Gymnopilus junonius

Taxobox
name = Gymnopilus junonius

---

image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Gymnopilus junonius"
regnum = Fungi
divisio = Basidiomycota
classis = Agaricomycetes
ordo = Agaricales
familia = Cortinariaceae
genus = Gymnopilus
binomial = "Gymnopilus junonius"
binomial_authority = (Fries) P.D. Orton
synonyms = "Agaricus spectabilis" "Gymnopilus spectabilis"mycomorphbox
name = Gymnopilus junonius
whichGills = adnate
capShape = convex
hymeniumType=gills
stipeCharacter=ring
ecologicalType=saprotrophic
sporePrintColor=reddish brown
howEdible=psychoactive
howEdible2=inedible

"Gymnopilus junonius" (Fr.) PD Orton. A large orange mushroom growing on tree stumps, logs, or tree bases. It is also known commonly as Laughing gym, Laughing Jim, or The Spectacular Rustgill.

Taxonomy

Formerly known as "Gymnopilus spectabilis", or "Pholiota spectabilis v. junonia " (Fr.) J.E Lange.cite book | author = Roger Phillips | year = 2006 | title = Mushrooms | publisher = Pan MacMillan | isbn = 0-330-44237-6] Interestingly the 'Gymn' in the present nomen means 'naked', and 'Juno' was the wife of Jupiter.cite book |author=David Arora |year=1986 |title=Mushrooms Demystified |publisher=Ten Speed Press |isbn=0-89815-169-4] In Japan this mushroom is called "waraitake", which translates to "laughing mushroom".

Description

The cap ranges from 7 to 20 cm across, is convex, and is bright orange, orange/brown, or reddish brown with a dry scaly surface. The stem is 25-265 mm long, 8 to 9 mm thick, and often narrows near the base. The frail ring is dusted with rusty orange spores, the flesh is yellow and the gills are adnate to sub-decurrent. It has a bitter taste, stains red with KOH and turns green when cooked in a pan. Spore print- rusty orange.

imilar species

This mushroom is often mistaken for "Gymnopilus ventricosus", which contains no "psilocybin".

Distribution and Habitat

A very widely distributed mushroom which grows in dense clusters on dead hardwoods and conifers. This mushroom grows just about everywhere that decaying wood can be found. It has been reported from Australia, Azores, Brazil, Canada (Alberta, Nova Scotia, Ontario), China, Fiji, Germany, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, Maderia, New Zealand, North Africa, Peru, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, United States (Arizona, Alabama, California, Idaho, New Jersey, Ohio, Vermont), and Uruguay. [http://www.freewebtown.com/panaczech/knihovna/houby/worldwide_geographical_distribution_of_the_neurotropic_fungi.pdf Gastón Guzmán, John W. Allen & Jochen Gartz, A Worldwide Geographical Distribution of the Neurotropic Fungi, An Analysis and Discussion, Ann. Mus. civ. Rovereto Sez.: Arch., St., Sc. nat. Vol. 14 (1998) 189-280 2000] ]

Toxicity

Not edible, hallucinogenic if ingested. This mushroom has subspecies which contain the hallucinogen "psilocybin". Specimens found in the eastern US or Japan are more likely to contain "psilocybin" than similar mushrooms found in the western part of the US or Europe. This mushroom contains "bis-noryangonin" and "hispidine", which are structurally related to "alpha-pyrones" found in kava. [cite journal | quotes=no |author=G. M. Hatfield, L. R. Brady |year= 1969 |title=Occurrence of bis-noryangonin in "Gymnopilus spectabilis" |journal=Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences |volume=58 |issue=10 |pages=1298–1299 |doi=10.1002/jps.2600581039] [http://www.mushroomexpert.com/gymnopilus_junonius.html]

References

*C.J. Alexopolous, Charles W. Mims, M. Blackwell et al., "Introductory Mycology, 4^th ed." (John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken NJ, 2004) ISBN 0-471-52229-5

External links

* [http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/apr2005.html Tom's Fungi of the Month - Gymnopilus spectabilis]
* [http://www.mushroomexpert.com/gymnopilus_junonius.html Mushroom Expert - Gymnopilus junionius]
* [http://www.mycologia.org/cgi/reprint/95/6/1204.pdf Mycologica - Scientific Gymnopilus information]

Gallery