Plants managed to leave water and grow on land only because of their collaboration with fungi, which acted as their root systems for millions of years.
Even today, roughly 90 percent of plants and nearly all the world’s trees depend on fungi, which supply crucial minerals by breaking down rock and other substances.
They can also be a scourge, eradicating forests — Dutch elm disease and chestnut blight are fungi — and killing humans.
Without fungi, matter wouldn’t decay; the planet would be buried under layers of dead and unrotted trees and vegetation.
But where “Fantastic Fungi” fell decidedly into the old-school, ’shroom-head camp, Sheldrake’s book is more embracing and more optimistic.
Persons:
it’s, Sheldrake, twining, Suzanne Simard, ’ shroom, Iris Van Herpen, bodices
Organizations:
Adidas, HBO
Locations:
Ikea