Out with the dogs today I found something I had been looking for for years - Green Elf Cups, or less excitingly known as Green Wood Cups (Chlorociboria aeruginascens) a very small and elusive fungus that stains the dead wood (usually oak) it is growing in, a brilliant blue-green color. This stained wood has been prized since the middle ages for its decorative properties. This specimen had the fruiting bodies out and was quite striking. The blue-green color is due to a highly conjugated natural product Xylindein - a dimeric naphthoquinone.
2 comments:
I found some Chlorociboria Aeruginascens (green elf cup) and made a spoon out of the beautiful wood. Before using it however, I'd like to know if it's safe for cooking. I know nothing about the solubility or potential toxicity of Xylindein. I'd very much appreciate some help with this.
Wren Hudgins
I don't know. Sorry.
However, this document (link below), detailing related compounds, would indicate that many compounds of this class are biologically active.
http://ddr.nal.usda.gov/bitstream/10113/31546/1/CAIN729019200.pdf
In light of this, I would enjoy the spoon as a decorative object!
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