Podaxis pistillaris

Desert Tintlingsstäubling ( Podaxis pistillaris )

The Desert Tintlingsstäubling ( Podaxis pistillaris ) is a species of fungus in the family of mushroom relatives ( Agaricaceae ). The species is distributed worldwide and was first given in 1771 from the Indian subcontinent.

• 6.1 Notes and references

Features

Macroscopic characteristics

The fruiting body is up to 15 centimeters high and has a hard, woody stem. This is pale to brown, straight, between four and nine centimeters long and thick between one half and one centimeter; the base is bulbous.

The hat ( pileus ) is ellipsoid to ovoid. He is four to eleven inches high and two to four centimeters wide. The hat goes into the handle, but can be solved at the age of him. The envelope ( peridium ) has two layers. The Exoperidium ( shell ) is yellowish - brown, smooth to scaly, usually flaky or papery. It comes off in old age and then releases the Endoperidium. This is in mature specimens usually dark brown, previously colored cream to brownish- yellow. First, it is brittle and breaks later on at the bottom and are dark brown to black Gleba free. This is pale to yellowish in young specimens. In the scalp, the spores are embedded.

Microscopic characteristics

The spores are 10-14 x 9-12 microns in size. They are round, smooth and yellow to deep reddish - brown in color. They have a double wall and a shortened base. Mature spores are very different.

Distribution and occurrence

The fungus is found in Africa, Asia, Australia and America semi-deserts between 40 degrees north and 40 degrees south latitude. Most discoveries were made in regions with long dry periods. In Europe and Japan, yet no specimens were found.

The fruiting bodies ( Basidiokarpe ) is most frequently found after rainy periods in the spring or during the summer. During the dry season they occur only on irrigated land. They usually occur on sandy, loamy soil or halblehmigem in Erdrissen. The fungal mycelium is often linked with termite mounds.

The fungus grows most rapidly at temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius. Until about 20 and from 50 degrees Celsius, it can not grow. Thus Podaxis pistillaris is neither thermophilic nor mesophilic. It has been observed that fruit bodies are only formed when the monthly average maximum temperature of the soil above the minimum growth temperature (25 ° C). Fruiting is highest when the monthly average minimum temperature is approximately at or above the minimum growth temperature and the monthly average maximum temperature is below or at the lower end of the range of optimum growth temperature (35-40 ° C).

Confusion

Podaxis pistillaris resembles the Ink Cap ( Coprinus comatus ). From this he differs in that the cap is usually closed and the spores are disseminated only after rupture of the peridium. Moreover, they are double-walled. The Schopftintling however, only occurs in humid regions. Its fruit body has fins and the hat ink dissolves like. The spores contained therein are only single walled.

Similarity to Podaxis pistillaris has also Montagnea arenaria. Common to both is the woody stem. However Montagnea arenaria grows out of an envelope ( volva ), her hat is much smaller and has black, crumpled lamellae.

Ingredients

From the fruiting bodies is known that they are rich in protein, containing all essential amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids and minerals. We have not found antimicrobial activities against the infection -causing bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the pathogen Proteus mirabilis.

Reports from Nigeria and South Africa, according to the fungus also has toxic effects. In addition, a high value was measured on lanthanides (75 mg · kg -1).

Use

The fungus is eaten, for example, in India, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. The fruit bodies are used in some parts of Yemen for the treatment of skin diseases in South Africa as a folk remedy against sunburn and in China for the treatment of inflammation. In Australia, the fungus of Aborigines in the desert was used for darkening white whiskers.

Swell

• M. A. A. Al - Fatimid, W.-D. Jülich, R. Jansen and U. Lindequist: Bioactive Components of the Traditionally used Mushroom Podaxis pistillaris, in: Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Volume 3, 2006, pp. 87-92. doi: 10.1093/ecam/nek008
• SM Khan, DA Khan and RH Kurtzman, Jr.: Temperature Studies on Podaxis pistillaris in: Mycologia, Vol 71, No. 4 (Jul. - Aug., 1979 ), pp. 861-867 (scan the first page)