Dark Honey Fungus (Armillaria ostoyae)

Description

Meet the Dark Honey Fungus, an intriguing mushroom known for its slightly sweet and earthy flavor 🍯🌿 and a satisfying, chewy texture. Found across Europe, parts of Asia, and North America, it grows on both hardwood and conifers, proudly sporting cream-brown caps with distinct scales and a ring on its stem. 🍂🌲

⚠️ Caution! This mushroom must be cooked before eating as it can cause serious side effects if consumed raw. Some people may experience nausea, cramps, or stomach pain even after cooking. Also, avoid pairing it with alcohol or eating it within 12-24 hours of drinking. 🚫🍷

✨ But it’s not all warnings! This fungus is a treasure trove of antioxidants 🛡️, which help protect against chronic diseases, and its medicinal properties are still being explored. From bioluminescence (yes, it glows at night! 🌟) to bioremediation and mycorrhizal associations, it has some truly unique features!

🌳 However, it's not just good news for forests! Armillaria ostoyae is also a tree pathogen, causing growth loss, butt rot, and high mortality rates, especially in conifers. It spreads through its mycelial cords (rhizomorphs), allowing it to obtain nutrients over long distances, making it a formidable foe in plantations and natural stands. 🌲💀

🍽️ Culinary Delight: When cooked, Dark Honey Fungus shines in the kitchen! Its sweet and earthy taste enhances pasta, soups, and stuffings, adding a boost of flavor and antioxidants to your meals. 🍜🥘 Just make sure to cook it thoroughly!

🌿 Supplements & Wellness: Armillaria ostoyae extract, a concentrated form of this mushroom, is often used in traditional medicine and dietary supplements to promote health and wellness. But remember, always consult a healthcare professional before diving into any new supplement routine, as its safety and effectiveness in humans are still being studied. 🧪👩‍⚕️

Common names: Dark Honey Fungus, Shoe-String, Czech Republic (Václavka Smrková), Netherlands (Sombere honingzwam), German (Dunkler Hallimasch, Gemeiner Hallimasch).

Mushroom Identification

1. Cap

   0.79 to 5.91 inches (2 to 15 cm) in diameter, initially hemispherical or convex, with a bent edge, with a cotton-like membranous covering the gills, later convex-expanded, almost flat-expanded, with a tubercle in the middle, with a thin, pubescent edge. The surface of the cap is brown, reddish-brown, grayish-brown, and dark brown, covered with darker scales, thicker and darker in the center, with flaky remnants of the general cover on the edges.

2. Gills

   The hymenophore is lamellar. Gills are thick or of medium thickness, thin, accreted, sometimes slightly descending on the stem, initially whitish-yellowish, later darker.

3. Stem

   1.97 to 4.72 inches (5 to 12 cm) high, 0.16-0.39 inches (0.4 to 1.0 cm) in diameter, thickened to the base, straight or bent, solid, in mature specimens with a cavity, with a rapidly disappearing ring, fibrous. Has the same color as the surface of the cap or lighter, covered with light flaky scales, almost bare with age. The ring is whitish, quickly disappearing.

4. Flesh

   Fleshy, dense, whitish, with a pleasant mushroomy smell. Sometimes becoming pinkish-brown with maturity; often yellow in the stem base; unchanging when sliced.

5. Odor and Taste

   Weak acidic odor. Some people think it tastes somewhat sweet, but they could be reading that in from the name. Other people taste a mildly-bitter aftertaste.

6. Spores

   Oval, broadly elliptical, 8–10 x 5–7 µm, smooth, colorless.

7. Spore Print

   White.

8. Habitat

   Grows in deciduous and mixed forests, clearings, stumps and near them, tree roots, rotten wood and near trunks of living trees in groups and large groups.

9. Season

   September to November.

Look-Alikes

1. Armillaria gallica

   Grows mainly on hardwoods at lower elevations, and has a conspicuous tuber-like expanded base of the stem.

2. Armillaria borealis

   Produces slimmer and light-colored fruiting bodies with light scales on the cap. It usually grows in rich clumps on hardwoods.

3. Armillaria tabescens

   There are no stem rings, and the gills turn pink when they mature.

4. Armillaria mellea

   The cap is scaly with a yellowish stem ring. The ring does not have dark scales on its underside.

5. Pholiota squarrosa

   Usually similar in color and covered with scales. The gills turn rust-brown. It has a radish-like smell and taste.

6. Armillaria cepistipes

   Grows on conifers and deciduous trees, with fine scales on the cap, and an expanded base of the stem.

Health Benefits

1. Rich in antioxidants

   Honey mushrooms are a good source of antioxidants, which can protect against chronic disease by neutralizing free radicals. Studies have shown that specific compounds from honey mushrooms can effectively scavenge free radicals and prevent damage to cells.

2. Could help fght cancer cell growth

   While more research is still needed to determine how honey mushrooms may affect cancer in humans, some studies show that it could help block the growth and spread of cancer cells in vitro.

3. Protects brain health

   One of the most promising uses for honey mushroom treatment is its potential to enhance brain function and protect against neurodegenerative disorders.

4. May stabilize blood sugar

   High blood sugar can come with serious consequences, ranging from impaired headaches and increased thirst to impaired wound healing and vision problems.

Pet Safety

Hey there, pet lovers! 🐶🐱 Have you ever heard of Armillaria ostoyae, also known as the "Humongous Fungus"? 🍄🌳 This fascinating mushroom is famous for being one of the largest living organisms on Earth! But wait, before your furry friends start sniffing around, here's what you need to know! 🕵️‍♂️🔍

Is it toxic? 🤔❌ The good news is that Armillaria ostoyae isn't known to be highly toxic to dogs and cats. However, like many mushrooms, it's best to keep your pets away! 🚫🐾 Mushrooms can be tricky—some are harmless, but others can be a serious health risk. ⚠️

Why be cautious? 🤨 Even non-toxic mushrooms can cause tummy troubles, like vomiting or diarrhea. Plus, it's always hard to tell the safe ones from the dangerous ones. Better safe than sorry, right? 🏥🍂

What to do if your pet eats a mushroom? 🆘 If your fur baby takes a nibble, don't panic! But do call your vet right away for advice. 📞👩‍⚕️ Quick action can make all the difference!

Recipes

History

Armillaria ostoyae was first described by Henri Charles Louis Romagnesi in 1970 as Armillariella ostoyae. It was reclassified to its current genus by Czech mycologist Josef Herink in 1973. In the USA, some experts prefer the name Armillaria solidipes, based on a similar honey-colored mushroom described by Charles Horton Peck in 1900, which they consider the same species.

Synonyms

• Armillariella ostoyae Jahn, H. & M.-A. Jahn

• Agaricus congregatus Bolton, 1791

• Agaricus obscurus Schaeff. 1774

• Agaricus polymyces Pers. 1797

• Armillaria mellea var. obscura Gillet, 1874

• Armillaria obscura (Schaeff.) Herink 1973

• Armillaria polymyces (Pers.) Singer & Clémençon

• Armillaria solidipes Peck, 1900

• Armillariella obscura (Schaeff.) Romagn. 1978

• Armillariella ostoyae Romagn., 1970

• Armillariella polymyces (Pers.) Singer & Clémençon 1973

• Lepiota polymyces (Pers.) Gray

Photo sources:

Photo 1 - Author: Henk Monster (CC BY 3.0)

Photo 2 - Author: Kai Löhr (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Photo 3 - Author: Michel Langeveld (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Photo 4 - Author: Dr. Hans-Günter Wagner (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Photo 5 - Author: James Lindsey (CC BY-SA 2.5)