PECULIAR FUNGOID GROWTH.
A remarkable find, was made recently by Mr. Lichner, in the Geraldine Bush, of what seems to be another of the weird creations of Nature which are continually coming under notice. It was a fungoid growth, but so closely approximating to animal life that it would be difficult to say where the vegetable ended and the animal began. Not only in texture, but also "in appearance, was the resemblance to animal life striking, for the growth at first suggested an octopus. From a central body, extending six tenacle-like arms, dividing a short distance from the body into two sections, and gradually tapering away at the end to the thickness of a pin. In the centre of the body was a ragged opening apparently fulfilling the functions of a mouth, leading into a pouch about three-quarters of an inch in diameter, the texture of which resembled in appearance a fowl's, crop. The body and tentacles were 'crimson in colour, and the stomach a dirty white, and the whole thing looked and felt like flesh. The find was submitted to Nature students, who were convinced that the growth was a vegetable, and this is borne out by the fact that close alongside it was found another growth apparently exactly similar, and emerging from a globular covering of gelatinous consistency, to which was attached an empty shell, evidently the former covering of the mature fungus. From' the mass white fibrous roots were growing. It has sine© been identified as a specimen of a peculiar fungus that grows in -the New. Zealand forests*
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19081221.2.14
Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13938, 21 December 1908, Page 4
Word Count
262PECULIAR FUNGOID GROWTH. New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13938, 21 December 1908, Page 4
Using This Item
NZME is the copyright owner for the New Zealand Herald. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons New Zealand BY-NC-SA licence . This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of NZME. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Auckland Libraries and NZME.