Omphalotus nidiformis

Omphalotus nidiformis
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Agaricales
Family:	Omphalotaceae
Genus:	Omphalotus
Species:	O. nidiformis
Binomial name
Omphalotus nidiformis (Berk.) O.K. Mill. (1994)
Synonyms
Species synonymy[1] Agaricus nidiformis Berk. (1844) Agaricus lampas Berk. (1845) Agaricus phosphorus Berk. (1848) Agaricus noctilucus Berk. (1872) Panus incandescens Berk. & Broome (1883) Pleurotus lampas (Berk.) Sacc. (1887) Pleurotus nidiformis (Berk.) Sacc. (1887) Pleurotus phosphorus (Berk.) Sacc. (1887) Dendrosarcus lampas (Berk.) Kuntze (1898) Dendrosarcus berkeleyi Kuntze (1898) Dendrosarcus nidiformis (Berk.) Kuntze (1898) Lentinus incandescens (Berk. & Broome) Henn. (1898) Pocillaria incandescens (Berk. & Broome) Kuntze (1898)

Omphalotus nidiformis Mycological characteristics
	Gills on hymenium
	Cap is infundibuliform
	Hymenium is decurrent
	Stipe is bare
	Spore print is white
	Ecology is saprotrophic or parasitic
	Edibility is poisonous

Omphalotus nidiformis, or ghost fungus, is a gilled basidiomycete mushroom most notable for its bioluminescent properties. It is known to be found primarily in southern Australia and Tasmania, but was reported from India in 2012 and 2018. The fan or funnel shaped fruit bodies are up to 30 cm (12 in) across, with cream-coloured caps overlain with shades of orange, brown, purple, or bluish-black. The white or cream gills run down the length of the stipe, which is up to 8 cm (3 in) long and tapers in thickness to the base. The fungus is both saprotrophic and parasitic, and its fruit bodies are generally found growing in overlapping clusters on a wide variety of dead or dying trees.

First described scientifically in 1844, the fungus has been known by several names in its taxonomic history. It was assigned its current name by Orson K. Miller, Jr. in 1994. Its epithet name is derived from the Latin nidus "nest", hence 'nest shaped'. Similar in appearance to the common edible oyster mushroom, it was previously considered a member of the same genus, Pleurotus, and described under the former names Pleurotus nidiformis or Pleurotus lampas. Unlike oyster mushrooms, O. nidiformis is poisonous; while not lethal, its consumption leads to severe cramps and vomiting. The toxic properties of the mushroom are attributed to compounds called illudins. O. nidiformis is one of several species in the cosmopolitan genus Omphalotus, all of which have bioluminescent properties.