Content
The fruiting body of a mushroom does not always consist of a cap and a stem. Sometimes some specimens surprise you with their uniqueness. These include the ice hair variety, whose Latin name is exidiopsis effusa. This specimen is also known as “frost beard”, “ice wool”, “shaggy ice” and much more. Mycologists classify it as a member of the Auriculariaceae family.
Where does the ice hair mushroom grow?
In the warm season, this specimen is unremarkable
Frost beard is a rather fleeting and rare phenomenon, which is not located on the surface of the bark, but only on the wood. The formation of this fungus occurs exclusively between 45 and 55 degrees north latitude during cold and humid nighttime, when the air temperature hovers around 0 degrees.You can find ice hairs in deciduous forests on wet wood; these can be tree branches of various sizes and species, dead logs, stumps, and snags. This species is most common in the Northern Hemisphere. About 100 years ago, this specimen aroused genuine interest among scientists. Back in 1918, German meteorologist and geophysicist Alfred Wegener discovered that mushroom mycelium is always found in places where ice hairs form. After numerous studies, this theory was confirmed.
According to scientists, the appearance of ice hair is caused by three components: a porous substrate (rotting wood), liquid water and already frozen ice. This miracle of nature begins to grow only if there is liquid inside the tree. At a certain temperature, water near the surface of the substrate freezes upon contact with cold air, resulting in peculiar layers where the wood is enveloped in water, and a thin layer of ice is located above it. Gradually, all the liquid from the pores of the wood is absorbed by the ice and frozen. This process continues until the wood runs out of moisture. And since the pores of the wood are located at a certain distance from each other, the ice freezes in the form of thin hairs.
The study revealed that about 10 different types of fungi are located on the surface of the wood, but only ice hair spores are present on all samples.In addition, the researchers noted that in their absence, “ice threads” do not appear.
What does ice hair mushroom look like?
This specimen is a type of ice that forms as a thread on dead wood.
The mushroom itself is rather inconspicuous and inconspicuous, mostly reminiscent of mold. In the warm season, there is a risk of not noticing it and passing by. A bewitching effect is produced only by those fancy threads that appear at high humidity and a certain temperature. As a rule, the length of one hair grows from 5 to 20 cm, and the thickness is 0.02 mm in diameter. Ice can form into “curls” or curl into “waves.” The hair feels soft and brittle. They themselves are very fragile, but despite this, they can maintain their shape for several hours or even days.
Is it possible to eat ice hair
The shape of “shaggy ice” can be very diverse
This species does not carry any nutritional value and therefore cannot be used as food. Most reference books classify ice hairs as a group of inedible mushrooms. The use of this species has not been recorded.
Conclusion
Ice hairs are mushrooms that create rather unusual “hairstyles” on tree branches. It is this specimen, as well as high humidity and a certain temperature, that creates such a masterpiece. This phenomenon is quite rare, most often it can be observed in the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth. The hairs retain their shape and structure, preventing the ice from melting for several hours.
