A Very Strange Mushroom In The Park Yesterday ~ Original Photography (and Possible Absurdities) ~
An Original Schteinn Science Report
~Second Edition~
I Need Help Identifying This Odd Mushroom In The Park
A Fungi Only It's Mother Could Love
A Grand Discovery
Biking through the park yesterday, I discovered a mushroom of the oddest variety. I've never seen one of these in all the years I've been in the woods, the city, or anywhere else mushrooms grow. As you can see, it was brown and white, and had a very strange texture. I would call it 'sticky', with a rather 'blobbose' physical appearance. Unfortunately, I didn't feel the surface, as I thought this might be bad for my skin.
The outer integument (covering) had a very odd, 'oozy' look to it as well, which seemed to move ever so slightly, and change almost imperceptive-ly as I photographed the mushroom. I've never heard of an organism exhibiting photographobic tendencies before, but I suppose this IS possible.
What is truly interesting, and introduces a more viable theory about this movement, is that the sunlight definitely appeared to have a detrimental effect on the mushroom's cap and body, as the outer surface changed in the short time I stayed to photograph the specimen.
Like The Dark Side Of The Moon
I'm wondering if this could be some sort of new, nocturnal species that normally only comes out at night, then retreats back underground during the day. This particular specimen somehow emerged and mistakenly persisted long after the darkness had waned. This would explain the mushroom's aversion to sunlight (rather than to the camera).
It is highly possible that when the mushroom is 'caught' out in the sunlight, it either dies through total disappearance, or 'drains' back to the soil, and then re-emerges the next time it is dark. I liken this to a melting ice cube in a sink going down the drain. In this case, the soil is the drain. Except the ice cube doesn't get to re-emerge when the sun comes back out. It goes to the sewer.
Though a serious Science Reporter, I'm certainly no mushroom expert, so I'm hoping some of our resident mushroom specialists on Steemit might be able to lend some help and advice in the identification process, if you are so inclined to attempt categorization of this odd thing.
Some Added Observances That May Help In The Identification Process
Point A.
It appears the mushroom emerged from some sort of hard covering or shell at the beginning of its existence. I'm guessing this is a tough outer spore-casing that splits and allows emergence and growth of the mushroom body. What is really interesting, is that the shell also disappeared rather slowly as I photographed our specimen. I have two theories about this:
A Shell Game
No. 1) Since it is part of the same mushroom, thus being nocturnal, the shell's daylight habits are also affected by sunlight. As the sun rises, the outer covering disappears with the light, as does the body. Evidently, the outer shell is designed to dissipate more quickly than the mushroom's primary structure, as most of it was long gone by this time of day, when compared to the still-relatively-intact main body of the specimen. (Photographed in late morning to early afternoon).
Or:
How To Eat Yourself
No. 2) And this is pretty spectacular, if I do say so myself. I'm calling this a 'self-parasitic symbiotic' organism. The mushroom feeds off it's own outer shell, thus greatly benefiting, yet consumes part of itself in the process. One would assume this consumption of a part of the whole, though odd, would be a benefit, providing the mushroom nutrients and sustenance. I like to think of it as a fungus self-recycling system. Wouldn't THAT be an incredible discovery of the Scientific Process.
Point B.
In this photo, you can see the mushroom appears to be surrounding a small leafy-green weed. The mushroom structure is actually moving, taking over the leaf, much like the pseudopods of an amoeba when it encounters a physical object. Once again, this suggests two possible scenarios involving this new species.
Works Well On A Windy Day
No. 1) The mushroom is using the leaf as a physical substrate to 'hold fast' against buffeting winds or other types of motion-induced stressors of the park, such as animals, small children, or errant sporting equipment. Though certainly viable, I am also leaning against this theory, as there was little activity of a wild nature on the small hill where the specimen was located, and, even more importantly, there is little wind this close to the ground anywhere in the park.
Or:
Pass The Salad, Please
No. 2) This is a here-to-date unknown species of herbivorous mushroom. For the lay person reading this article, a herbivore eats only plants. Amazing as it might seem, this mushroom may be eating photosynthetic plants as a food source.
One would expect that if the mushroom WAS feeding on a green plant, the specimen would take on a greenish color due to the consumption of the chlorophyll encased in the plant it is consuming. This mushroom is obviously not green, but brown and white. However, it is possible only the roots of the mushroom are green. This happens in nature sometimes.
Once again, I did not want to dig around in the dirt to check for this telltale green color underground, as I did not want to touch the mushroom. It might have germs. This theory requires further deep study of the root system by someone with a PhD or Masters of Study.
Summary
I hope this article has been helpful to all you mushroom experts out in the field of Steemit, and if you have any ideas about this new mushroom, please let me know what you think. I'm hoping that this is a new species of mushroom, not known to Science at this point, and I might have it named after me in the Science Books.
Thank you for stopping in and reading from this little corner of the World of Science.
