|
|
Article: Mushrooms may hold key to saving the rainforests; Liverpool scientists in tree growth breakthrough.(News)
- Article from:
- Daily Post (Liverpool, England)
- Article date:
- September 13, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 MGN Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Byline: DEBORAH JAMES
SCIENTISTS believe they may have found the key to saving the world's rain forests - a small golf-ball shaped mushroom that smells of aniseed.
A team of researchers at Liverpool John Moores University have discovered a new species of spherical mushroom, which when placed next to the root of certain trees, can improve growth rate by at least 20%.
The edible fungus, which tastes like a nutty brown mushroom, is found only in the tropical rain forests of Thailand, and has been named Astraeus Oderatus after its distinctive sweet aniseed odour.
It is part of the gasteromycetes fungi family, which means it is round and ...