ShroomHengeby
L1Comment: Originally posted by ajschmidt:
As mycelia grow out from a tree they form long rings around the wettest parts. In this case the tree had very symmetrical branches and leaves. Even though the tree is long gone the mushrooms still bud from the same mycelia. If you Identify the type of mushroom, you could find out what type of tree was there. |
These are actually probably not tree-based (as it were), but grow in grassy areas just like this.
It is correct that the
mycelia -- fine thread-like structures, are growing only at the outer edge, where the mushrooms - which are actually only the spore-bearing "fruiting bodies" -- spring up under proper moisture/climate conditions. The distribution pattern is exactly the same as that left by the fungal skin infection known (deceptively) as "ringworm."
As the plant continues to grow outward, the grass in the middle may actually appear more luxuriant than that outside, as it's being fertilized by the organic components left over from the fungus having broken down dead material in the soil.
Note that this is a single plant (or organism ... they're not exactly plants). It will continue to grow outwards until it dies, although it may no longer form a complete, continuous ring.
There is one fungus (not the same kind though) growing in (I think Oregon) which has been genetically traced and determined to be spread over something like 10 square kilometers ...
aahhh ... here's one link about it.
For further (and more accurate!) information on our fungal friends I highly recommend
Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora.
I haven't seen him in umpteen years, but his books are widely acknowledged among the mycologically-inclined to be among the best around.
When he was an undergrad at UC Santa Cruz he was already the "Head Growth" and a darned good table-tennis and pool player to boot. I once saw him play a game of 8-Ball (or something ...) using an old broomstick as a cue ... Message edited by author 2004-11-10 03:23:14. 
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