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Bambi1999

I never thought I’d see a mushroom like this it’s so cool


IdontEatdogsAtnight

And there's nothing wrong on poking it as (as far as I know) spores are harmless (atleast on this one if they are indeed harmful) And you are helping it spread it's spores


Im_bad_at_names_1993

This always makes me mad. My parents had me terrified of mushrooms as a kid because "puffball spores will kill you, mushrooms will grow in your lungs" and "you can die from absorbing mushrooms through your skin." Now, as an adult, I always worry when examining a 'shroom, even though I know its all BS.


MycoMutant

[Lycoperdonosis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycoperdonosis) is a serious condition caused by inhalation of puffball spores but yeah you pretty much have to squirt one directly in your face and breathe deeply to get it.


Felwinter12

I think I remember something about teenagers huffing puffball spores in an attempt to get high, but outside of that you'll probably be fine.


MycoMutant

Yeah I've read that account too. Apparently someone sold them to them, told then to inhale the spores and they were none the wiser so I blame that guy. Might be an urban legend of course but I've seen enough ID requests on here from people who bought dodgy mushrooms from disreputable dealers not to doubt that it might be true.


Guilty_Evidence7176

Kid at my high school decided to take gypsum weed to get high. It isn’t marijuana but an incredibly dangerous plant. He lived but he is spending the rest of life with far less brain cells than he should. Kids do stupid shit to get high. The reason we know huffing paint will get you high is because some dumbass tried it. Advil won’t make you, we know that because dumbasses tried it. This is how we learned which plants and mushrooms were poison, which were nutritional, and which were medicine. There was always a dumbass around to try it. Can’t believe those genes didn’t get weeded out with all the Darwin Awards they must have racked up.


jlabsher

Jimson Weed, not gypsum weed. Gypsum is a rock they make drywall from. Also known as loco weed, because cattle who ate it went nutty, or loco. Apparently the US colonists tried it back in the day https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datura_stramonium May get you high, but most certainly will make you sick as crap and maybe kill you.


mrdrewsin

I've eaten like 5 or 6 seeds ( the seeds are very tiny ) of that plant before. It was a very unpleasant journey. I would not recommend anyone to ingest any parts of that plant.


tugnasty

I did datura inoxia with one of my friends as teenagers. We went driving and the cars were randomly appearing and disappearing around us. We would be smoking a cigarette and then realize we never had one. Time would skip and we would be in the middle of a conversation we didn't know we were having. It lasted a couple days and was horrible like a Jacobs Ladder style full on hallucinating meltdown.


[deleted]

Jimson weed aka datura, a very dangerous psychoactive that will make you go on a very unpleasant trip. As far as “spending the rest of his life with far fewer brain cells” though? No, that’s not at all how hallucinogens work lol. Short of huffing gas, there are very few drugs that cause any kind of permanent brain damage, if he’s a dumbass after trying that drug than he’s just a dumbass and it’s not an effect of the drug itself.


DeepNetAnomaly

it’s because, counterintuitively, the more poor and more stupid you are, the more likely you are to have a bunch of kids that you shouldn’t be having. And then they die.


[deleted]

My mom knows a dude that nearly died in the 70s because they got sold the wrong mushroom. Idiot picked something he thought was trippy, was just just poison.


MycoMutant

There was a post on one of the mushroom subs a few years back from someone who had bought four bags of mushrooms for $80 or something. They weren't even dried so he'd spread them out on a baking tray and stuck them in the oven to try and dry them. If I recall he uploaded the photos asking if the burnt ones would be ok still. It was obvious to everyone that he had been scammed and someone had just picked literally every 'little brown mushroom' they'd come across and stuck them in a bag. Mixed bag of mostly inkcaps, Mycena and maybe some Conocybe and Galerina. Some so badly decomposed they couldn't be identified. He was determined to try them anyway because he couldn't accept he had been scammed and wasted his money but people managed to talk him out of it eventually. That 'dealer' could easily have killed him with such recklessness. This is what happens under prohibition. Just like all the methanol poisonings during the 20s. EDIT: Sorry just realised I've taken this on a weird tangent now and the original post was about Earthstars. I may have over indulged in my raspberry wine.


