This text discusses the fascination with fungi and mushrooms, emphasizing their role as decomposers and their diverse underground networks. It highlights the work of naturalist M. F. Lewis, who produced exquisitely colored illustrations of fungi in her three volumes titled “Fungi Collected in Shropshire and Other Neighborhoods.” These illustrations showcase the rich fungal diversity in regions seldom explored by mycologists. Lewis’s approach to grouping mushrooms is more aesthetically based rather than taxonomically organized. The text also mentions the growing embrace of natural history and the fascination with fungi among women naturalists in the nineteenth century. Overall, the text explores the scientific and aesthetic value of fungi and their significance in a networked world.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fungal fascination | Increased understanding and appreciation of fungi | Greater integration of fungi into various industries and fields | Increased awareness of the importance and potential of fungi |
| Female naturalists studying fungi | Shift in focus from traditional plants and animals to fungi | Increased recognition and study of fungi by naturalists | Recognition of the artfulness and importance of fungi in decomposition |
| Illustrated descriptions of mushrooms | Emphasis on aesthetic arrangement over taxonomic relations | More emphasis on the visual beauty of mushrooms | Appreciation of mushrooms as both scientific and artistic subjects |
| Obsession with fungi | Potential long-term embrace of fungi’s importance | Increased awareness of fungi’s role in a networked world | Understanding of fungi’s importance for the environment and society |
| Beautification of fungi | Recognition of the beauty and diversity of fungi | Increased artistic representation of fungi | Appreciation of the aesthetics of decomposition and rot |