杏吧原创

A tiny, elusive mushroom native to Chile鈥檚 mountains has been found again, more than 40 years since its only recorded sighting in 1982.

In the early 1980s, mycologist Norberto Garrido collected more than 200 species of fungi during expeditions to the mountainous forests of southern Chile. Among Garrido鈥檚 haul was a previously unknown fungus that he called the big puma fungus (Austroomphaliaster nahuelbutensis) after the region in which it was found, the Nahuelbuta mountain range, which means the big puma range in the local Mapadungun language.

Garrido formally described the fungus in 1988, highlighting its unique grey-brown colour with a hint of red. The cap of its mushrooms has a slight depression in the middle and white gills underneath. Each one stands around 4 to 5 centimetres tall and the stems are thicker at the base.

鈥淚t is the only species of fungi in its genus,鈥� says at the Fungi Foundation in Chile. 鈥淪o that makes it very special.鈥�

The big puma fungus hadn鈥檛 been officially spotted since its discovery more than four decades ago and was thought to be lost to science. So Torres and her colleagues set out to find it again.

After a week-long search along the Nahuelbuta mountains last May, the team spotted a patch of mushrooms that matched Garrido鈥檚 description nestled on the dense forest floor.

鈥淭he first time we saw it, we knew in our souls that this was the mushroom,鈥� says Torres. 鈥淲e screamed, we laughed, we cried.鈥�

DNA analysis of these newly uncovered mushrooms and of Garrido鈥檚 original samples confirmed that the researchers had indeed rediscovered the big puma fungus.

The team hopes to learn more about the fungus and how widespread it is to determine its conservation status. 鈥淥nce we do that, we can ensure that it can get protection,鈥� says Torres.

鈥淣inety per cent of plants depend on fungi to survive,鈥� she adds. 鈥淲hen you drink coffee or drink a beer with your friends, it鈥檚 because of fungi. So, we really need to include them in conservation efforts.鈥