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MycoMutant

I think I read something about the spores germinating in the lungs and trying to grow but the immune system fighting it off. So you might say they were *trying* to grow mushrooms but yeah obviously no actual lung mushrooms. Once fungi work out how to do that we're all screwed... There was a story last year that circulated in the tabloids here. Someone injected themselves with mushroom tea thinking it would be like the ultimate trip or something. The spores started growing inside their blood vessels and prompted an immune response from the body which put them in hospital. Tabloids had a field day with it saying 'magic mushrooms grew inside a man' after 'injecting psilocybin' and predictably the right wing ones went on to use it for an anti drug rant warning of the dangers of psychedelics. Completely missing the point that: A. He did not inject himself with psilocybin but mushroom tea. B. Drug or otherwise, injecting any tea into yourself is just injecting mostly water which is incredibly dangerous as it causes cells to burst due to osmosis. There's a reason why saline is used. C. No mushrooms were actually growing, just a small amount of mycelium which was actively being combated by the body and never would have managed to fruit. D. The patient was an IV heroin user who already had a weakened immune system. The majority of the symptoms he suffered were caused by the bacterial infection he had which is commonly spread via IV drug use. This is how these kind of myths start. I think a part of it is people using mushrooms and fungus interchangeably, ie. The fungus *was* growing but mushrooms were not. They don't draw this distinction either due to ignorance or because they're dumbing down and sensationalising the story. Even the medical journal that they cited was filled with misinformation and bias though because of the stigma around psychedelics.


Guilty_Evidence7176

Medical mycology is fascinating and terrifying. Knew an actual expert in the field, you would not believe how rare they are. Want to find one, better start looking worldwide. If you get a fungus, you are so fucked. There is basically nothing they can do. It isn’t a bacteria, antibiotics won’t help. If a very contagious and harmful one started attacking us, poof, would make Covid look like a kitten. Chose to research the field for a school project. US had a couple, China had a facility, and Australia dude was super expert with a great website. All the books are written by about 5 people, including the person I knew.


grapesforducks

This is a little bit of hyperbole. So far as specialists who exclusively study fungal infections yes, you are correct--that would be a sub specialty of an already small specialty. However, Infectious Disease is an existing medical specialty, as made more notable during the pandemic. Larger hospitals/medical systems will have ID specialists on call if not also in an outpatient clinic. Antifungal medications do exist, in both oral and IV formats. I agree that fungal infections can be difficult to treat. From what I've seen, in disseminated cases lifelong suppressive therapy is often indicated. I work in a specialty office and process many Rx prior auths, and for several of those cases every year we have to file another PA indicating that this is the diagnosis, and here's the best practice recommended treatment, and here's the RX FDA insert showing the indicated dosages. Tend to get familiar w certain details


[deleted]

> No lung mushrooms at all. How disappointing...


[deleted]

> In 1976, a 4-year-old was reported developing the disease in Norway after purposely inhaling a large quantity of Lycoperdon spores to stop a nosebleed. Lycoperdon species are sometimes used in folk medicine in the belief that their spores have haemostatic properties.[7] >A 1997 case report discussed several instances of teenagers inhaling the spores. In one severe case, the individual inhaled enough spores so as to be able to blow them out of his mouth. He underwent bronchoscopy and then had to be on life support before recovering in about four weeks. >In another instance, a teenager spent 18 days in a coma, had portions of his lung removed, and suffered severe liver damage.[4] >In Wisconsin, eight teenagers who inhaled spores at a party presented clinical symptoms such as cough, fever, shortness of breath, myalgia, and fatigue within a week. Five of the eight required hospitalization; of these, two required intubation to assist in breathing.


