I think the aspen thing may have been proven, I think I read it
somewhere's reliable.
On 21 Sep 2000 07:35:58 +0100, truffler1635 at my-deja.com wrote:
>In article <39c97d7f.2874664 at news.uniserve.com>,
>CaptainMaxMushroom at webcity.ca wrote:
>> Actually, I believe the largest living organism is the aspen? in
>> norhtern Canada. They all grow off the same mother root over hundreds
>> of square miles.
>>>The largest currently _confirmed_ single organism is an Armillariella
>ostoyae found near Prairie City, OR, encompassing some 113 acres.
>>While there has been _supposition_ that larger groves of aspen exist (as
>well as several other trees species which frequently spread by root
>scions) the only confirmed by DNA research species is the fungus.
>>And even that _may be_ inaccurate. I have heard of a fairy-ring of
>Armillaria oystoyae near Crater Lake which is _much_ larger. But DNA
>confirmation has not yet been done.
>>The problem with assessing either aspen, cottonwood or fungus is that all
>can spread by many mechanisms (spore/seed, root/mycelium, cutting/
>mycelial transference). All these organisms are also widespread and
>common. The only _known_ way to confirm they are part of the same
>organism, however, is through DNA testing.
>>The future may prove that giant fairy rings of Marasmius oreades in the
>Mid-west over 100-miles across are both the largest organisms and the
>oldest organisms. However, given the ubiquitousness of this species,
>identification of precise portions of the fairy-rings involves, vs
>smaller fairy-rings of the same fungus growing inside of them, is very
>problematic.
>>Daniel B. Wheeler
>www.oregonwhitetruffles.com
>>> On 19 Sep 2000 18:34:01 +0100, rushwayne at aol.com (RushWayne) wrote:
>>>> >We have all read about the fungi that are single
>> >organisms and have spread over vast tracts of
>> >land, vying for the title of largest living
>> >organism. I'm wondering if anyone has an estimate
>> >of how old these giant organisms must be to have
>> >spread over so much territory. Perhaps they are
>> >among the oldest living organisms, in addition to
>> >the largest. This information in turn might have
>> >some bearing on the issue of fungal senescence.
>> >--Rush
>> >http://www.mycomasters.com/>> >"Growing Mushrooms with Hydrogen Peroxide"
>> >
>> >
>>>> Visit Captain Max's Den and read about Canada's mushroom parks!
>>http://members.xoom.com/maxsden/>>>>>>>Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/>Before you buy.
>>
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