Latest news with #Fungusofthe
Scoop
18-05-2025
- Science
- Scoop
Researchers Uncover Giant 30-year-old Fungus Near Eltham
A trio of fungal experts stumbled across the largest Ganoderma specimen they had ever seen during the annual New Zealand Fungal Foray this week in Taranaki. A trio of fungal experts stumbled across the largest Ganoderma specimen they had ever seen during the annual New Zealand Fungal Foray this week in Taranaki. PhD student Sam Lasham found the enormous Ganoderma bracket fungi, which was almost 82 centimetres wide and 45cm deep and thought to be about 30 years old, on a rotten stump at Rotokare near Eltham on Thursday afternoon, after a day of collecting. Two others on the stump were almost as big. He was accompanied by the academic leading the expedition, Dr Peter Buchanan from Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, and Auckland teacher teacher Gerrie Viljoen. Lasham said the Ganoderma was a perennial. 'It can keep growing out and down, but only if there's enough food behind it, on the stump that it's growing on.' But Buchanan said he had never seen one this size before in 45 years of looking, and estimated the fungus was about 30 years old. Around 50 fungal experts and enthusiasts from across the country are taking part in the four day event, which ends Saturday. Participants observed and photographed fungi in surrounding native forests, some of which are unlikely to have been previously studied for their fungi. The foragers have permission from iwi/hapū, the Department of Conservation and Taranaki Council to collect them. Several of the forests being accessed during this Foray are unlikely to have been previously studied for their fungi. Fungus of the Year 2025 This year's foray includes a 'Fungus of the Year' promotion with 12 fungal candidates to vote from. People can vote for their favourite fungus, or maybe vote for a fungus that is threatened, or culturally important, or edible, or (on the negative side) one that's causing an important disease. As a Kingdom entirely separate from plants, and more closely related to animals, fungi come in so many shapes, colours and forms.
Scoop
15-05-2025
- Science
- Scoop
Working The ‘Shroom: The New Zealand Fungal Foray Heads To Taranaki
Press Release – Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research This week (11-17 May) sees the 36th annual New Zealand Fungal Foray taking place in the forests near Urenui, Taranaki. Staff at Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research began the Fungal Forays back in 1986, under the auspices of the DSIR, and have forayed across different regions in the country almost every year since then. Forays are organised by the Fungal Network of New Zealand Inc. ( with members drawn from Manaaki Whenua, Scion, universities, DOC, iwi/hapu, NGOs, botanical societies, and the general community. Each year, the Foray aims to provide new knowledge of the fungi in our native forests and other environments, documenting new records of fungi, new host relationships, and possibly species new to science. Several of the forests being accessed during this Foray are unlikely to have been previously studied for their fungi. The Foray is also a meeting point to share knowledge and help anyone interested in learning more about the amazing world of the Fungi, the second largest Kingdom of life on this planet. Around 50 people have registered for the event from across the country, with lots of new faces. Over 4 days, participants will be observing and photographing fungi in surrounding native forests, where they have permission from iwi/hapu, DOC, and Council to collect. Photos will be entered on iNaturalist to document the finds and establish a snapshot of the fungi visible at this time. Some specimens will be collected and brought back to Urenui Community Hall for identification and display purposes. Identification will be by a combination of professional expertise, literature, and microscope observations, coupled later with DNA sequencing. Specimens will be dried overnight and prepared for accessioning in the national collection, the NZ Fungarium, managed by Manaaki Whenua (Auckland), and also for collections at Scion (Rotorua) and the University of Otago. Some specimens will also be cultured to produce a live colony on an agar medium, later to be deposited in the national living collection of fungi, deep frozen in liquid nitrogen. This collection, the ICMP Culture Collection, is also managed by Manaaki Whenua in Auckland. Students and teachers were hosted from the adjacent Urenui School on Tuesday afternoon to show them some of the fungi in their forests, and on Wednesday 14 May the Foray participants presented illustrated talks on their fungal research or other relevant topics at the Hall. Fungus of the Year 2025 This year, participants have developed a 'Fungus of the Year' promotion to launch at the Foray – a simple online poll to engage and raise the profile of often-overlooked fungi: Vote for NZ's fungus of the year! – Manaaki Whenua Interactives: Vote for your favourite fungus, or maybe vote for a fungus that is threatened, or culturally important, or edible, or (on the negative side) one that's causing an important disease. As a Kingdom entirely separate from plants, and more closely related to animals, fungi come in so many shapes, colours and forms. This promotion was run some years ago when the 'sky blue mushroom' on our $50 banknote gained the most votes, so we've removed that option from the 12 fungal candidates for 2025.
