Ileodictyon cibarium


Ileodictyon cibarium is a saprotrophic species of fungus in the family Phallaceae. It is native to Australia and New Zealand, where it is commonly known as the basket fungus or the white basket fungus, alluding to its fruit bodies, shaped like a round or oval ball with interlaced or latticed branches, resembling polyhedra similar to closed fullerenes. Although the immature spherical fruitbodies are reportedly edible, the mature fruit body is foul-smelling and partly covered with a slime layer containing spores on the inner surfaces.

Taxonomy and etymology

Ileodictyon cibarium was originally described by Edmond Tulasne and Charles Tulasne in a paper by Étienne Raoul in 1844. The type specimen was collected in New Zealand.
The Māori language has 35 different names referring to I. cibarium. These include tūtae kēhua, tūtae whatitiri, and whareatua, kōkirikiriwhetū, kōpurawhetū, korokorowhetū, wheterau, popowhaitiri, tikowhatitiri, paruwhatitiri, matakupenga, and tūtae whetū.

Description

Prior to the opening of the outer skin, the fruit body is egg-shaped and white to greyish. After opening, it is a whitish mesh-like ball measuring up to 25 cm in diameter. The different growth stages of L. cibarium were illustrated by John Buchanan.
Ileodictyon cibarium is similar to and sometimes confused with Ileodictyon gracile, which is also native to Australia. The two species are both whitish, mesh balls of similar size, but can be differentiated by characteristics of the receptacle arms that form the mesh. I. cibarium has a thicker mesh with arms that are wrinkled, about 5 times wider, elliptical in cross section, and not thickened where the arms meet, compared to ''I. gracile.''

Ecology

The strongly smelling gleba is used to attract flies as a part of the fungi's reproductive cycle, in order for flies to disperse spores to new locations.

In Māori culture

Ileodictyon cibarium is associated with the presence of gods in Māori mythology. Several of the names for the species refer to whaitiri, the atua and personification of thunder, this is because of the frequent appearance of I. cibarium fruit bodies following thunderstorms, while others describe the baskets as the fishing nets of Taramainuku, a god associated with the Matariki star cluster. The unopened fruiting bodies are a traditional food source, especially in the Hawkes Bay area, cooked in the ashes of a fire or in a hāngī. The fungus may be the namesake of the town Waipukurau, with the name suggesting a watering hole where I. cibarium is soaked before eating.

Popularity

In a 2018 poll, I. cibarium was ranked second by Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research for its pick as New Zealand's national fungus, being defeated by Entoloma hochstetteri.

Distribution and habitat

Ileodictyon cibarium is native to New Zealand and Australia and has also been introduced to Chile, Brazil, Africa and England. It grows alone or clustered together near woody debris, in lawns, gardens, and cultivated soil, along roads, in forest.

Edibility

The immature fruitbodies are edible and a traditional Māori food source in New Zealand.