Why do mushrooms ...

[jnaylor at southwind.net]

In article <4tp0ad$5c3 at sjx-ixn4.ix.netcom.com>,
allai_x at ix.netcom.com(Docktor Crow Goodfellow ) wrote:

>A friend of mine said that some mushroom grow in rings of perfect
>circles (that is, multiple mushrooms forming a circle).  Is this true? 
>For all mushrooms?  For some?  If it is true, why is it so?
>
>Please respond via mail.  Thanks.

I've heard them called "fairy rings," but have never seen any little
fairies dancing around the ones I have in my prairie grass. ;)  I suppose
that the fruit (mushrooms) simply grows at the edge of the advancing
"root" (the disc shaped mycelium). Anyhow, the diameter does enlarge quite
noticeably every year. I have another variety of huge mushrooms in a ring
approximately 60 feet in diameter in the woods. Some of these can be six
to eight inches tall with a cap of the same diameter.

-- 
Jim
jnaylor at southwind.net