Posts

Eating Wild Mushrooms: Let's Not Take It Lightly.

Image
Mushroom hunting is a stimulating and healthy activity with deep cultural roots in some traditions. It can add flavor and nutrients to a dull diet and offers a great opportunity to network and socialize with fellow myco-enthusiasts. However, even the most enthusiastic mushroom hunters must admit that this pursuit comes with risks. Fungi are renowned for their powerful pharmacological potential, producing some of the most effective natural medicines known to humanity. The downside? Some fungi can also be deadly. Credit: dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images This doesn't mean we should fear fungi - there's no need for mycophobia - but it does mean we must approach mushroom hunting with caution and respect. As the old adage goes, "All mushrooms are edible-some of them, only once." Properly distinguishing an edible mushroom from a toxic one requires deep knowledge, which no blog post can fully convey. What I can do, however, is highlight common mistakes and dangers you mi...

Uncovering Hidden Diversity: A Collaborative Fungi Survey at Bukit Dinding

Image
On October 13th, 2024, the Malaysian Nature Society Selangor Branch (MNSSB) Mycology Special Interest Group (SIG) conducted a fungi survey at Bukit Dinding. A team of 10 participants spent over 5.5 hours exploring the tarmac route and the Senior Citizens Trail, covering a total distance of 6.7 kilometers. Despite surveying just a small section of the hill, we made 175 observations and confidently recorded 52 different species of fungi , with more still to be identified. Before our survey, Bukit Dinding had only 12 observations of fungi on the iNaturalist platform, representing 10 species from 5 observers. Thanks to our group’s efforts, this number has now grown to 195 observations and 58 species , contributed by 9 observers (with many more still to be uploaded). The findings from this survey provide a snapshot of the incredible fungal diversity at Bukit Dinding, even in the more accessible areas of the hill. Our results have been uploaded to the Bukit Dinding Fungi Survey Project on iN...