Omphalotus

Omphalotus nidiformis.

The Ghost fungus is a gilled mushroom found in many areas in Australia including S. E. Queensland.
It grows on living or dead wood and can be seen on trees, roots, sawdust etc.
They can occur singly but commonly grow in large, overlapping clumps.

The fruit bodies, up to 30 cm across, can be a flat fan shape or depressed in the centre to form a funnel.
The slightly wavy edge may be rolled under when young then flattening with age.

The stout stem is usually central but can be off centre or at the edge of the cap.
Up to 8 cm long and with a tapered base it can be hard to see under the overlapping caps.

The cap colour is very variable and changes with age.
It ranges from the usual cream or white to a brown and often has tints of grey, orange, black or purple.
The edge may be paler.

The creamish-white gills run down the stem and are of various lengths.

The spore print is white.

The fungus is bioluminescent, especially the gills, and glows a greenish colour in the dark.
It is highly poisonous.

J.F.