Mushrooms come in many shapes and sizes, from giants to the tiny threads. They often grow in hidden places, suddenly and seemingly emerge without any warning. They come in beautiful range of colours. Some are hard and brittle and some so delicate. Some are edible, have medicinal values and while some others are toxic!! And I have been hearing many myths about these “magical” fungi.
23/03/25; 5.30pm
Kozhikode, Kerala
11.2169° N, 75.8176° E
31°C 79%humidity
Photo:Ayana
(Looks like Lentinus of the family Polyporaceae)
I found these mushrooms growing in clusters attached to tree stump. The cap of the mushroom has a distinct texture (diameter 3- 6cm). Light brown in colour. Cap margins are curved inwards.
Gills are attached to the stem. White to cream coloured. Gills are crowded and narrow.
Stem is 4-5cm long,<0.5cm thick. Stem colour is white. Noted a mild and earthy smell.
What is the significance of mushroom gills?What the gills has to do with spore dispersal?
On 12/04/25, I went to the place again. Some of the mushrooms have changed their colour to light -dark brown. While some new ones have sprouted.
Why do mushrooms change colour as they age??
@Theertha @KiranKalakotiR
12/04/25 at 3.pm
Nallalam, Kozhikode
Photo: Ayana
{[12/04, 7:05 pm] ayanasudheer: Spotted some tiny beetles near my home!
Can you guess from where I have found these beetles? @Akhil Gupta Cube @Theertha Cube @Kiran CUBE @HBCSE Arunan MC
12/04/25
7pm
Nallalam, Kozhikode
[12/04, 7:11 pm] Akhil Gupta Cube: On a Fungus??
[12/04, 7:12 pm] ayanasudheer: Yaaasss!!! Between the gills of a mushroom.
[12/04, 7:13 pm] Akhil Gupta Cube: Amazing
[12/04, 7:15 pm] Dr. Dinesh Datta: That looks very familiar.
Whats that fungus name?
[12/04, 7:16 pm] ayanasudheer: May be lentinus. Not sure.
[12/04, 7:17 pm] Akhil Gupta Cube: Now it makes me wanna draw it:sparkles:
just look at those beautiful septa
[12/04, 7:19 pm] ayanasudheer: Sorry, which part is the septa?
[12/04, 7:22 pm] Akhil Gupta Cube: I was referring to lines - Gills part
They are not called septa
But in latin any demarcation between a plane is septa weather or not its officially assigned to a morphology"}
I looked under the cap to see how beautifully the gills were arranged. But I was so surprised to see some insects moving between them! It looked like aphids to me, first! I observed it very closely🔎. I could see that antennae and legs so well. They weren’t aphids but beetles!!!
What were they doing between the gills? Why only on gills? I couldn’t spot any of them on stalk or cap. Do they have any connection with the spore dispersal? Do they feed on fungus!??I got curious:astonished:
