Honey Fungus
Honey fungus or Armillaria is a genus of parasitic fungi that live on trees and woody shrubs. It includes about 10 species formerly lumped together as A. mellea.
Armillaria is long lived and form some of the largest living organisms in the world. The largest single organism (of the species Armillaria ostoyae) covers more than 3.4 square miles (8.9 km˛) and is thousands of years old. Some species of Armillaria are bioluminescent and may be responsible for the phenomena known as foxfire and perhaps will o' the wisp.
As a forest pathogen, Armillaria can be very destructive. It is responsible for the "white rot" root disease (see below) of forests and is distinguished from Tricholoma (mycorrhizal) by this parasitic nature. Its high destructiveness comes from the fact that, unlike most parasites, it doesn't need to moderate its growth in order to avoid killing its host, since it will continue to thrive on the dead material.
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The fruiting bodies of the fungus are mushrooms that grow on wood, typically in cestipose clusters. The cap is 3–15 cm in diameter, typically has a honey yellow-brown color, and is covered with small dark scales. (Armillariella mellea with brown) The stem may or may not have a ring. All Armillaria species have a white spore print and none have a volva (see Amanita). Young Armillariella melleas caps are edible. Grossly similar species include Pholiota sp. which also grow in cestipose clusters on wood and fruit in the fall. However Pholiota sp. have a yellowish to greenish yellow cast and a dark brown to grey-brown spore print. Mushroom hunters need to be especially wary of Galerina sp. which can grow side by side with Armillaria sp. also on wood. Galerina has a dark brown spore print and is deadly poisonous (alpha-amanitin) – see: Mushroom poisoning. There are some reports of temporary stomach problems, especially when eaten raw, so the caps should be parboiled before use.
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