The world’s second deadliest fungus has been found in the rainforests of Cairns in far north Queensland, but scientists are baffled by its appearance.
The discovery was made by Ray Palmer, a photographer and “fungi fanatic”, and the Australian Tropical Herbarium has confirmed the species.
Poison fire coral is usually only found in Japan and Korea; it is poisonous to touch and fatal to ingest.
ATH mycologist Dr Matt Barrett said scientists thought it might be a natural occurrence, “but we don't really have a very good understanding at all of the fungi in northern Australia”.
Image: Ray Palmer
