December 26, 2023
Fairyrings
A fairy ring is a naturally occurring ring or arc of mushrooms. They are found mainly in forested areas, but also appear in grasslandsor rangelands. Fairy rings are detectable by mushrooms in rings or arcs, as well as by a necrotic zone (dead grass), or a ring of dark green grass. Fungus mycelium is present in the ring or arc underneath. The rings may grow to over 10 metres in diameter, and they become stable over time as the fungus grows and seeks food underground.
Fairy rings are the subject of much folklore and myth worldwide—particularly in Western Europe. They are often seen as hazardous or dangerous places, and linked with witches or the Devil in folklore. Conversely, they can sometimes be linked with good fortune. Our little Adam, in the picture, surely is a big bundle of good fortune and apart from the occasional soiled nappy, he expresses no evil.
The mycelium of a fungus growing in the ground absorbs nutrients by secretion of enzymes from the tips of the hyphae (threads making up the mycelium). This breaks down larger molecules in the soil into smaller molecules that are absorbed through the hyphae walls near their growing tips. The mycelium moves outward from the center, and when the nutrients in the center are exhausted, the center dies, forming a living ring, from which the fairy ring arises.
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