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worowa
Professor

Registered: 06/29/07
Posts: 303
Last seen: 2 days, 10 hours
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Cyttaria gunnii, an amazing edible
#21167319 - 01/23/15 12:54 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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Hunting for Bush Tucker – Wild Myrtle Oranges

In Tassie, summer is the time for hunting down the mesmerizing Cyttaria gunnii, commonly known as the myrtle orange or beech orange.
What an amazing day. Will and I took a road trip to the myrtle forests (Nothofagus cunninghamii) in Tassie – hunting down the myrtle oranges until we found the mother load on the very top of the mountain! The sweet nectar inside was a very cool welcomed treat for our efforts.
 These tasty little morsels have to be one of my favourite wild mushrooms for various reasons. One – I love hunting for mushies in myrtle forests, secondly I love reading the signs in the bush to find them. The Cyttaria mycelium forms woody galls on their host trees, from where the perennial crops of fruit are produced. Therefore you are looking for myrtles with galls.Orange Myrtle

Thirdly, they cook up to be rather tasty and unique little morsels. They look great in your dish, keep their beautiful deep orange colour and maintain their crunchy texture. They take on flavours to compliment your dish.

Collecting fungi is only permitted on private land in Tasmania. Similar species of Cyttaria also grow in New Zealand and South America, on related Nothofagus trees. All species of Cyttaria are edible, and have been used by local peoples for thousands of years. The mushrooms can actually be collected and fermented into an alcoholic beverage, as they contain up to 15% sugars, as well as cold tolerant Saccharomyces yeasts.
In fact, a related species of Cyttaria is thought to be the original home of lager yeasts! Somehow made its way to Europe a few centuries ago, mingled with the local yeasts, then changed brewing as we know it. The native South Americans fermented their species to produce a beverage, chicha del llau-llau.

Orange Myrtle
In pandani, pencil pine and myrtle forest
golden moon, glowing honey comb treats found
offering sweet summer nectar delight
-------------------- We are all in this together. Visit my site, forestfungi.com.au, let me know what you think.
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One of Us
Stranger



Registered: 03/12/12
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Re: Cyttaria gunnii, an amazing edible [Re: worowa]
#21167401 - 01/23/15 01:23 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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Those seem bad ass
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inski
Cortinariologist



Registered: 02/28/06
Posts: 5,778
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Re: Cyttaria gunnii, an amazing edible [Re: worowa]
#21167422 - 01/23/15 01:28 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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Very nice find worowa, I spend most of my time in the Southern Beech forests here in New Zealand in Autumn so I never get a chance to see this and it's really too far to travel just for one fungus but this makes me want to give them a go, I'd also like to make some photographs of the species.
You should post this in the hunting and identification forum, there are probably more people there who would appreciate your images of this interesting ascomycetes.
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worowa
Professor

Registered: 06/29/07
Posts: 303
Last seen: 2 days, 10 hours
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Re: Cyttaria gunnii, an amazing edible [Re: inski]
#21167440 - 01/23/15 01:35 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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Not 100% sure about NZ, but over here their season is late spring through summer. Go have a look soon, you might get lucky!
-------------------- We are all in this together. Visit my site, forestfungi.com.au, let me know what you think.
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Juiceh
Dabbing All Day



Registered: 09/25/12
Posts: 3,208
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Re: Cyttaria gunnii, an amazing edible [Re: worowa]
#21167895 - 01/23/15 04:11 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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Is this species possible to grow indoors? Can I get a culture from you, if your making any?
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obtuse
myco0



Registered: 02/18/09
Posts: 2,406
Loc: tasmania
Last seen: 1 year, 8 months
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Re: Cyttaria gunnii, an amazing edible [Re: Juiceh]
#21168266 - 01/23/15 05:51 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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They are a specific parasite to Nothofagus sp. so would not be able to culture indoors.
They need a live host, they are ascomycetes, so a culture may be possible, but fruiting would depend on the symbiosis. are you attempting a culture worowa? i never bothered because of the symbiosis involved.
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worowa
Professor

Registered: 06/29/07
Posts: 303
Last seen: 2 days, 10 hours
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Re: Cyttaria gunnii, an amazing edible [Re: obtuse]
#21168822 - 01/23/15 08:43 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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I'm not convinced they are parasites. The biggest Nothofagus trees I've seen are covered in huge galls from which the mushrooms sprout annually. I have a feeling they help the trees somehow.
I am attempting to grow the culture on agar soon. I have 1 small plant grown from a cutting, but will try and get a few hundred seedlings started. Might be a while before I see any home grown Cyttaria.
on a side note, obtuse, are those brugs wallaby and possum proof?
-------------------- We are all in this together. Visit my site, forestfungi.com.au, let me know what you think.
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knomadic_niki
A mile high



Registered: 06/30/14
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Re: Cyttaria gunnii, an amazing edible [Re: worowa]
#21169087 - 01/23/15 09:58 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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how interesting!
-------------------- My trade list In search of sporeless oyster cultures
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obtuse
myco0



Registered: 02/18/09
Posts: 2,406
Loc: tasmania
Last seen: 1 year, 8 months
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Re: Cyttaria gunnii, an amazing edible [Re: knomadic_niki]
#21169350 - 01/23/15 11:04 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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im sure there is a stunning research project involved in comparing the Nothofagus sp. and Cyttaria sp. across the gondwanan range of both, looking at molecular clues - that could be done by some adventurous phd candidate.
unfortunately the "parasite" implies a particular relationship, and yes you may be right that there is more going on than we see initially. is the fungi / plant symbiosis more than it appears, and is there a third party, in farming bacteria within the gall itself which adds yet another nutrient source.
i will add to my list and maybe in a few years when i have a better handle on molecular techniques and bio-informatics. and when there may be research funding available again (not holding my breath), i'll come visit you and we can look deeper.
Edited by obtuse (01/24/15 02:01 AM)
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obtuse
myco0



Registered: 02/18/09
Posts: 2,406
Loc: tasmania
Last seen: 1 year, 8 months
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Re: Cyttaria gunnii, an amazing edible [Re: obtuse]
#21169360 - 01/23/15 11:06 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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oh, and the brugs should handle any possums or wallabies. i have no problems with possums at all. and wallabies should avoid too. they are smart critters, they know what to avoid 
glad to hear they are going well.
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