In this article, we explore one of the most fascinating and least-known aspects of forest life: the fundamental role that fungi play in allowing forests to "breathe." For decades, scientific research has underestimated the importance of the fungal kingdom, focusing primarily on plants and animals. Today, thanks to innovative research, we know that without fungi, forests as we know them would not exist. This article is aimed at botanists, mycologists, mycoculturists, and mushroom enthusiasts, offering a detailed analysis supported by scientific data, recent research, and mycological curiosities. Through a journey into the underground world of fungal hyphae, we will discover how fungi create complex communication networks, facilitate the exchange of nutrients between trees, sequester carbon from the atmosphere, and contribute to the resilience of forest ecosystems. Each section is designed to offer in-depth information, with detailed tables, up-to-date statistics, and references to authoritative scientific studies.
The interaction between soil geology and mushroom growth is a fundamental field for understanding fungal development. This article explores in depth how the geological characteristics of the substrate influence mycelium formation, fruiting, and mushroom quality, offering a detailed overview for mycologists, professional mycoculturists, and mushroom foraging enthusiasts. Through scientific data, comparative tables, and specific analyses, we will attempt to unravel the secrets of this symbiotic relationship that has characterized the fungal ecosystem for millennia.
The willow bracket, scientifically known as Phellinus igniarius, is one of the most fascinating and complex wood-dwelling fungi in the European mycological landscape. This perennial polypore, which owes its common name to the characteristic bracket shape it assumes when growing on tree trunks, is not only an organism of great scientific interest but also a species with remarkable medicinal properties, the subject of increasingly in-depth studies. In this fact sheet, we will explore in detail every aspect of this extraordinary fungus, from its taxonomy and ecology, from its morphological characteristics to its pharmacological applications.
 – dati botanici, caratteristiche, morfologia, habitat, propr_950.jpeg "Willow bracket (Phellinus igniarius) – botanical data, characteristics, morphology, habitat, properties")