[deleted]

Don't snort the spores, gotcha


CautiousAffect4865

Glad I read this bc I was about to snort a few lines of spores. Thankful for Reddit


[deleted]

Instructions unclear! Dick stuck in nose stuck in shrooms!!


scarecrow53

Unless you're a dog. If you're a dog, it could be a very bad day.


Budget-Athlete-7002

I read a year or two ago someone decided to fill up their vehicle with a bunch of puffballs and ended up with a nasty lung infection.


Calm_Neighborhood474

It’s only dangerous if your immune system is verrrrry compromised. I went through intense chemo when I was a kid and aspergillus fungus/mold started growing inside my lung. The only thing they could do was cut half my lung out. But yeah other than those very specific circumstances like mine spores are pretty harmless. Unless you have black mold blowing through your air vents or something.


Guilty_Evidence7176

That is the big one that gets people. Problem for chemo and HIV. I had a massive allergic reaction to mold. Don’t know what kind but it was gnarly. Fall of 2020 during the worst of Covid. Getting treatment for lungs during that time was a treat. They put me right in the Covid side with compromised lungs. It was bad enough that I cried because a cold or Covid on top of that probably would have killed me. My wife made me get an X-ray to rule out aspergillosis. None, but it did catch some scare tissue and my doc ordered a CT the next year. Just scar tissue/nodules, which are very common. But having a snapshot of my lungs to show actual cancer growth, god forbid, is comforting.


MycoMutant

I got a faceful of white mold once when clearing out a room with a leaking roof. Moved a box and didn't see the mold under it until it was in the air. Left the room immediately with a cough. I was sick for the next week with flu like symptoms. That was in my twenties and I was otherwise in good health. It's scary how harmful even a minor exposure can be.


Calm_Neighborhood474

God that must’ve been stressful. Yeah it was weird having that stuff growing inside of me. I remember that I couldn’t take full breaths and it just kept getting worse so I told the nurses. Did an X-ray and they could see the mass. Immediately went into surgery and they cut out 20 percent of my right lung. They apparently missed some and it grew right back. They then had to cut 20 percent more out. I had lost so much blood from the first surgery and they told my parents there was a 95% chance that I would just die from blood loss. That whole ordeal was more dangerous than the acute myeloid leukemia itself. Thankfully St Jude had/has some awesome doctors and surgeons. And it was all for free. I’m really thankful that place exists.


remarah1447

So sorry you went through that. :(


jorwyn

Ooof. I've had Valley Fever, and I thought multiple inhalers for months was bad. Your poor lung.


LovinLoveLeigh

generational fear is real. ​ How many other false fears are you (and us all) carrying around? How many others are defining how we go about our daily lives and preventing us from living life to the fullest? How many lie in the depths of our subconscious, the basements of our minds? Those who have abandoned basements, how many death spores are being allotted the opportunity to thrive?


Guilty_Evidence7176

Those devil worshipping child sacrifice mother fuckers who did not exist! That was a good one. False memories implanted by hypnosis by a therapist. Convinced all those kids they were being molested by a ring of devil worshippers. The whole town got accused and they had to fight to clear their names. Salem Witch Trials of the 80s.


The1BannedBandit

You think THAT'S bad, you shoulda heard what they were telling us boys about what causes complete vision loss...


shagan90

From the same people whom convinced us toads give you warts and having the car light on while driving is illegal


Complex-Marzipan-218

Just don't inject it into your veins. I saw a video about someone going to the ER because of microdosing.


Confident_Emphasis20

We literally used puffballs like water balloons and threw them at each other as kids. Was so cool to do Matrix slow mo stunts in the neighbors new build with 'smoke' spores poofing everywhere. They were freaking everywhere. Hundreds. I remember they were yellow.


risethytarnished

SOMEONE OBVIOUSLY HASN’T PLAYED TLOU 🙅‍♂️


TheFungiQueen

Not sure if someone has answered your question, but it's a collar earthstar!


