling. A frozen Neolithic
corpse found in Austria in 1991 was found to have a bag containing
dried fungal fragments. These were analysed for likely medicinal or
fire-making properties, but the ethnomycological problems remained
unresolved, although it seems likely that a polypore was used as
tinder.
F. fomentarius has also been used for medicinal purposes. Smoking
rituals associated with the fungus are reported from western Siberia
and among the Ainu people of Hokkaido, Japan, both to relieve the
symptoms of epidemics and to banish evil spirits. Ancient Siberian
peoples also used the ground polypore as snuff and varius Inuit
peoples of North America used to smoke ashes of the tinder bracket on
its own or after mixing it with tobacco. Peintner, U., Poder, R, and
Pumpel, U (1998) The iceman's fungi. Mycological Research 102(10):
1153-1162.
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Amanita muscaria without question plays a cultic
role in the folk medicine of the Shutul Valley. Inquiring about its
occurrence and use, we have received information that the so-called
"Raven's Bread",3 i.e., Amanita muscaria, is gathered in the late
spring of wet years from moist eroded rock crevices and undergoes
spontaneous drying in the blazing sun. In this way, the mushroom is
almost permanently preserved, provided that strict drying of this
hygroscopic material is ensured. Reduced to granulated form (we are
even told of mushroom-grinding mills that were used for this in the
past), A. muscaria is used by the inhabitants of the Shutul Valley as
a stimulant. They boil the Amanita granules with fresh mountain
snapweed (Impatiens noli-tangere subsp. montana) and soured
goat-cheese brine, in this way producing the well-known specialty,
Extract of Shutul (bokar). By mixing the mushroom with other
substances, twice the amount of fluid is obtained from half the amount
of mushrooms. In the hamlet of Qaf-e-Changar, at the upper reaches of
the Shutul, the calyx-tips of seed-bearing flowers of the malign
henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) are added to the Extract; it is used for
purposes of therapeutic massage, coming into effect by means of
transcutaneous stimulation.
Copyright © 2001-2003 Fungimap.
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