Rare glowing mushroom discovered in Kasaragod’s Ranipuram forest

Team Udayavani, Jun 20, 2024, 9:05 AM IST

Kasaragod: In the dense forests of Ranipuram in Kasaragod district, scientists have discovered an extremely rare and naturally glowing mushroom that emits a green light at night.

These fungi possess the ability to emit light through a biochemical process. The bioluminescent mushroom was discovered during a micro-fungal survey jointly conducted by the Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department’s Kasaragod division and the Mushrooms of India Community in the dense forests of Ranipuram.

During the survey, over 50 species of mushrooms were found, among which the bioluminescent mushrooms that glow at night were particularly surprising.

Scientists have cautioned that these mushrooms are not edible and are poisonous.

The survey team included Kasaragod Divisional Forest Officer K. Ashraf, Dr. Jinu Muralidharan, Dr. Santosh Kumar K, K.M. Anoop, Sachin Pai, and Poorna S.

Botanist Dileep Kumar Rai mentioned that the discovery of naturally glowing mushrooms at night in Ranipuram, Kasaragod, is a significant contribution to the diversity of fungi.

Due to a chemical reaction in their cells, these mushrooms glow green at night. They are typically found in the humid climates of the tropics. A rich moisture environment provides the necessary nutrients for their growth, he added.