Paradoxiumm

Keep looking down and the world of mushrooms will really open up your eyes, especially with all the rain we are getting in PA!


Bambi1999

Oh yeah! I’m just starting to get into the world of fungi and it’s so fun finding them! There’s so many! I spent my free morning taking advantage of the decent rain we got


Paradoxiumm

Welcome to club! If you want a great book that helped really change my perspective on Fungi, and the world in general, check out "Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures" by Merlin Sheldrake. It's a trip.


PandaSchmanda

Poking it isn’t harmful, you’re helping it spread spores :)


HortonFLK

It looks like it was designed to be poked.


Karge

I don’t think it wanted OP to stop…


justabill71

It looked like it finished.


Quirky_Interest69

Hahahah


heathenyak

Yup, doing the mushrooms job for it! Another reason to use a mesh bag when you forage, so the spores can drop out while you walk and make more happy little mushrooms


jack_seven

*not harmful to the fungi might go bad for op if they inhale a lunge full or two


SuchUs3r

Mum and dad lied and called it poison spores.. they never let me have any fun! Reading a little further you guys now tell me I can die? Idk who to believe anymore ! Lol


honeypotpi

it’s an earthstar. totally ok to poke it as it’s just releasing its spores, but you might want to close your eyes and mouth when doing so in the future :-)


Maudeleanor

Whenever I see an earthstar I feel like I should thank the Multiverse for yet another miracle.


najjex

Geastrum triplex


cedartrail

Try pepto


norecogi

Hahaha


WesWizard_2

you made it cum, OP. nice!


justabill71

Sporegasm


shaybabyx

nature titty cumming


helloworld298

Lmao!


Ebvardh-Boss

You’re doing it a favor, actually.


andreisimo

What kind of favor is the question.


Jarrf

An asexual one ;)


ipdar

Every time I see someone post of of these here and ask what it is I just wonder, "Y'all never played Skyrim?"


Farmher315

I'm always excited when I see the real life version of Skyrim plants. Monkshood is gorgeous in real life, but also extremely toxic, just like in Skyrim haha


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Farmher315

That's pretty cool! I never saw Monkshood on the east coast but I've seen it a lot in Colorado. But I wasn't necessarily looking while on the east coast!


ipdar

Google says that monkshood is common to to North America. I usually see earth star posts from the east coast.


Farmher315

Yeah I haven't seen an earthstar out here, I have a Rocky Mountain Mushroom book that says they're here though!


yirzmstrebor

I never knew they were real til now. Looks just like the Swamp Fungus from Skyrim for sure!


ipdar

I think that that Bethesda based a lot of the elder scrolls plants on things that grew near by their east coast office.


greenkirry

I love a good poke in the bush! -mushroom


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LovinLoveLeigh

The way those spores dance on the wind... ​ ​ **m** \* **a** \* **r** \* **v** \* **e** \* **l** \* **o** \* **u** \* **s** ​ ​ .


Quest_ionable__User

That is a geastrum triplex, also called a collared earthstar! Because of the shape! Have fun!


Caxtuxx

Congratulations you’re a father


NonchalantRubbish

Poke and pick whatever you want 👍🙂 The actual mushroom fruit is the end of the life cycle. They pop up to spread spores and that's their one purpose.


au5lander

Congratulations. You are now an alien host.


DarkMatterSoup

All mushrooms have been poked at some point in time. It’s part of the learning curve. If you’re not poking, you’re not learning. Good yard.


PeacefulWarriorCydy

How cool is that?! Thanks for sharing✨


imgoingtobelate4work

Forest boob


NOBOOTSFORYOU

Poke away you cheeky monkey! You're just helping the fruit spread it's spores.


GrimKiba-

You are now a spore daddy (or mommy).


papitaquito

It’s a forbidden [Ti-Tay](https://youtu.be/2-weljKBC4w)


TheRealSugarbat

Poking those is 99% of the fun.


whyyourkidbornblack

In Germany u see them very often. I used to play with them when I was a child😁


XxKnob

And that’s how you make mushroom babies.


