Fungi help to recycle fallen timber and organic debris. If it were not for the important role played by fungi, the diversity of understorey plants species would be greatly reduced. Fungi also return nitrogen from the air into the soil so that other plants are able to benefit. Keep your eyes on the ground if you want to see some of the diverse types of fungi found in Lamington National Park.

Cryptotrama fungi
Photo: Glenn Threlfo

 

 Cryptotrama sp. 
Cryptotrama asprata

A small genus with a single Australian representative. These have a pigmented stem covered with long woolly hairs, which form into clusters. The cap of this fungus can be up to 5cm in daimeter, at first spherical then convex and finally flat. When it is young it is covered with large conical orange warts which consist of bunches of hairs adhering at their apices (glossary). The background colour of the cap is lemon yellow to reddish orange. The stem of this mushroom is up to 5cm high and moderately slender, hollow and pale yellow above and orange below. 
Luminous fungi 
Mycena chlorophanos
This species is found on fallen logs in the rainforests of Queensland and northern New South Wales. The luminosity of this fungi is due to a biochemical reaction. The light emission is produced by a luciferin-luciferase reaction (the same type that is occuring in luminous bacteria, fish and fireflies).

This fungi is eaten by the Giant Panda Snail. 
 
Luminous fungi (Photo: Glenn Threlfo)

Maiden Veil Fungi (Photo: Glenn Threlfo)		 Maiden Veil fungi 
Dictyophora indusiata
Occurs on rich soil in moist spots in forests, especially rainforests. (NSW, QLD). It emergenges from a greyish to pale pink 'egg' up to 4cm in diameter, and expands to a cylindrical white stem up to 20cm tall and 3cm in diameter (it is hollow). the top features a conical to bell-shaped cap from which hangs a white latticed veil nearly to the ground. In old specimens the latticed veil (called an indusium) may disintegrate. 

 

Earth Stars
Photo: Glenn Threlfo
Earth Stars
These fungi begin forming as puffballs, and when the outer skin splits it folds back to form a star shape with a round centre. Spores are released into the air through a hole at the top of the round body in this fungus.
 


Rainbow Fungi
Photo: Glenn Threlfo
Rainbow Fungi
Rainbow Fungi is a type of bracket fungi that can be found growing on both living and dead trees.
 
 
 


Photo: Glenn Threlfo
Coral Fungi
Photo: Glenn Threlfo

Coral Fungi
Photo: Glenn Threlfo
Coral Fungi
Coral or club fungi are fleshyclub or coral-shaped structures, some of which look much like cauliflower.


Cup Fungi
Photo: Glenn Threlfo


Photo: Iedema

references
C.J. Shepperd & C.J. Totterdell (1988) Mushrooms and Toadstools of Australia, Inkata Press Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia.

Churchett, Graham (1982) All in a Day's Walk, Australia.