Our Really Clever biomaterial (not leather) is so versatile that you can even choose which species of mushroom to put into it!

To demonstrate this, we have used a brown roll rim mushroom (Paxillus involutus) we found growing outside our lab to make a piece of material. Being mycorrhizal (engaged in a mutualistic relationship with tree roots), this mushroom has emerged from a mycelium associated with silver birch trees growing nearby. 

An interesting observation from this specimen [pictured] is a fungal infection which can be seen particularly on its gilled surface. The pathogenic fungus is Hypomyces chrysospermus [cultured on a plate in the other picture]. It most commonly infects boletes (these are cap and stem mushrooms with pores rather than gills), and as such is referred to as the "bolete eater". Funnily enough, the brown roll rim is an unusual gilled relative of the boletes. It seems that Hypomyces chrysospermus is rather a good taxonomist.