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Mycology, Mycophagy and oh my, my…

Mycology is the study of fungi such as mushrooms, mycophagy is the practise of consuming mushrooms and oh my, my… is what I say when it comes to scientific names. I think the two words are invariably intertwined. After all why bother to study something unless there is a practical use to it?

For years, mushrooms were classified under the plant kingdom and were considered saprophytes meaning a plant that obtains its energy from dead organic materials. The term saprophyte is now no longer used with fungi being elevated to its own kingdom. If at all the term is used such fungi are now called saprobes or saprotrophs.

• Fungi are fascinating. They are heterotrophic (“other-feeding”) meaning they must feed on other preformed organic material unlike plants which are autotrophic (“self-feeding”) meaning they make their own food from photosynthesis. Anyone ever seen a green mushroom?

  
  

  Our understanding of mushroom has increased and beyond a narrow parasitic view of mushroom, the ecological effect of fungi is better understood. Fungi are the great decomposers of biological world, recycling dead plants and animals into chemical nutrients such as carbon and nitrogen that are then released back into the environment.

  
  

  Shiitake

  It is as a source of food and medicine that mushrooms are better understood by most people. Mushrooms contain several useful nutrients and minerals such as iron, selenium, potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, copper, and zinc. In addition to providing antioxidant value, these nutrients also play a role in enhancing immunity and preventing disease. The history of mushroom eating and their uses goes back to the early days of civilization. In 1991, the well preserved body of a man who died more than 5,300 years ago was found in the Italian Alps. Found on the "iceman" were a knapsack, flint axe, a string of dried birch bracket mushroom (Piptoporus betulinus) and another yet unidentified mushroom. Dried specimen of birch bracket mushroom can be used as tinder for starting fires and as medicine for treating wounds. Further, a rich tea with immuno-enhancing properties can be prepared by boiling these mushrooms. Equipped for traversing the wilderness, early man had evidently discovered the value of this mushroom.

  
  

  In early Egypt the Pharoahs decreed mushroom to be royal food and thus not available to commoners. This, of course ensured that they alone had access to mushroom. The Chinese valued mushroom for their medicinal properties as well as for food. Ancient Romans and Greeks ate mushroom and supposedly the Caesars would have a food taster sample the mushroom before eating themselves. In more recent times, with the rise of the psychedelic pop culture in the 1970's came renewed interest in so-called "magic mushroom" but that is another story. By the way the study of the historical uses and sociological impact of fungi is called ethnomycology.

  King Oyster

  
  
  

  Hiratake

  Of course our knowledge of edible mushroom has grown since then, thanks no doubt to early food tasters. What you buy in supermarkets is edible. Mushroom come in fresh, preserved or even canned form. The foodies will vouch for fresh mushroom versus preserved. The aroma and taste is different given the higher moisture content in fresh mushroom. Surprisingly it is not hard to buy fresh mushroom in Singapore. While there are imported mushrooms, a farm right here in Singapore produces daily fresh mushroom for sale in wet markets and the bigger supermarkets.

  Shiitake growing on logs in Greenhouse

  
  

  Hiratake growing on logs

  Mycofarm has a farm in Seletar which grows shiitake, oysters and other types of fresh mushroom in controlled greenhouses. They also organise farm tours and conduct cooking classes. I would recommend the farm tours. If you are lucky, perhaps Dr. Tan Kok Kheng could share some of his insights into mushroom and all things fungi. Dr Tan is Singapore's leading mycologist and the founder of Mycofarm and the Everbloom group of companies, the first in Singapore to cultivate shiitake mushroom on a large scale basis.

  
  

  Visit their website at www.mycofarm.com.sg or contact them at info@mycofarm.com.sg. You can also visit them at 9 Seletar West Farmway 5. There is a small retail outlet there. Try the "mushroom bao!"
  Photographs courtesy of Mycofarm Pte Ltd.
  
  © 2010 Copyright is held by IFS Capital Limited. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. We disclaim all responsibilities in the articles and images published herein, and state that the views expressed in them, if any, are those of the writers and not ours.

Moments in Music - 望春风

This is an old Taiwanese song and some regard as the de facto national anthem of the Taiwanese. 望春风 can mean Pining for the Spring Breeze, whether it means pining for the motherland or as the lyrics say pining for a loved one is another matter.

• Alone in the night, standing under a street lamp; a spring wind blowing across my face. Yet to be married at the age of 17, 18, my thoughts are filled with a young man Whose face is fair; which family is he from? My heart is set aflutter with the thought of him approaching.

