The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-23
CURIosITIEs IN FUNGI.
Parasites Upon Other Parasites-A Mus
room That Intoxicafes.


room That Intoxicates.
WASHINGTON Cry, Aug. 17.-rspecial
Correspondence The department. of
state has just received from Consul Jones.
Chinkiang. China a small bottle contain
ing some specimens of the curious fungus
that grows out of species of caterpillar,
literally Transforming the animal into a
vegetable and causing the unhappy insect
to serve the purpose of q root. 1t is the
larva of kind of moth, and, when the
cold of winter approaches. it makes its way
down into the soil to the depth of three or
four inches. There it is attacked by this
remarkable disease, and regularly sprouts,
sending up a long shoot which appears
and fructifies above the ground like q
mushroom forming spores for the purpose
of its own reproduction. The natives in
Thibet and in the provinces of Hupeh and
Szechuan go about looking for this fungus
in the neighborhood of a certain sort of
myrtle trees, where only is it to be found.
They dig up such specimens as they dis
cover and make them INTO little bundles,
tied with red thread. In this shape they
are sold as medicine, which is esteemed,
if possible, more highly than the famous
ginseng, being considered powerful cura-
tive agent for diseases of the throat and
lungs. Thus prepared for market, they
look like diminutive bulrushes, each hay
ing for its root the mummy of cater
pillar.
Now, this fungus has no other method
of growing than the one described. There
fore the fructifying top that is above
ground scatters its spores around under
the scarlet-fiowered myrtles on which the
eaterpillars feed. When the latter burrow
into the soil to hibernate, they are apt to
stir up some of the hostile germs, where
upon they are at once attacked and speed
lily transformed into vegetable tissue.
Their bodies, without losing their natural
shape or external appearance are wholly
filled with the mycelium, and the sub
stance of their flesh is metamorphosed
into stalks sprouting from their heads.
Thus Is afforded the remarkable spectacle
of living organisms which are insects in
summer and plants in winter. Of course,
sufficient number of these afflicted
larvae must escape this fate to perpetuate
their species from year to year to supply
reproductive opportunities for the fungus.
Curiously enough, the common white
grub, which is the larva of BEETLE, is in
many parts of the United States attacked
by fungus in manner in all respects
similar. 1t has been suggested that
measures HliSnC De prOHtaDly taken TO
artihcially inoculate this destructive worm
on large scale with the disease, with a
view to bringing about its partial or en-
tire determination. Thus far no economic
use has been found for the sprouts pro-
duced. In New Zealand there grows out
of the body of big caterpillar surprising
edible mushroom, the stalks of which are
eight to ten inches i'll length and are much
priced by the natives as an article of food.
The latter also burn it for use as a coloring
matter. There is fungus found in Costa
Rica which in the same way EMPLOYS a
kind of beetle for its root. as one might
say.
The Japanese grow several species of ed
ible fungi in logs of decayed wood after a
fashion peculiar to themselves. One
species of mushroom which is utilized in
Europe for killing flies, being regarded as
one of the most poisonous forms, is en-
ployed by the northeastern tribes of Asia
as a substitute for ardent spirits, single
large specimen being sufficient to pro-
duce pleasant intoxication for whole
day. These same people use another kind
of agarlc, pounded, for snuff By the Chi
nese still another variety is made to serve
as valued dye for silk However. these
are only few of the existing curiosities in
the fungus line