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Jack-O'-Lantern Mushroom / Zavodnica
Omphalotus olearius
45.0659, 13.6338
Field Notes
Description:
It is an orange- to yellow-gill mushroom that to an untrained eye appears similar to some non poisonous chanterelles, and is most notable for its bioluminescent properties. However, this mushroom is poisonous. While not lethal, consuming this mushroom leads to very severe cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. Complicating its toxicity is the fact that it smells and looks very appealing, to the extent that there are reports of repeat poisonings from individuals who were tempted to try them a second.
Unfortunately I have spotted an old specimen so it has already started to decompose, you can see it on the 1st photo by the dry body and black edges of it cap, on the second photo there is a completely black and decomposed exemplar.
As the Latin name says it grows around Olives where is definitely visible since the Olive tree is grayish.
Habitat:
Didn't find the information about its roots but it is certainly very common around Istria and its olive trees.
Notes:
The jack-o'-lantern mushroom's fruiting body (its stem and cap) is an orange color. Its bioluminescence, a blue-green color, is only observable in low light conditions when the eye becomes dark-adapted. The whole mushroom doesn't glow - only the gills do so. This is due to an enzyme, called luciferase, acting upon a compound called luciferin, leading to the emission of light much as fireflies do when glowing.
Other names are: Zavodljiva lisičica, Seta de olivo
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