Subject: Pine straw digesters?

From: "Louis K. Bonham" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 17 May 1996 17:46:33 +0000

Greetings from Houston, Texas.  Does anyone know of a fungus (preferably an 
edible mushroom, but I'll use anything) that can digest pine needles and 
tolerate the heat of the Texas Gulf Coast?  

I have a bumper crop of pine straw this year, and the 6' mound on my compost 
heap from last year has barely begun to decay!  

Many thanks.

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From: Roger <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 18 May 96 07:43:56 GMT

> heap from last year has barely begun to decay!  

Boletus Granulatus. Often slug ridden but edible.
Gomphidius viscidus if you like eating cardboard.

-- 
"Damned creatures you are thoroughly evil despite my daily teaching and advice."
                    |    Only the saintly can become good without instruction;
Roger               |    Only the worthy can become good after instruction;
                    |    Only idiots will not become good even with instruction.

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From: Roger <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 18 May 96 14:52:09 GMT

> tolerate the heat of the Texas Gulf Coast?  

Lactarius deliciocus if you can bring yourself to eat something oozing
bright green blood.

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From: [email-masked] (Gary Williams)
Date: Sat, 18 May 1996 21:16:56 GMT

>Many thanks.

Louis,

    Just so you save yourself time and money, I would veiw the last
two suggestions from Roger with suspicion. Both the Lactarius and the
Gomphidius are mycorrhizal, the Boletus probably. By that I mean they 
need a living tree to grow (in a symbiotic relationship). What you
want is a saprophyte, ( digests dead organic matter) in this case,
pine needles. What that species might be, I don't know nor do I have
the resources on hand. Sorry. 

                                            Gary Williams

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From: "Louis K. Bonham" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 20 May 1996 09:42:22 +0000

In response to my inquiries regarding pine straw digesters and three possible 

> the resources on hand. Sorry.

Many thanks for this information, as this frames my inquiry perfectly.  There 
are, of course, dozens of fungi that eat pine needles (my azalea beds under 
the pine trees are well established with the mycellium of some slow-growing 
mycorrhizal fungus), but I can't find mention of any that are saprophtes, to 
say nothing of the hyper-aggressive type I'd really like to find.  Does 
anyone know if the Boletus is mycorrhizal or saprophytic, or know of any 
other saprophytes that can handle the chitin and other rigors of pine straw? 
 
LKB

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From: [email-masked] (Xerula)
Date: 22 May 1996 13:44:51 -0400

Boletus granulatus = _Suillus granulatus_ more up-to-date; it will not
digest any pine needles at all... it is an ectomycorrhizal fungus; it
lives on teh living roots of certain species of _Pinus_.  It is not a
mulch-eater, thoug it may appear to be so.  --Dave Ficher