Following a warm, rainy night in central Missouri, clusters of Jack-o-Lantern mushrooms adorn our Columbia yard, rising from the decaying roots of past shade trees. Named for their orange color and for the fact that they typically appear in autumn, these attractive fungi are poisonous. In fact, their toxin is currently under investigation as a possible chemotherapeutic agent for various cancers.
In addition, Jack-o-Lantern mushrooms are among the fungi that are bioluminescent, emitting a faint, greenish glow that is visible at night. As with other fungi, the colorful mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of a much larger organism, composed of a vast network of mycelia that retrieve nutrients from dead organic matter. Of course, the mushrooms are transient reproductive structures and some mycologists believe that the bioluminescence may attract creatures that facilitate spore dispersal.
Not a mushroom expert, I prefer to enjoy wild species with my eyes and stick to store-bought mushrooms for my meals. No doubt, I am missing out on the flavor of freshly-picked specimens but, for some of us, avoiding acute gastroenteritis is a higher priority.
