Fungi Perfecti - The Finest Mushroom Products. North Beach Mushrooms. Radical Mycology. Radical Mycology - Spore Liberation Front Primer. Bioluminescence in mushrooms. My talented student Emily Isaacs wrote this post. She bravely took both my outdoorsy Mushrooms class and my creepy class in Medical and Veterinary Mycology. It’s the 21st Century and ‘glow-in-the-dark’ is all the rage. We put plastic stars on our ceilings that shine in the night to mimic the constellations and we insert genes into our zebrafish to make them glisten in their tanks. From nail polish and glow sticks to now even puppies, we’re fascinated by our ability to manipulate objects otherwise unseen in the dark.
The phenomenon in nature is called bioluminescence and is restricted to a small group of species. Various other organisms also bioluminesce. In comparison, bioluminescence in mushrooms is often assumed to play roles in spore dispersal and increased survival. The next time you step out in the woods at night, leave your flashlight home–if you look closely enough, you may find yourself face-to-face with one of these fascinating bioluminescent mushrooms.
References: Barua, A.