Fungus and Forbs, Union Bay Natural Area, 5/24

Fungus:

Mushrooms are one of the oldest living species in the world that are still around today and roughly 500 million years ago their size resembled a small hill. Scientists aren't sure why they suddenly began shrinking in size long before they had any predators, but one theory is other fungus became competition for resources. The modern shape of mushrooms, the umbrella top, developed at the same time of flowering plants about 200-300 million years ago. Recently, researchers have begun studying fungus for medicinal uses and several uses have been found. There are types of fungus that can help with cancer treatments, oil spills, and other drugs like penicillin. To see more cool ways mushrooms help follow this link to watch a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI5frPV58tY

At the UBNA site we found a lachara and is an early succession fungus. The coolest thing about this identification is it signals that an area is returning to its natural state. UBNA was used as a landfill and dumping ground for about 40 years and has only been a protected habitat for thirty years.

The Artist's Conk (Artist's Bracket) is a shelf fungus and is a brownish color. The name of this fungus comes from its surface having the quality to scratch a design onto it and it will stay permanently, making some turned in to art pieces. It can be prepared with tea as an anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial and anti-viral supplement and is also known to be used in medicine.

Another species found in the grassy lawns adjacent to one pond is the Japanese Parasol mushroom. Their caps fan out like a parasol and their ribbed surface helps to spread their spores quickly. They have a very short life span of only 24 hours and will pop up in little clusters. We were lucky to see a matured version and then one that was about eight or nine hours younger. At the beginning of their life cycle they are a stem with a red top, and then eventually the top fans out and creates the parasol shape and is a brownish color.

Forbs:

To start, a form is a flowering herb-like plant that is non-woody (i.e. a rose plant). Not many people know what a forb is until given a definition and a few examples. Many plants that people know are actually considered forbs and UBNA is full of them. Most of these forbs were introduced to UBNA back in the 60's when it was first converted from a landfill to a nature habitat when soil was imported from other areas containing seeds of these plants.

Tall buttercup: This is an invasive species to the region coming from Europe. It is easily recognizable because the bright yellow petals. They are toxic to animals and since they grow in fields and grassy areas they are extremely harmful to livestock populations. It does have a bitter taste but that doesn't always affect a grazing animal and it will kill them. The buttercup is on the weed of concern list.

One of the most interesting forbs I learned about was the dandelion. It is such simple plant that I have grown up seeing everywhere but it has so many uses. It is part of the sunflower family and Washington State has the highest concentration of dandelions in the nation. Just about every part of the plant can be used for something.The flower can be made into wine, which has a sweet taste and is often mixed with honey. If you break the stem the white substance that comes out can be rubbed on skin to remove freckles. I found this part especially interesting because I have a to of freckles and have never heard of anything that removes them. Also the leaves can be crushed and made into tea.

By the water edge we could smell the Skunk Cabbage before seeing it. We learned that the plant has the infamous smell because it generates body heat. It likes to grow in shaded marshy areas and has leaves that can reach up to 5 feet long. Their waxy surface was used by Native Americans to wrap fish and other meats but even though the plant is edible it is not usually consumed. The sulfur dioxide smell of the plant attracts beetles and flies that pollinate the plant.

Species List:
Ionside Fiber
Lachara fungus
Artist's Conk
Turkey Tail (white rot)
Sterium
Tramedes
Hypoxilum
dacrymeyces Stillatus
Japanese Parasol mushroom
Laratiomyces percavalli
Large Leaf lupin
Morning Glory
Horsetail
Queen's Ainsley
Tall Buttercup
Dandelion
Skunk Cabbage
Common Vetch

Posted on June 2, 2012 03:54 PM by karavanslyck