Filoboletus manipularis

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About Filoboletus manipularis:

It is a fascinating species of bioluminescent mushroom.
These mushrooms glow a bright green at night due to a chemical reaction in their cells.
Habitat: They thrive in tropical, humid environments, typically found in dense forests where there’s plenty of decaying organic matter, like fallen trees and leaves.
This rich, moist environment provides the nutrients and conditions necessary for their growth and their unique glowing property.
Biochemical process: The chemical reaction involving luciferin (a pigment) and luciferase (an enzyme) with oxygen plays a critical role in these mushrooms. This reaction produces light, a trait shared with other bioluminescent organisms like fireflies and certain marine creatures.
Advantage: In fungi, this glowing mechanism is thought to attract insects, “which help disperse the mushroom’s spores”.

What are mushrooms?

Mushrooms constitute secondary saprophytic fungi of the forest ecosystem.
Secondary saprophytic fungi play a very important role in the decomposition of plant litter.
The Western Ghats region in Kerala is rich in fungi, many of which could also be described as endemic to the region.