Mycelial bonding

[David Humphries]

This Nat geographic story looks at a couple of design students who are making furniture from wood chip impregnated with the mycelium of Fomes fomentarius.

 

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/09/mushroom-fungi-furniture-video-spd/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=link_fb20170922news-fungusfurniturevideo&utm_campaign=Content&sf116090384=1

 

I've often found examples out in the field where the mycelium sticks things together.

 

like these branches which are bonded by a Phellinus species. (Possibly P. ferruginosus)

 

 

 

 

I once left a couple of P. ignarius brackets in flower pot for a few nights (I'm kinda weird that way) and they became bonded together by the mycelium of one of them.

 

 

 

looks like like these students might be on to something.

 

 

 

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[Khriss]

Would be good ( if it ever becomes possible ) to see how this behaviour works underground - it must have many implications on tree development and the wider ecology of woodlands. K