  I yearn for him to be my groom, yet I hide my love and longing inside my heart. Awaiting the day that he reciprocates my feelings; while my youth still blossoms. I heard someone by the door; and opened it in search of my loved one. But alas, it was merely the sound of wind, and the Moon seemed to laugh at my folly.

  
  

  HISTORY OF THE SONG

  
  

  Spring Wind is a Taiwanese classic composed in 1933 by Teng Yu-hsien (鄧雨賢), a Hakka Taiwanese musician wuth lyrics written by Lee Lin-chiu (李臨秋). While it is translated as Spring Wind in English by David (or his producer), it is usually translated as Pining (or Longing) for the Spring Breeze.
  In his History of Taiwan Pop Songs, (http://tzeng2.home.comcast.net/~tzeng2/TaiwanPopSongs/in_english.htm ) Tsai Wen-ting wrote that the inspiration for the song came from a line in Chinese classic literature , Romance of the West Chanber (西廂記). "The shadows of flowers cast against the wall moved, and I thought my lover had arrived (隔牆花影動, 疑是玉人來). This served as the inspiration for the then young lyricist, Lee Lin-chiu. "I heard the sound of someone outside, and opened the door to check. The moon laughed at me. I had been deceived by the wind." In these lines, Lee expressed the feelings of a shy, young girl. This was the 1930's, girls are supposed to be charmingly shy, you don't approach strangers and love is very much a new word, a modern concept.
  Various singers have covered this over the years. Teresa Teng, Feng Fei-fei and Stella Chan. The version by Teresa is traditional with its background tick-tock song. It is the theme song for the Singapore movie, Singapore Dreaming and recurs n various part of the movie.
  The song's immense popularity in Taiwan in the 70s and 80s has been said to reflect the political ethos of the day . One wonders whether Taiwan is the shy young girl, China the young man and the pining for the spring breeze perhaps hopes of re-unification. Or perhaps a more nefarious Moon represents China?

  
  

  DAVID TAO'S VERSION

  
  

  David Tao (陶喆) released an acapello version of this song in his self-titled debut album in 1997. The first verse was sung with the traditional Hokkien lyrics but the second verse was new and sung in Chinese.
  David's R & B version is beautiful, the song is historic and the appeal cuts across generations. Most Taiwanese will know the song, it is a common background theme in Taiwanese movies or teleplays. The older Singaporeans will know this song as well, with David's re-introduction of this classic, it has been introduced to a new generation.

  
  

  Alone in the night, standing under a street lamp; a spring wind blowing across my face. Yet to be married at the age of 17, 18, my thoughts are filled with a young man Whose face is fair; which family is he from? My heart is set aflutter with the thought of him approaching.

  Who says a woman's heart is hard to fathom and incomplete unless loved by someone? Youth is precious and fleeting; don't let opportunities pass you by – seize the day! A woman can buy flowers for herself; and love or hate as she pleases We can only live once; why don't we just live life to the fullest?

  
  

  The new second verse was composed by Taiwanese female singer, Wei Ru Xuan, (魏如萱), better known as WaWa. (Doll or 娃娃). Wawa is the ex front-woman of the Taiwanese pop group, Natural Q and one of the biggest female voices in the Taiwanese indie music scene.
  
  The new lyrics reflects the new trend, the new ethos of the modern woman. Why do you need love? Love or hate is not important, live your own life.
  
  Songs have to reflect the reality of our times. Cultural norms do change. See Gary Chaw's Superwoman. The original English version, sung by Karyn White, is the lament of a woman on her "superwoman" demands. Remember this song was released at the peak of the women's liberation movement. Along with Helen Reddy's "I am Woman", these songs came to epitomize the woman’s lib movement. Gary Chaw's Chinese version however praises the "superwoman" tolerance of a woman.
  
  Lyrics have changed over the years. The original Spring Wind had used the phrase 月老 (geh lao in Hokkien) meaning the God of Marriage in traditional Hokkien culture. Versions thereafter have dropped this reference. David, or Wawa's new second verse takes it further. It is not appropriate in modern times to speak of a poor pathetic single girl's secret unrequited admiration. It celebrates the freedom and independence of modern woman Buy flowers for yourself, who needs someone to love?
  
  Singers have to be popular and sell their music in the modern context.
  
  Check out the links below for the songs and a history of the song.
  
