Emily Johnson
Mushroom circles, also known as fairy rings, are naturally occurring rings or arcs of mushrooms. They are found mainly in forested areas, but also appear in grasslands or rangelands. They are caused by an individual fungus growing underground and sprouting lots of small threads, called mycelium, in a circular shape. The mushrooms pop up out of the ground at the edge of the circle, creating the fairy ring. The rings may grow to over 10 metres (33 ft) in diameter, and they become stable over time as the fungus grows and seeks food underground. Fairy rings are the subject of much folklore and myth worldwide, with names that allude to supernatural origins.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Names | Fairy ring, fairy circle, elf circle, elf ring, pixie ring, fairy court, fairy walk, fairy ground, hag track, Hexenkreis, witches' circles, ronds de sorcières, Hexenringe |
| Formation | The mycelium (spawn) of a mushroom falls in a favourable spot and sends out a subterranean network of fine, tubular threads called hyphae. The hyphae grow out from the spore evenly in all directions, forming a circular mat of underground hyphal threads. |
| Growth | The mushrooms that grow above the circular underground mat form a similar pattern above the ground. The diameter of the ring gradually increases as the living outer edges keep growing year by year. |
| Size | Fairy rings may grow to over 10 metres (33 ft) in diameter. Some can be up to 600 metres in diameter. |
| Species | About 60 mushroom species can grow in the fairy ring pattern. The best known is the edible Scotch bonnet (Marasmius oreades), commonly known as the fairy ring champignon. |
| Locations | Fairy rings are found mainly in forested areas, but also appear in grasslands, rangelands, lawns, and playing fields. |
| Folklore | Fairy rings are the subject of much folklore and myth worldwide, particularly in Western Europe. They are seen as hazardous or dangerous places linked with witches or the Devil, or as a sign of good fortune. |
| Toxicity | Some fairy rings can be poisonous. |
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What You'll Learn
Fairy rings are caused by an individual fungus growing underground
Fairy rings, also known as fairy circles, elf circles, elf rings, pixie rings, fairy courts, fairy walks, fairy grounds, or hag tracks, are naturally occurring circular rings or arcs of mushrooms. They are found mainly in forested areas, but also appear in grasslands or rangelands. They are often seen on lawns and playing fields.
The rings may grow to over 10 metres (33 ft) in diameter and become stable over time as the fungus grows and seeks food underground. The living outer edges of the rings keep growing year by year, and the diameter of the ring gradually increases. Some fairy rings can grow to be huge—one of the largest rings ever found, in northeastern France, has a diameter of about 300 metres (980 ft) and is over 700 years old.
Fairy rings are the subject of much folklore and myth worldwide, particularly in Western Europe. They are seen as hazardous or dangerous places linked with witches or the Devil, or as a sign of good fortune. In German folklore, fairy rings were thought to be places where witches danced on Walpurgis Night, a spring celebration taking place exactly six months before Halloween.
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The rings can grow to over 10 metres in diameter
Mushroom circles, more commonly known as fairy rings, are naturally occurring rings or arcs of mushrooms. They are found mainly in forested areas, but also appear in grasslands or rangelands. Fairy rings are detectable by sporocarps (fungal spore pods) in rings or arcs, as well as by a necrotic zone (dead grass) or a ring of dark green grass.
The growth of fairy rings is often supported by rabbits, who crop grass short in open areas and produce nitrogen-rich droppings. Mushrooms need more soil nitrogen than grass does. By the time a fairy ring reaches about 6 metres in diameter, rabbit droppings have replenished the nitrogen levels near the centre of the circle, and a secondary ring may start to grow inside the first.
Fairy rings are the subject of much folklore and myth worldwide, particularly in Western Europe. They are alternately seen as hazardous or dangerous places linked with witches or the Devil, or as a sign of good fortune.
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They are the subject of much folklore and myth worldwide
Fairy rings, also known as fairy circles, are the subject of much folklore and myth worldwide, particularly in Western Europe. They are often seen as magical places, with a variety of mythical explanations for their existence.
In English and Celtic folklore, fairy rings are believed to be caused by fairies or elves dancing in a circle. It is said that if humans join the dance, the fairies will punish them, forcing them to dance until they collapse from exhaustion. In German folklore, fairy rings are known as "Hexenringe" or "witches' rings", believed to mark the site of witches' dancing on Walpurgis Night, a spring celebration that takes place exactly six months before Halloween. Similarly, in French, they are called "ronds de sorcières", or "witches' circles".
Fairy rings are seen as hazardous or dangerous places linked with witches or the Devil in some cultures. For example, Dutch superstition claims that the circles show where the Devil set his milk churn. In contrast, Austrian mythology blames dragons for burning the rings into the forest floor with their fiery tails.
On the other hand, some cultures view fairy rings as portals to another world or as dinner tables for fairies. The size of a fairy ring is believed to correlate with the age of the fungus, with larger rings indicating older fungi. This belief has led to speculation about the age of particularly large fairy rings, such as the one found near Belfort in northeastern France, which is estimated to be about 700 years old.
