Giant Fungus In China: Monster Mushrooms [Video]

Giant fungus in a China village has some residents baffled. The monster mushrooms weigh close to 33 pounds and are three feet wide. The fungus has not been identified, and there is concern that they may be poisonous.

The fungus was discovered in China’s Jianshui Country. The man who discovered the massive cluster of mushrooms has them on display, inviting residents to take photos. Some villagers have suggested that the mushrooms could set a world record.

As reported by The Diplomat, the fungus consists of one large stem. Over 100 mushrooms sprout from the stem, making it a single fungus.

China’s Yunnan province is known for a variety of mushrooms. However, residents think this is the most remarkable giant fungus they have ever seen.

China is the world’s largest producer of mushrooms, with Yunnan accounting for 50 percent of mushroom exports. The Yunnan province is home to numerous farms and forests, where the mushrooms grow naturally. However, giant fungus in China are rare.

There are reportedly up to 800 types of mushrooms in the region. As reported by Go Kunming, the Yunnan province makes over $100 million per year exporting mushrooms.

Most popular are the boletus, chanterelle, matsutake, and truffles. The province exports an estimated 100,000 tons of mushrooms every year.

Tourists flock to the area during the rainy season, as mushrooms are most plentiful at that time.

Unfortunately, not all of China’s mushrooms are edible. Some mushrooms can kill.

For years, wild mushrooms were blamed for 400 unexplained deaths in Yunnan. Biologist Jianping Xu, of McMaster University, traveled to the region to explore the myth.

As reported by Message To Eagle, previous studies pointed to the Trogia Venenata mushroom. In the journal Science, the mushrooms were said to contain high levels of barium.

Xu’s research concluded that Trogia mushrooms in the Yunnan region do contain barium, at very minute levels. Xu cannot rule out barium as the cause of death. Autopsies revealed high levels of barium in sudden death victims. However, Xu is skeptical that the Trogia mushroom was the culprit.

The giant fungus in China has not been identified. It is unknown whether it is edible. For now residents are simply enjoying taking pictures and talking about the mysterious mushrooms.

[Image via Fotopedia]