The Secret world of Mushrooms
Jan Vermeer
Over 3.5 million fungal species are believed to exist around the world. They play an indispensable role in all ecosystems. Fungi digest leaves and tree branches which provides a nutritious soil for all kinds of organisms to thrive. As a food source for humans, they are indispensable in our kitchen, think yeast for bread and production of beer, but are also invaluable in the production of medicine. The best-known example is penicillin, a fungus that has saved over 200 million lives since its discovery. For the development of cancer treatments, there have been hopeful discoveries where fungi are closely monitored. In recent years, photographer Jan Vermeer has focused entirely on basidiomycetes and the wondrous world of mushrooms. The mycelium of a mushroom is mainly invisible, hidden under the ground and in rotting tree trunks, except for the fruiting body which forms the mushrooms as we know them. Photographer Vermeer searched mainly for the most beautiful, colourful and, above all, common species. Mushrooms quickly appear, and disappear within just a few days. At times when mushrooms are at their most beautiful, Vermeer visited the same forest area at least 20 days in a row. Vermeer approached the mushrooms as living natural monuments and the result did not go unnoticed worldwide. Many magazines published detailed articles including the prestigious National Geographic. Meanwhile, three books have been published and the search for the most beautiful mushrooms continues unabated.
Springtail and Dual-colored Deceiver / Laccaria bicolor $2,500
Late fall Polypore / Ischnoderma resinosum$2,000
Common Funnel Mushroom / Clitocybe gibba$2,000
Common Bonnet / Mycena galericulata$2,500
Sulfur Knight / Tricholoma sulphureum$2,500
Late fall Polypore / Ischnoderma resinosum$2,000
White Saddle / Helvella crispa$2,000
Saffrondrop Bonnet / Mycena crocata$2,000
Common Bonnet / Mycena galericulata$2,000
Wrinkled Peach / Rhodotus palmatus$2,500
Yellow Leg Bonnet with Bonnet Mold / Mycena epipterigya$3,500
Verdigris Navel / Omphalina chlorocyanea$3,500
Coral Tooth Fungus / Hericium coralloides$2,000
Yellow Stagshorn / Calocera viscos$2,000
Amethyst Deceiver / Laccaria amethystina$2,000
Jelly Rot / Phlebia tremellosa$2,500
Bleeding Fairy Helmet / Mycena haematopus$2,500
Violet Webcap / Cortinarius violaceus$2,000
Wrinkled Peach / Rhodotus palmatus$3,500
Jelly Rot / Phlebia tremellosa$2,500
Wrinkled Peach / Rhodotus palmatus$2,500
Magic Ink Cap / Coprinopsis picacea$2,000
Boletus Testaceo-Scaber / Leccinum versipelle$2,000
Fly Agaric / Amanita muscaria$3,500
Wrinkled Peach / Rhodotus palmatus$3,500