Smut and St George

St George's Day is 23rd April and there is a species of edible fungus called St George's Mushroom, which appears around that date.  Our mycologist Simon photographed these examples last week.

Simon also noticed something else.  I expect you recognise this flower, Red Campion, with a nice white middle.

but this one has gone black in the middle

It's because of a small smut fungus specific to campions.  Sneakily it fills the anthers of male flowers with its dark brown spores which pollinating insects then collect and spread to other campion flowers. 

 But here's the sneakiest bit:  it also invades female flowers and makes them produce artificial things called staminodes that look like the stamens of a male flower. These are also filled with fungal spores.  The pollinators are tricked into thinking these are pollen grains and transport them as well.  Such a clever little SMUT!

All photos by Simon Harding