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Mushrooms are the reproductive parts, like fruit in plants
Mushrooms are the visible reproductive structures of fungi, and they play a vital role in the life cycle of these organisms. Just as fruits are the reproductive structures of plants, mushrooms are the reproductive structures of fungi. Fungi are a diverse group of organisms that include yeast, moulds, and mushrooms. They are essential decomposers in ecosystems, breaking down organic matter and recycling nutrients.
The mushroom itself is not the entire fungus but only a small part of it. The majority of the fungal organism is made up of a network of thread-like filaments called hyphae that grow underground or through organic matter. This network is called the mycelium. The mycelium is the vegetative part of the fungus, responsible for absorbing nutrients and water and anchoring the fungus to its substrate. When the conditions are right, the mycelium produces mushrooms as part of its reproductive strategy.
Mushrooms typically emerge above the ground or on the surface of wood or other organic matter. They are short-lived and are often seen as the "flowers" of the fungal world. They are designed to produce and disperse spores, which are the fungal equivalent of plant seeds. Spores are microscopic structures that contain genetic material and can give rise to new fungal organisms. They are typically produced in the gills, pores, or teeth on the underside of mushroom caps.
When the spores are released, they can be dispersed by wind or water, or they may be spread by animals that come into contact with the mushrooms. If the spores land in a suitable environment with sufficient moisture and nutrients, they can germinate and grow into new mycelium, starting the fungal life cycle anew. This process of spore dispersal and germination is similar to how plants use fruits to disperse their seeds and begin their life cycle.
The comparison of mushrooms to fruits in plants is a helpful analogy for understanding the reproductive nature of fungi. Just as plants invest energy in producing colourful and attractive fruits to entice animals to help disperse their seeds, fungi invest energy in producing mushrooms to facilitate spore dispersal. This strategy ensures the survival and propagation of fungal species, allowing them to decompose organic matter and contribute to the health of ecosystems worldwide.
So, the next time you spot a mushroom circle or a solitary mushroom sprouting from the forest floor, remember that it is not just a mysterious growth but a vital part of the fungal life cycle, playing a role similar to that of fruits in the plant kingdom.
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They are commonly found on lawns and playing fields
Fairy rings, also known as fairy circles, elf circles, elf rings, pixie rings, fairy courts, fairy walks, fairy grounds, or hag tracks, are commonly found on lawns and playing fields. They are naturally occurring rings or arcs of mushrooms, which are caused by an individual fungus growing underground. The fungus sprouts small threads, called mycelium, in a circular shape. The mushrooms pop up out of the ground at the edge of the circle, creating the fairy ring.
Fairy rings are commonly formed by the field mushroom (Agaricus campestris), which often measures about 6 feet (2 metres) in diameter. Marasmius oreades, commonly known as the fairy ring mushroom, forms very large but irregular rings that may attain a diameter of 1,200 feet (365 metres). About 60 mushroom species can grow in the fairy ring pattern. The best-known species is the edible Scotch bonnet (Marasmius oreades), commonly known as the fairy ring champignon.
Fairy rings are detectable by sporocarps (fungal spore pods) in rings or arcs, as well as by a necrotic zone (dead grass) or a ring of dark green grass. The rings may grow to over 10 metres (33 feet) in diameter and become stable over time as the fungus grows and seeks food underground. The mushrooms are just the reproductive parts, like fruit in plants. They are all connected to the same organism, which is alive below the surface.
Fairy rings are the subject of much folklore and myth worldwide, particularly in Western Europe. They are alternately seen as hazardous or dangerous places linked with witches or the Devil, or as a sign of good fortune. In German folklore, fairy rings were known as witches' rings, believed to be the place where witches danced on Walpurgis Night, a spring celebration taking place exactly six months before Halloween.
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Frequently asked questions
Mushroom circles, also known as fairy rings, are naturally occurring rings or arcs of mushrooms. They are found mainly in forested areas, but also appear in grasslands or rangelands.
Certain fungi mycelium grow in a circular pattern. The mushrooms that grow above the ground form a similar pattern to the circular underground mat. The mushrooms are just the reproductive parts of the greater organism below the soil.
Mushroom circles are caused by an individual fungus growing underground. The fungus sprouts lots of small threads, called mycelium, in a circular shape. A year later, the mushrooms pop up out of the ground at the edge of the circle, creating the fairy ring.
About 60 mushroom species can grow in the fairy ring pattern. The best known is the edible Scotch bonnet (Marasmius oreades), commonly known as the fairy ring champignon. One of the largest rings ever found is near Belfort in northeastern France, with a diameter of about 300 meters (980 feet) and is over 700 years old.
Mushroom circles are the subject of much folklore and myth worldwide, particularly in Western Europe. They are alternately seen as hazardous or dangerous places linked with witches or the Devil, or as a sign of good fortune. In German folklore, fairy rings were thought to mark the site of witches' dancing on Walpurgis Night.
