Observations on some Fairy Ring Forming <i>Lepiota</i> Mushrooms (Basidiomycota; Agaricales) in Ghana

Abstract

Mushrooms are mostly saprophytic and grow in soil, on dead wood or are found on grass, lawns, pitches and golf courses. There are about 400 species of Lepiota typically gilled; some are edible and other forming fairy rings in the field. Two Lepiota species were studied in the Greater Accra Region during the rainy season (May-July) of 2016-2018. Their morphological development, anatomy and ring-forming capacity during the 3yr cycle. Lepiota procera (Pers) Grays is edible and is typically without volva. The fairy ring was made up of 6 - 9 mushrooms in circle along the periphery of the circle with slight shift in the positions of the fruiting body. period. L. procera emerged directly from the soil without any change in the topography or color of soil in about 28 days. The second Lepiota sp. is not edible and completed morphological development in 2 - 3 weeks and formed full to semi-circle fairy rings. There was a distinct greening of grass (Chrysopogon aciculatus) along the periphery of the ring. These findings underscore the fact that fairy ring formation is not mystical but a natural phenomenon among the Basidiomycota. This is the first reported account of fairy ring formation in Ghana.