  

  VARIOUS SINGERS' RENDITION OF PINING FOR THE SPRING BREEZE

  
  

  Teresa Teng:

  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  Singapore Dreaming:

  
  

  http://singaporedreaming.com/downloads/01%20Bong%20Chun%20Hong.mp3

  
  

  David Tao:

  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  

  TSAI WEN-TING'S ARTICLE ON HISTORY OF TAIWANESE POP

  
  http://tzeng2.home.comcast.net/~tzeng2/TaiwanPopSongs/
  http://tzeng2.home.comcast.net/~tzeng2/TaiwanPopSongs/in_english.htm
  
  

  All the videos uploaded and streamed from YouTube.
  © 2010 Copyright is held by IFS Capital Limited. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. We disclaim all responsibilities in the articles and images published herein, and state that the views expressed in them, if any, are those of the writers and not ours.

  
  
  

On Flowers …

To botanists, flowers are merely branches bearing specially adapted leaves whose sole purpose is reproduction. The pleasure and symbolism they convey to humans is lost in the science. However a flower is more than stamen and pistils, they bring meaning and pleasure to our lives. Often entire countries adopt a flower as their national symbol. To them the historical and cultural meaning means more than the aesthetic and scientific purpose. They represent countries. A look at some national flowers and their choice often reflects the country’s history and past.

• United Kingdom

  
  

  Rose

  The national flower of England is the rose. Apparently the rose has been the national flower since the War of the Roses (1455 – 1485) between the Royal House of Lancaster (whose emblem was a red rose) and the Royal House of York (whose emblem was a white rose). Roses have been around for more than 35 million years. The rose was also designated the national flower and floral emblem of the United States of America in 1986. The rose is edible and is supposedly rich in several vitamins rich in vitamins (C, E, and K), pectin, beta-carotene, and bio-flavinoids. These elements produce a strong antioxidant effect which protects and enhances the immune system. The rose hip and rose haw, which is the fruit of the rose plant, are used for herbal tea, jam, jelly syrup and marmalade. Several health benefits are touted including reducing blood cholesterol and pressure, arthritis. digestive efficiency, and weight management.

  
  

  Scotland's national flower is the thistle, a prickly leaved purple flower.. The story goes that a group of invading Vikings tried to attack some Scottish soldiers under cover of night. When they approached the sleeping Scots, they stood on a patch of thistles on their bare feet. Their cries of pain awoke the Scottish soldiers who then fought them off. Thus the prickly flower was adopted as the national emblem. The first use of the thistle as royal symbol of Scotland was in 1470 on coins issued by King James III. (http://www.scotshistoryonline.co.uk/thistle/thistle.html)

  Purple Thistle

  
  

  Bluebell

  Another national flower is the bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, which is also known as the wild hyacinth in Scotland or in the UK as the British Bluebell to distinguish from other varieties. This used to be commonly found but in recent years has been threatened due largely to hydridization. The Spanish Bluebull was introduced by gardeners in the 17th century and escaped into the wild where it cross-bred with the native variety. Movements have been made to re-establish the original version in the wild. Scientists have discovered chemicals in the plant that could potentially be used to treat HIV infection and cancer. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/47711.stm)

  
  

  The national flower of Wales is the daffodil. The daffodil is ubiquitous during the first days of Spring. The botanical name for all daffodils is Narcissus named after the vain youth in Greek mythology who looked at his reflection in the water disobeying the Gods' drective. His punishment was to be turned into a flower. Thus excessive love and admiration for oneself carries its punishment.

  Daffodil

  
  

  The Common Leek

  The other national flower of Wales is surprisingly the humble vegetable, the leek. In Shakespeare's Henry V, the Welsh archers wore leeks at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. It has also been said that the green and white colours of the leek resemble the traditional colours of the Welsh flag.

  
  

  Northern Ireland has the shamrock, not actually a flower, as its national flower. The shamrock is characterised by its trifoliate leaf structure. The story goes that St. Patrick, the patron saint of Northern Ireland used the three leaved shamrock to explain the Trinity concept.

  The Shamrock

  
  

  Singapore

  
  
  

  Vanda Miss Joaquim

  Singapore's national flower is an orchid, a hybrid. On 15th April 1981, Singapore's then Minister for Culture, Mr. S. Dhanabalan announced the selection of Vanda Miss Joaquim as the National Flower of Singapore. Sitragandi Arunasalam wrote in 1999. "Vanda Miss Joaquim is a hybrid between the Burmese Vanda teres and the Malayan Vanda hookeriana. There is controversy whether the flower was actually bred or discovered by Agnes Joaquim. One argument is that the plant is a natural hybrid and was discovered by Agnes Joaquim, who spotted it in her garden at 2 Narcis Street, Tanjong Pagar, in 1893. Another account claims that Agnes Joaquim, an experienced horticulturalist, created the hybrid rather than discovered it. The plant was taken to H. N. Ridley, the director of the Singapore Botanic Garden at the time, who first described the plant in the Gardeners' Chronicle on 24 June 1893. In his description, Ridley stated that Agnes.

