In Africa, a student discovered a new type of mushroom — the "white ghost"

A biology student in the Republic of South Africa was lucky enough to make the discovery of a mushroom previously unknown to science. He called the find a "white ghost."

When sequencing DNA, scientists found out that they are dealing with a representative of the genus Hericium. He was given a scientific name Hericium ophelieae, which refers to one of Shakespeare's poems with lines about "a long veil", "beautiful as snow" and "a white ghost". Experts believe that such a name perfectly characterizes the appearance of the find.

The "white ghost" grows on wood, including dead wood, and is probably important for its decomposition process.

To the genus Hericium also includes some mushrooms with medicinal properties. For example, Chinese medicine has been using the combed hedgehog for centuries for therapeutic and preventive purposes.