The Fungus Among Us
The largest living thing on earth is thought to be a honey fungus growing in Oregon’s Blue Mountains. Chefs may praise the yellow-brown mushrooms but the mycelia — a vast network of tubular filament — that stretches under 2,400 acres of soil is roundly damned for killing off local trees. The mycelia of most mushrooms actually assist plants by linking their roots on a massive subterranean information highway. Through the mycelia, flora share nutrients and spread toxins to ward off unwanted invaders. Mature trees will even use the network to feed a sapling that is overshadowed. Professor of Mycology Dr. Dennis Desjardin is no stranger to these wonders. Working in such toadstool hotspots as Hawaii, Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil, and São Tomé , he has described 250 new species and seven new genera of mushrooms, co-authoring two extensive field guides. His most recent focus is the evolution of super-cool bioluminescent fungi, but California mushrooms, which Desjardin has been studying for more than 60 years, are his specialty.
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