A Fungal Story

This piece celebrates the ancient but clandestine kingdom of fungi, from shaping Earth’s ecosystems to plant partnerships to even human life through decomposition, symbiosis and biochemical ingenuity.

This story is about an organism that has shaped the way we live today. In a world where everything in nature is interdependent and interconnected, this one kingdom weaves itself through those connections—entangling to create, to preserve, and to destroy—not in a linear fashion, but in a cyclical form.

Illustration of the reproductive parts of Scarlet waxcap (Hygrocybe coccinea) by mycologist Beatrix Potter (1897). Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

Fossil evidence dates this kingdom back to 2.4 billion years ago, meaning it has existed long before time—approximately half the age of the Earth. As with all things ancient, age brings experience, and this kingdom holds a wealth of wisdom. They are chemical masterminds, brilliant business strategists, expert logisticians, and form a complete network of fair governance.

Illustration by Édouard Riou from Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne, published in 1864. It depicts the discovery of giant subterranean mushrooms by the protagonist. Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons 

What we’re speaking of is fungi—the threads we find on fruit or expired bread, the agents that help our dough rise in the oven, the organisms behind antibiotics, and the makers of chocolates and beers. They provide us with food, medicine, and even visionary experiences. In fact, fungi also play a vital role in creating soil by decomposing rocks and minerals, breaking them down into simpler nutrients that form the foundation of fertile ground.

This fact highlights the slow and steady processes of nature. Without soil, roots can’t absorb nutrients, and without nutrients, plants can’t grow. Fungi played a crucial role by helping create soil and increasing the availability of food for plants.

Waxcaps or Hygrocybe sp.  are usually bright red, orange or yellow with widely spaced gills. Traditionally found on dead organic matter, these mushrooms were found growing on soil. Photo by: Vhyom Bhatt

They also formed associations with certain plants—acting as chemical masterminds—through a symbiotic bond known as the mycorrhizal relationship. In this relationship, fungi connected with plant roots and provided nutrients from areas the roots couldn’t reach. In return, the fungi received a share of the sugars produced by the plants. It was a win-win partnership: a perfect example of nature’s balanced cooperation.

A photo of bright yellow Hygrocybe sp. in soil. It has a viscid cap, translucent stipe (stem or stalk) and decurrent gills (slightly runs down the stipe). Photo by: Vhyom Bhatt

What was the result of this? More nutrients led to healthier plants, which led to larger plants, which increased oxygen levels on Earth. Over time, this gradual change allowed Earth to support more complex life—like reptiles, mammals, and eventually, us.

But the fungal masterminds didn’t stop there. Once plants grew large enough to become trees, using carbon to produce wood, fungi adapted again. They began to decay dead wood—and in some cases, even grew on living wood. Some scientists believe that without wood-rotting fungi, forests would be overwhelmed with fallen trees and logs, making it nearly impossible to walk on the ground.

Many of these mycorrhizal fungi are also known to trap the carbon dioxide within their underground mycelial networks, thereby reducing the overall amount of carbon emissions in the atmosphere. While these forest networks support nutrient flow and trap carbon, they also connect trees to one another, facilitating interaction and helping determine which trees need what from their neighbors in terms of nutrients—much like how we humans might ask our neighbors for some salt or sugar! Isn't that amazing? 

Some fungi produce mushrooms, which are considered the fruiting bodies of the fungal network. Mushrooms release spores, much like how an apple from an apple tree contains seeds.

Spores of Chlorophyllum brunneum obtained on a foil by a method called spore printing.The print is obtained by allowing spores to fall freely onto a surface underneath, this is used to collect the spores and also aids in identification. Photo by: Vhyom Bhatt

Coprinellus sect. Disseminati, commonly called fairy inkcaps, usually grow in tufts on a wood log. The mushrooms are small, delicate with gray to brown gills. Photo by: Vhyom Bhatt

Certain wood-rotting fungi can even convert the carbon in wood into edible forms—another brilliant example of their chemical masterstroke. People have successfully cultivated mushrooms on agricultural waste and even on something as simple as cardboard.

Imagine that—turning cardboard into food! All you need is fungi and a little understanding of nature’s ways.

This kingdom lives underground, hidden between and within logs. It has always been here—since long before we existed—and will likely remain long after we’re gone. It’s humbling to be part of this natural cycle, to witness this slow and steady, billion-year-old process, and to appreciate the intricate efforts and entropy through which nature fulfills its role.

The beautiful orange-beige gills of Entoloma subgen. Leptonia is a stark contrast to its vivid blue cap. Photo by: Vhyom Bhatt

Let us never forget fungi. Though it is called a kingdom, it nourishes life on Earth much like a mother nurtures her child. It reminds us that decay is not an end, but a beginning—a pathway to new life.

Different colonies of fungi growing on an agar plate. Dense, woolly to velvety surface – typical of filamentous fungi, such as Penicillium or Aspergillus. Photo by Vhyom Bhatt

Fungi are a mothering force. A Queendom.

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Fungi express themselves through a remarkable diversity of fruiting bodies – mushrooms serve one purpose: to release spores into the environment. Their reproductive forms shaped by evolution mirror their function, habitat and lineage. Photo by Sarah A.

1. Phallus atrovolvatus 

2. Agaricus sect. Trisulphurati

3. Geastrum triplex or similar

4. Itajahya rosea

5. Leucocoprinus cretaceus

6. Coprinopsis sp.

7. Favolus grammocephalus

8. Xylaria flabelliformis

9. Xylaria sp.

10. Cyathus sp.

11.  Parasola sp.

12. Lentinus flexipes

13. Underside of Mycena sp.

14. Hygrophanous cap of a Psathyrella sp.

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About the author:

Vhyom is a mycologist whose journey with fungi began in the Himalayas, where early experiences with foraging sparked a deep fascination. Over time, he expanded into cultivation and operations, working with gourmet and medicinal mushrooms. He now consults with mushroom startups, leads educational programs, and continues to explore the world of fungi through research and practice. A founding member of ShroomSabha, he sees fungi as wise, nurturing organisms essential to life’s interdependence.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hisky9?igsh=b3lidHdnczl0cWNz

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