  
  

  Joaquim "succeeded in crossing Vanda hookeriana, Rchb.f., and V. teres. Unfortunately, no record was kept as to which was used as the male." The new hybrid was displayed for the first time outside Singapore at the Royal Horticultural Show in London in 1897. It was shown to the public in Singapore in 1899, when Agnes Joaquim won a prize for it at the Flower Show. Sadly she succumbed to cancer three months after that.

  
  

  In the 1920s, Lester William Bryan from the Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association brought back the variety to Hawaii where it soon gained popularity and was used to make leis. Many soldiers of World War II who passed through Hawaii sent cuttings of Vanda Miss Joaquim as souvenirs. Thus, it was to a large extent through Hawaii that the orchid first gained fame. Since then Vanda Miss Joaquim has set roots in the rest of Southeast Asia, in Hawaii and other American states such as Florida, and in other countries. In Singapore, tourists can find the flower at the National Orchid Garden at the Botanic Gardens and, if it is in bloom, at the tombstone of Agnes Joaquim at the Armenian Church along Hill Street." (From: http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_752_2005-01-10.html.

  
  

  Indonesia

  
  
  

  Melati

  On June 5, 1990 to commemorate World Environment Day, President Soeharto of Indonesia adopted three national flowers. The choice of flowers was interesting and appropriate. The first is the Melati (Jasminum sambac) also called the Arabian Jasmine. This is an evergreen climber growing to 10 feet and bears sweetly perfumed white flowers. The Melati is also the national flower of Philippines where it is called sampaguita.

  
  

  The second flower is the Moon Orchid or White Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis amabilis) a small growing epiphyte or lithophyte found largely in the lowlands. (Most orchids are epiphytes which means growing on another plant but not parasitic. Some are lithophytes which mean growing on rocks.) The flowers can last for two to three months before dropping. In Bahasa they are called angrek bulan.

  Angrek Bulan or Moon Orchid

  
  

  Rafflesia Arnoldii

  The third flower is one of the most spectacular found in the wild and coveted by many collectors. The Rafflesia Arnoldii is only found in the rainforests of Southeast Asia. This is the largest flower in the world at over 100 centimetres wide and weighing up to 10 kilograms. There are over 27 species of Rafflesia discovered so far. The flower was found in the Sumatran rainforests by an Indonesian guide in 1818 working for Dr Joseph Arnold and named after Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the leader of the expedition. There is some confusion over whether the Rafflesia Arnoldii or another carrion plant, the Rafflesia bunga bangkai or titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) was chosen. The confusion is probably due to the similarity in the Bahasa name which translates as corpse flower. The titan arum is also popularly called the corpse flower in the west. The Wikipedia entry on floral states the titan arum as the national flower but the ASEAN secretariat website (http://www.aseansec.org/18203.htm) states the former. (Another reason to verify and not just to rely on wikipedia.) The Rafflesia Arnoldii is a true parasitic plant as it feeds off another vine, tetrastigma. In fact the only part of the plant that can be seen is the flower which gives off an awful stench hence its local name which translates to corpse flower. With the disappearance of the rainforests, the choice of the Rafflesia as Indonesia's national flower places appropriate prominence on conservation efforts.

  
  

  Thailand

  
  

  Ratchaphruek

  Thailand's national flower is the Ratchaphruek or Golden Shower Tree(Cassia Fistula Linn). This is a perennial tree growing up to 18 metres with bunches of bright yellow flowers hanging down from its branches. Flowers bloom from February to May and its leaves tend to shed when its flowers bloom. Yellow is a symbolic colour in Thailand, reflecting the royal standard and its Buddhist religion.

  
  

  Malaysia

  
  
  

  The red hibiscus was chosen by Tunku Abdul Rahman as Malaysia's national flower in 1960. The five petals represent the Five Principles of Nationhood and the colour red symbolise courage. The malay name for hibiscus is bunga raya, bunga means grand and raya is flower. Parts of the hibiscus plant are reputed to have medical and cosmetic uses.

  Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

  
  

  Hibiscus Syriacus

  There are more than 200 species of hibiscus worldwide and it is the hibiscus rosa-sinensis that was chosen as the national flower. Another country, South Korea has a hibiscus as its national flower as well, however that is the hibiscus syriacus, which comes in various colours including white , pink, mauve and violet blue. The hibiscus syriacus is South Korea's national flower.

  
  
  
  
  
  

  © 2010 Copyright is held by IFS Capital Limited. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. We disclaim all responsibilities in the articles and images published herein, and state that the views expressed in them, if any, are those of the writers and not ours.