Alex Bracken

19 February 2013
BSC 2011
Swanson
Hallucinogenic and Toxic Properties in Fungi
The sole purpose of a mushroom is to deliver and spread spores for the mycelium
growing in the ground beneath it. A mushroom is generally the one connection with the aboveground world a fungus has. Damaging or removing a mushroom doesnt kill a fungus, or really
do it any harm at all. So why would certain species of fungi evolve to have toxic or
hallucinogenic produced in their mushrooms? The reason has to do with self-preservation and
response to the environment.
Many mushrooms are not only edible, but are considered delicacies among humans,
animals, and bacteria alike. They can be an excellent food source, but the fungus is not producing
these mushrooms for the enjoyment of other organisms. It expends its time and energy
producing these mushrooms to spread its spores. In an environment where predation on a
particular species of mushroom has become increasingly prevalent, the species must evolve if it
wishes to continue successfully. This is achieved through the use of toxic or hallucinogenic
compounds that lie within the flesh of the mushroom. Having these repellants within their
fruiting bodies allows these fungi to ward off predators and reduce the rate at which these
mushrooms are lost; an organism with a bad experience with a particular mushroom isnt going
to come back to damage more. This allows the mushrooms to do the job they were designed for,
which is release spores. More spores released by more mushrooms that are now not being
destroyed because they are toxic means a greater advantage for a fungus and better odds for
survival of the species.
Sources:
"Poisonous and Hallucinogenic Fungi." Mycolog. Mycologue Publications, n.d. Web. 18 Feb
2013. <http://www.mycolog.com/CHAP22.htm>.
"Why Do Fungi Make Hallucinogens?." The Naked Scientists. N.p.. Web. 18 Feb 2013. <http://
www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=46067.0>.