31/10/2021
Happy Halloween!
Bioluminescent fungi, known as ghost mushrooms, haunt an old banksia tree.
It’s still unclear why these mushrooms glow in the dark. Some suggest they attract nocturnal bugs and animals, aiding in spore dispersal. Others suggest that it is simply a metabolic coincidence.
Journals from early European occupation in Australia, suggest that when consulting with some Aboriginal Nations, such as the Kombumerri peoples of south-eastern Queensland, many approached the topic with apprehension — referring to the glowing mushrooms as spirits.
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Location: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.
Ghost Mushroom (Omphalotus nidiformis)
Information reference:
Pouliot, A, The Fungi Awaken in the Southern Otways…, Southern Otway Landcare Network, viewed 31 October 2021,