A Huge Shout Out, with a reporter's official megaphone goes to @ocrdu for designing and creating this wonderful credential (above) for The Schteinn Report. Not only is it gorgeous and well developed, but I now have access and entry into places I'm probably not supposed to be. ( I really appreciate @ocrdu creating this card for me, as I've been waiting for MONTHS for my 'Official Reporters Card' from The Newcastle Online Reporting School Of Pretty Good Journalism -Apollo Beach, FL. They have not been returning my calls, it seems they have moved to a new address.)
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I'm fairly certain that what you've discovered is the rarely photographed swirled-queen-dipper mushroom. Every spore emitted from this prized mushroom drifts with the wind and lands on the site of a future Dairy Queen franchise location!
I have not read about this one in my Science Books, but will look it up. It WOULD explain many of the inconsistencies I've been wrestling with all day today. I will head right out tonight to find one of these Dairy Queen establishments, so I can go check it out. I do suppose that could be one of the little-known spore-cannon, in the example A, to the right of the A. Explains a lot.
Thanks for your Scientific Know-how and willingness to share it.
I do believe I have seen several of these before... they seem to emerge mostly on hot summer days, and can often be find in grassy areas where one also encounters running children. They appear to be partially photoreactive... at least their perceptible movements seem to slow when the sun goes behind a cloud. Sorry, can't be of any more help than that...
LOL. Thanks for your astute observations. I've received many suggestions about their proximity to children, as well as a whole lot of the tasting thing. Seems to be some correlation. Think I will return today, hold my nose, get down in the grass and dirt, and see how it goes. My only hope is that no-one has moved or disturbed it in the last 3 days. The photo-reactivity is something to test too. Can I borrow your lightmeter? And a baggy for a cover? Thanks...
We need more of this kind of science!! It looks like a sleepy oozy daschund mushroom!!
Hmm, that does sound highly plausible. I'm glad to have your expert input into this dilemma. Only through Pure Science are all things possibly understandable and understandably possible.
Well it seems quite patently obvious that we are pure scientists!!
"There could be no doubt", said with a touch of snobbish panache. And though a staunch devotee to the Science of the Sciences, I defer my pinnacular pedestalization to the gentleman from across wide, blue waterbody.
For it is he, through incredible mental fore-thoughtance and certain creative toolkittery, has placed into existence, his very own, self-actualized robotic device. (Though I feel, when applied as willing assistant within the fields of office organization, appliance repairmanship and banknote shufflage, we must 'nip in the bud' this rather nasty habit possessed of this new, square-headed practitioner of the trades, of important appendage removal of fellow, biweekly-waged toil-ees. Darn hard on troop moral. )
And it is thus that I must confess from across the far blue water, I am no longer in control of said square headed contrivance. It is with great apology I must admit. I think he is in his way over for a visit!!
Oh Dear...
Excellent find dear friend @ddschteinn this encounter shocked the world, this is an example of scientific mutation, not surprised tomorrow, all surrounded by perimeter by the authorities of the naza.
I verified that it was not a melted ice cream of American cream and dulce de leche, right?
It is true pleasure dear friend to visit your blog, I admire your power of imagination and writing, congratulations, thank you very much for sharing
Have a beautiful weekend
Oh dear, I have shocked the world, I fear all the way to the southern tip. I do appreciate your ruling out the dulce de leche theory, as that was one of my first thoughts, though not entirely testable, as I did not touch the mushroom, it had no odor, and I most certainly did not taste it as well. (It WAS in the dirt!) And now the authorities will probably not let me near it two days later.
I greatly appreciate your appreciation of my skills in the realm of Science and it's Writing, as it took much schooling to get to this point. (Please see credential.) I most certainly hope you have a wonderful weekend as well.
Are you absolutely sure someone didn't drop a chocolate and vanilla ice cream?!?!! lol. Or I presume you mushroom got mushed? But hey, what do I know? Its not like I'm a learned mushroom expert lol.
I did think about tasting it, but decided against it, too much dirt below. A Scientist has to have some integrity, after all. Wouldn't do to be lying in the grass in the park, eating mushrooms with my hands, I might receive a fine or something. Thanks for your input and it actually sounds like you know alot about these things.
Good finding! This is really strange mushroom that I haven't ever seen before! It looks like ice-cream and this makes me feel hungry now! Anyway, thank you for the various theories for the mushroom, our great Science Reporter! Great works! :)
Nothing like some classic Eddie to jump start my Saturday AM. Laughing and smiling ear to ear, few do it better. Thanks. Though I'm not entirely sure what this has to do with my new mushroom discovery...( :
Hmmmm, was there a sound of a crying child somewhere in the distance I wonder? Of course I'm not suggesting that this is anything but a mushroom, I would never, only that the child upon seeing this mushroom suddenly had a hankering for something sweet and cold and began to beg their mom to bring them to the nearest dairy queen....
This theory may have merit, I'll have to consult 'the books'. I can see how you might think this, as it was brown and white, and Dairy Queen does have similar fare...but how are we to know they aren't serving MUSHROOMS in cones to US, and we just don't know the difference in flavour. After all, all we know, we've taught ourselves. Deep Science, for a time way too late into the next day's beginning. (I'm sure you are smart, and not messing about on Steemit at all hours of the night, like some of us. Time for bed).