Panellus stypticus

This was one of the best moments of my life- seeing bioluminescence for the first time with mine own eyes. Please welcome my next guest, Panellus stypticus.

Found in Sept/Oct on a fallen beech log in mixed forest, Adirondacks, NY. They tend to persist once fruited so you'll have a good chance of hunting this one down. This mushroom gets its name from being reportedly used as a styptic, an aid that stems bleeding, I learned. Ethnobotanical practices are such a fascinating aspect of having land ethic. Learning natural history feels like being let in on secret power-ups in the game (cue Mario colliding with his infamous red Amanita muscaria). It is imperative for us to remember we are still part of an ecological web whose biodiversity must be protected, regardless of the invention of bandaids.

How did I find this? I had the pleasure of going on a little foray with Susan Hopkins, who actually came to find me at the museum I worked at because she heard a mushroom fanatic had sprouted. When I brought her to the fallen log bearing this treasure (I didn't know it was bioluminescent), she told me that I should come back and see them at night. That's experience for ya. In a short time, fans of fungi quickly learn to cut a mushroom to check for oxidation or a milky latex. Foster the curiosity with years of adventure, and soon enough you're much more than just an enthusiast. As a person just entering the world of mycology a year after getting my degree, there are some incredible folks that have decades of loving mushrooms on me. My greatest respect to all the mentors and experienced mycologists I've met and learned from. This is also a compelling example of why it's best to look through mushroom guides/species lists of local areas to know what to keep an eye out for! Having a bucket list sure does make for a burning quest...(I'm looking at you Mycena interrupta)...