Mycena lux-coeli: taxon details and analytics

Domain
Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Basidiomycota
Class
Agaricomycetes
Order
Agaricales
Family
Mycenaceae
Genus
Mycena
Species
Mycena lux-coeli
Scientific Name
Mycena lux-coeli

Summary description from Wikipedia:

Mycena lux-coeli

Mycena lux-coeli—meaning "heavenly light mushrooms"—is a bioluminescent species of fungus in the family Mycenaceae. Mycena lux-coeli is a species of fungus in the family Mycenaceae. This mushroom emits a continuous green bioluminescent glow from its gills under humid forest conditions, produced by the oxidation of a trans-3-hydroxyhispidin substrate via a luciferase enzyme system.

It was first discovered in 1954 on Hachijō-jima where it is widely found, and decades later was found on multiple islands in Japan.

In the dark forests of Japan, this mushroom is also known as "sky lantern mushroom" and looks beautiful.

Mycena emits light because luciferase reacts with luciferin to produce light. It's thought this change helps mushrooms attract bugs in their natural environment to help spread spores, while potentially scaring off predators.

Hachijō-jima island is also home to the bioluminescent mushroom species, Mycena chlorophos. The local name for these mushrooms is hato-no-hi, literally "pigeon fire".


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Mycena lux-coeli in languages:

Chinese
天光小菇
Hungarian
lámpás kígyógomba

Parent Taxon

Sibling Taxa

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