Rainy season brings glow-in-the-dark mushrooms

Glowing mushroomsWith the arrival of Japan’s rainy season, a mysterious type of green, glow-in-the-dark mushroom begins to sprout in Wakayama prefecture. The Mycena lux-coeli mushrooms, known locally as shii no tomobishi-dake (literally, “chinquapin glow mushrooms”), sprout from fallen chinquapin trees. As they grow, a chemical reaction involving luciferin (a light-emitting pigment contained within the mushrooms) occurs, causing them to glow a ghostly green.

The luminescent mushrooms were long believed to be indigenous solely to Tokyo’s Hachijojima Island after they were discovered there in the early 1950s. In 1995, however, mycologists found the fungus growing wild in coastal areas of the southern Kii peninsula, as well as in Kyushu and other areas.

The mushrooms thrive in humid environments, popping up during Japan’s rainy season, which typically lasts from the end of May to July. The caps can grow to as large as 2 cm (about 1 inch) in diameter, but because the mushrooms are prone to dehydration, they only have a few days to live once the rain stops.

[Source: Mainichi Shimbun]

29 Responses to “Rainy season brings glow-in-the-dark mushrooms”

  1. Kve

    Cool. I wonder, if i can to buy some anywhere?

    [Reply]

  2. Cube

    These are in the video game metal gear sold 3 a japan made game.

    There is a joke that if you eat them they recarhge your equipment battery”.

    The games character says there tasty.

    [Reply]

  3. izaac

    It iz really really sweet

    [Reply]

  4. debe

    we have jsut found one in our back yard in australia byron bay it was so exciting
    one only but its exactly as the pic above

    [Reply]

  5. Michael Hill

    I live in Queensland, Australia and have found this type of mushroom growing on a living living tree (Cycaid palm). They olny germinate after 2-3 days of rain in summer. I was looking at ways to cultivate these mushrooms. I have samples and was looking for someone who knows an simple way to grow these on demand.
    michaelgrahamhill@hotmail.com

    [Reply]

  6. Ninja Frost

    Are they didible?….????…??

    [Reply]

  7. Ninja Frost

    edible??

    [Reply]

  8. Glenn G

    I saw numerous glowing white fungi, just north of sydney , fascinating, was just checking the web to find out a little more about them.

    [Reply]

  9. Jeff in Boston

    I’ve seen small, shelf-like mushrooms on an island in Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire, USA, that were luminescent. This was after I consumed about 2 bottles of wine on my own but I have photographic proof. Not nearly as nice as this picture, though – excellent work!

    [Reply]

  10. dr e

    no they are not edible, it glows because the enzymes are unstable. it is excited under certain conditions like firefly bioluminesence and warm hot dry air reacts.

    [Reply]

  11. dr e

    most mushrooms are poisonous, you shouldn’t cultivate what you don’t know.

    some mushroom spores can even kill you, so becareful.

    i’ve seen people eat the wrong mushrooms yet they look so similiar and they died of excessive vomiting and external bleeding

    “A thai family died from poisonous mushrooms, child survives without family.”

    [Reply]

  12. I would like to know were when and how to buy this Mycena lux-coeli mushrooms (shii no tomobishi-dake ).And also want ot know cost per Quantity.

    [Reply]

  13. klowchad

    Hum… rainy season huh… Does any one know how to reproduce them? I got some in my back yard and I really want to trans plant them to my garden but there not very many of them!

    [Reply]

  14. dd12783

    you can buy them online at sporeworks.com.Luminescent Panellus and ghost fungus. They tell you all about toxicity and so on. At least one is that Australia one your talking about

    [Reply]

  15. Cold

    Yah they say they are poisonous.. but thats only cause they dont want you to eat them and obtain the magical powers they hold!

    [Reply]

  16. sskyec

    im on the gold coast and have them growing on a cycad palm in my back yard. 3 of my friends were really drunk and ate some last night they seem fine didnt make them high or any thing probably harmful in high doses though

    [Reply]

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