What is this unusual fungus/mold found in a humidor?

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A user is seeking identification for a fungus or mold found in their humidor, described as deep buttery yellow and feathery, resembling cotton candy. Despite extensive online searches, they have not found a match. Other participants suggest it may be mushroom mycelium, potentially leading to the growth of mushrooms. There is speculation about its edibility, with warnings against consuming wild mushrooms due to safety concerns. Some contributors identify it as a type of bracket fungus, which typically grows on moist wood and can be edible, though they caution about its taste and texture. The discussion includes insights on mushroom growth, spore production, and the biological characteristics of fungi, emphasizing the importance of caution when considering wild mushrooms for consumption.
DaveC426913
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Anyone recognify this fungus/mold?

fungus.jpg

It's under a gallon bucket of water in my humidor (which is not properly ventilated). Those are cedar planks.

It's a deep buttery yellow. I do not think it's slime mold. It's very feathery, like cotton candy, right to the tips.

You can see it here in its full 4000x3000 glory (click to zoom to 100%).

I have yet to find a single example of it anywhere online.
 

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Well, it's pretty, whatever it is
 
DaveC426913 said:
Anyone recognify this fungus/mold?
Yes and no.
I have yet to find a single example of it anywhere online.
It might be where I live, but I see that kind of thing all the time.
But like you, I had trouble finding it online, until I googled: mushroom mycelium
and clicked on "images"

So, I believe it could be anyone of a bazillion of a type of mushroom root system restricted to a 2-D surface.
 
OmCheeto said:
But like you, I had trouble finding it online, until I googled: mushroom mycelium
and clicked on "images"
Yeah, it's definitely that cotton candy-like fungus stuff.

Maybe I should leave it to see what it grows into?

I lied, it's not buttery yellow - it's the deeper peach colour of chanterelles, like this:
s-l300.jpg


Maybe it'll be edible!
 

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DaveC426913 said:
Yeah, it's definitely that cotton candy-like fungus stuff.

Maybe I should leave it to see what it grows into?
Not sure there's enough mushroom food for it to grow, unless you're willing to fill your humidor with dead leaves and dirt.

I lied, it's not buttery yellow - it's the deeper peach colour of chanterelles, like this:
View attachment 237863

Maybe it'll be edible!

I have only once eaten a wild mushroom.
I was told it was harmless.
I was told WRONG!
Never again.
 
That's one interesting mushroom! Wonderful if that will still grow and bloom.
 
Best guess, see pictures: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypore common name bracket fungus. They grow on moist wood, live, dead, or dying.

It'll do fine if you put back the way it was. Most bracket fungi are edible, taste kind of like very well done baked plywood. Chewy to say the least. DO NOT try to eat any of that. I've had graduate courses in Mycology and I would not consider eating it ever. Let it grow. And if it is a bracket you will see one the shelf-like dudes sticking out in about 6 months when it is warm.

The bracket under side has a huge number of tiny holes to allow spores to fall out. Those spores may make more mycelium and eventually some brackets. If every one of those spores made some brackets then most of an area the size of Rhode Island would be knee deep in brackets: "or all the seas with oysters grow"; a very R-selected species like oysters, elm trees, and Polypores, all of them produce huge numbers of propagules, few live to the reproductive stage later on.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R/K_selection_theory

You can make spore prints of brackets and their mushroom cousins, mushrooms are more interesting, IMHO.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spore_print
 
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jim mcnamara said:
Most bracket fungi are edible, taste kind of like very well done baked plywood.
Jim, if you are back to eating plywood, you need to check the dosage on your meds :-p
 
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Well then, how about fried blanket?

@phinds the cell wall of fungi is made primarily of chitin, the same stuff as insect exoskeleton. Because brackets have very low MC like 30%, they are not a good choice for cooking or chewing after cooking.
Mushrooms (Agaricus campestris) are high MC like 90%+. Almost no chitin.
 
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