Springbrook Research Centre 2509 Springbrook Road Springbrook. Queensland.4213 Australia

The discovery and naming of a non-bioluminescent mushroom growing on luminous substrate.

Mycena delicatum [ Maguire 2006 ]

by Garry.R.Maguire
03-07-2006
Springbrook Research Centre

This study is constantly updated with new findings being added to compliment the study.


PREFACE:

In 1988 the author found large areas of glowing forest floor at night here during our late spring and summer wet season usually from early November through to March. The bulk of our annual rainfall occurs in this warm period.
Fallen leaves in the very early stages of decomposition on the ground glow very brightly on moonless nights, and the luminescence can easily be mistaken as moonlight reflection on wet leaves.
On close inspection of a sample leaf, the whole leaf glows quite brightly.

The areas where these luminous leaves occur are also occupied with an as yet unidentified luminous caterpillar and also by giant bioluminescent earthworms.
I have found 3 distinct patches of luminous forest floor, the largest area being approximately 2.5HA .
The bioluminescence displayed occurs on large patches of forest litter during the decomposition process.

Mycena delicatum (Status = luminous substrate reaction common, mushroom sightings rare)

By far the smallest mushroom growing on bioluminescent material found here to date.
It has a pileus diameter of 1mm - 1.5mm and a stipe length of approximately 8mm - 12mm.
This minute variety only grows on decomposing leaf material that I previously described as being luminous leaf litter.

These tiny mushrooms growing on brightly luminous leaf material are not bioluminescent.
It appears a fungus has been found that causes a bioluminescent reaction on the substrate material even though
the fruitbodies are not bioluminescent.

14-01-2006
Tonight after a period of prolonged rainfall a new find of the smallest of all our mushroom discoveries to date growing on the luminous leaves.

	Mycena delicatum (formerly Type "E" mushroom for study purposes) (Status = luminous substrates common, mushroom sightings rare) By far the smallest mushroom on bioluminescent material ever found here to date has a pileus diameter of 1mm -1.5mm and a stipe length of 8mm -12mm. Only grows on decomposing leaf material on the rainforest floor.
	Apologies for the quality of the pics, all taken quickly by DV camcorder. The object on lower RHS is a match head to give perspective to the size of the subject.
	These mushrooms do not generate bioluminescence, yet the  substrate material itself is bioluminescent.
	Same subject taken 8 hours later, starting to wilt.
	This exceptionally large specimen was found growing on a stalk of a luminous leaf on 15-02-2006
	Same specimen as above, underside view.
	Pic taken 12-06-2008. The leaf bearing the fruitbodies is approximately 50mm long and was spotted at a distance of approximately 5 metres due to it's intense bioluminescence. The surgical fine tweezer tips indicate the size of the fruitbodies. Click image for larger view.
	28-02-2011 Spores of Mycena delicatum at 10x magnification through a CCD CMOS camera.

12-06-2008
A long term study of this mushroom is being carried out in situ in the rainforest.
This mushroom is an unusual find as it contradicts the fixed idea in the world of mycology that "luminous fungi produce luminous fruitbodies".
note: only two of four new bioluminescent Mycenae found here at Springbrook actually display luminous mycelium, and this new mushroom named Mycena delicatum is yet another example of variation in that the fruitbodies are not bioluminescent.
It is actually the mycelium that generates the remarkable bioluminescence.

20-12-2011
A larger than usual specimen found growing on a piece of tree bark

A  better close up photo of a specimen growing on the bark of a dead Shiny Myrtle branch in a very wet shaded area. Click the image for a larger view.
Composite photo illustrating the size of the mushrooms. Click the image for a larger view.

Past observations:

12-12-2001  A 12 metre by 0.5metre strip of forest floor has been cut to a depth of 150mm transported on sheets of plywood and transplanted into our underground facility , kept at a stable temperature ranging between 17-23 degrees Celsius and a relative humidity of 90% in total darkness.

26-09-2002 The surface coating of decomposing leaves is still glowing in the underground facility whereas the outside natural environment in this current dry weather shows no sign of luminescence at all.

18-10-2002 Bioluminescence still evident, but patchy.

16-03-2003 Still glowing . Humidity has been decreased to 70% to observe the effects on growth.

16-04-2003 The reduction in humidity has had little effect on the luminosity with surface leaves still glowing.
The insect life brought into our enclosed environment with the original forest litter and sub-soil has however multiplied and is starting to create havoc with other experiments of different fungi .
The sub soil and material has broken down into soft mud as a result of lack of subterranean drainage.  Consequently this project will be terminated soon and pursued at a later date, preferably in a separate self-contained environment on existing soil.

10-11-2004 Three years after the original strip of leaf litter and soil was introduced into our enclosed environment the insect problem seems to have stabilized. Now that the cold weather has passed, warmer conditions and a top dressing of leaf litter has the sample bed once again exuding bioluminescent properties over the total length of the 12m x 0.5m containment area.

20-11-2005 Due to the decomposition process it requires a top-dressing of fallen leaf material every 3 months, and a daily application of surface moisture. The bed is still glowing after 4 years in total darkness.

12-02-2008 As the forest litter has decomposed into humus thanks to fungal and insect interaction it was decided to remove the whole
bed of forest litter and the insect population to save the fruiting of several different types of luminous mushrooms being carried out in the same area.

Published 03-02-2006
G.Maguire