Hi.i am new to mycology, just tried a syringe of golden teacher LC to spawn then bulk with coir, 12 days after spwan to bulk i have these weird looking pins and mushrooms. i fear those are schizophyllum comune but i tried to do eveything as recomended, nice sterilazation, clean place and clean tools, tons of alcohol etc.. temp has been high lately 30 degrees at day in some cases, 26 at night. i saw there are some mutations like enigma and soome others wich are similar to this, any help will be good received.
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Hello and welcome!
What you have looks like a coral-like mutation to me. This may be caused by genetics or by harsh fruiting conditions.
You can find more examples and a photo gallery here: Mutations
thanks friend. i already saw that post about mutation but it is just hard to understand how they can be too different from what one can expect, i will update later, they are growing very fast. thanks, i think the genetics have already mutated when i bought the syringe because one spoiled jar that i threw away before this one, gave those same mushroomn formations outside, very cool.should they blue when mature?
Bruising/bluing isn't related to maturity. It can appear at any stage of cultivation, wheather on mycelium or fruits.
Once your mutants stopped developing, you can harvest them.
Don't hesitate to ask, add pics and I'll guide you. Looking forward to your updates 😉
Hi, i just threw away my tub, i ended with schizophilum comune, no bluing, very sweet smell and the form of the szchizophilum totally confirmed, now i remember that i did not esterilized the LC when i multiplied my mycelium, i just boiled the water with the honey and that was my mistake
You were right about your Schizophyllum commune contamination. At first, I thought it was a mutation, but turns out I was wrong. Appreciate your update!
Live and learn!
Regarding the vectors of contamination, it's not only poor sterilization of liquid media. The vendor’s initial spore print (and therefore your spore syringe) might have been contaminated. Since S. commune is a wood-loving fungus contamination could also come from coco coir or even from spores in the air (they’re everywhere!)
Under ideal conditions, it takes about 10–21 days for S. commune spores to mature into split-gill fruitbodies. That means any contamination vector is possible. In fact, S. commune often grows faster on coco coir than on wood. So if you saw split-gills (like in your photo) within a week of spawning, the contaminant most likely came from your previously contaminated spawn or bulk substrate—not from the air.
Regarding smell, S. commune has slightly mushroomy/woody smell and doesn’t have a characteristic odor you can use for ID. You mentioned noticing a strong sweet smell, but that usually indicates bacterial, yeast growth or other molds growing alongside S. commune. But the sweet smell is not from S. commune itself.
Is it safe? Schizophyllum commune is not known to produce dangerous mycotoxins. It isn’t “poisonous,” and it’s generally considered inedible mainly for its tough texture rather than toxicity. In fact, its fruitbodies are eaten in parts of Asia and Latin America when thoroughly cooked.
BUT Schizophyllum commune is not harmless! The true danger is the spores! They are highly allergenic and pose a serious respiratory risk.
Right choice throwing away the tub. If you ever have concerns or notice odd growth and smells, it’s better to toss it than risk your health
