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

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the identification of an unusual fungus or mold found in a humidor, specifically under a gallon bucket of water. Participants explore its characteristics, potential classifications, and implications for growth and edibility.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes the fungus as deep buttery yellow and feathery, resembling cotton candy, but expresses uncertainty about its classification.
  • Another participant suggests it could be a type of mushroom mycelium, noting the difficulty in finding examples online.
  • Some participants speculate about the potential for the fungus to grow and whether it might be edible, with one recalling a negative experience with wild mushrooms.
  • A later reply identifies it as possibly being bracket fungus, which typically grows on moist wood, and discusses the characteristics of bracket fungi.
  • Concerns are raised about the edibility of the fungus, with one participant humorously cautioning against eating it based on personal experience.
  • Another participant discusses the composition of fungi, contrasting bracket fungi with other mushrooms in terms of moisture content and culinary suitability.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of agreement and disagreement regarding the identification of the fungus, with multiple competing views on its classification and edibility. The discussion remains unresolved as no consensus is reached.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various characteristics and classifications of the fungus, but there are limitations in the identification due to the lack of visual references and the potential for misidentification based on personal experiences.

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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