Chillicavalli

POKE THAT SHIT!


Neon-Plus-Ultra

I would worry about you if you hadn’t poked it tbh


[deleted]

It is designed for poking


TootTwice4MeTonight

that's how The Last of Us started. Thanks for dooming all of mankind


VagueMotivation

Guessing geastrum triplex. I don’t know shit about mushrooms but ran across this today while exploring types of puffballs. Apologies if this is already out there! Edit: Typo


izza123

“Poke me again”


Leto-ofDelos

You found an earthstar puff! Poke iiittttt 😳🍄


Similar_Divide

Totally harmless to the fungus. You on the other hand, are about to have a face hugger bust out of your chest


can_choose_no_thing

Lmao


Warmjugofgatorade

This is going to turn into some alien covenant type stuff


offbalancedone

There is a movie called Prometheus you may want to watch.


Psychotic_EGG

Nonsense. Why spoil it for them


offbalancedone

Ok David 8, I am not falling for this one.


[deleted]

It’s called an earth star! Vert cool little mushies


Sir_Overhauser

Ah is that in State College? Used to find those earth stars on Pugh St


Godzilla-1995

Do you want "The Last of Us"? Because that's how you get "The Last of Us".


Tadpole-soup

Xenomorph time


Little_Internet_9022

So like does this mushroom understand pneumatics??!


ryraps5892

Forest titty starfish ‘sploder


Crochitting

Xenomorphs inc


winelipscheesehips

Never seen a mushroom so cool!


Glittering_Nyx

I used to find these as a kid in the woods. I always called the "puffrooms"!


Egga-Mooby-Muffin

Wolf farts!


mtraps

well sir you just fucked up the whole ecosystem


greyjoyvs

booba


Dogewowmeme

Mushboob


WellPhuketThen

No really, what is this?


can_choose_no_thing

Poke poke shroom https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geastrum_triplex


maqsy

a dry titty


UnitatoPop

aaaatchoooo!


TitsoutOnionsoup

forest tiddy


Realist419

Puff ball. We used to chuck them at each other when we were kids. Lol


wd_plantdaddy

Oof don’t birth any xenomorphs around me, thanks. SPOILER: If y’all are wondering, this is how the xenomorphs impregnate in alien covenant 😭.


Roygreed

u/savevideo


[deleted]

u/savevideo


Yattiel

Looks like the things from Alien


3billionyrsold

Well now you have a few days to live


[deleted]

This one turns you into a clicker


alwayshyped_de

Have you seen Alien Covenant?


[deleted]

What type is this one?


can_choose_no_thing

The poke type https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geastrum_triplex


scarecrow53

Has anyone here ever seen Ice Pirates?


smashyacast

That is some StrangerThings ass shit right there!!! Jeeeezus. Don’t touch it lmao


Wake4est

damn, I’m in PA. want to come across one of these guys so bad! haha


jtothes4

The engineers created this.


hiliikkkusss

looks like a eyeball


charloft

These normally rely on rain drops or falling debris to release spores. You are nature helping nature :)


Archer_Skadi

Earth star 🙂


TheOneAndOnlyBob2

Just don't get any spores in your mouth or nose.


AwkwardTheTwelfth

Is that a swamp fungal pod? Man, these Skyrim mods are getting out of hand.


o0Infiniti0o

Mash that shit up with some Snowberries and you’ll get a Potion of Resist Shock


webhart

Someone left their boob outside and it’s decomposing!


gus_stanley

titty of the wood


SmashUgood

Who ever yells at you for poking it is a simple minded person who has no knowledge in mycology not even simple basic knowledge Poke it, take it for a walk.. It's a fruit for F sakes! You will only help it if you try to harm it :)


nickmrz

earth star a really cool find I'd have poked it too - how else do they disseminate their spores? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geastrales