Jack-O-Lantern Mushroom (Omphalotus illudens)

Maybe not the Jack-O-Lantern that first comes to mind. This one is a fungus. And a mushroom that is toxic to humans whether they are eaten cooked or raw. This one can easily be confused with edible Chanterelles. Don’t eat the Jack-O-Lantern Mushrooms!

This mushroom has a faint glow in the dark, in the gills, while the fungus is young. In order to see that faint glow you must be sure your eyes are adapted to the dark, allowing 15 or 20 minutes for them to adjust. Researchers think this bioluminescence serves as a way to attract insects to the mushrooms. And those insects will provide spore dispersal.

These mushrooms are found in clusters on decaying stumps, and at the base of deciduous trees in eastern North America.

If you are into eating wild mushrooms, be certain you are not eating these Jack-O-Lantern Mushrooms.

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