Mycology is Better Than Yours The Kingdom Fungi Mycology, Schmycology! What’s It All About Anyway? The word mycology comes from two Greek words, “mykes” which means mushroom and “logos” which means discourse So, mycology actually means “the study of mushrooms” History

• Have been around for millions of years • Fewer groups • Performing the same function

UH-OH!

• Fungal spike at the K/T boundary • Some groups disappeared • Others evolved into modern groups

So, What Good Are They? Decomposers Economically Important

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Historically Important

Uncinula necator causes Salem witch trials: Claviceps purpurea causes rye Phytophthora infestans caused the Irish powdery mildew of ergot potato famine grapes

Human Pathogens

Tinea corporis Candida albicans

Tinea pedis • More than 100,000 species of known fungi • Estimated that there are ~1.5 million species worldwide Fungal Groups Fungi are divided into four groups Chytridiomycota • Oldest known group of fungi – May be ancestors to modern fungal groups • Predominately aquatic – Flagellated gametes • Cell walls of chitin – Same as modern day fungi • About 1,000 known species Zygomycota

• Mostly terrestrial • No flagellated cells • Reproduce via zygospores • About 1,000 known species

Rhizopus sp. (Black bread mold) Ascomycota

• Mostly terrestrial • Morels – Some aquatic and marine species • Filamentous or unicellular – Yeast • Multicellular fruiting bodies – Ascocarps w/ascospores • About 45,000 known species Basidiomycota

• Mostly terrestrial • Filamentous or unicellular • Multicellular fruiting bodies – Spores produced on basidia • About 22,000 known species Mushrooms are the largest and most familiar of the fungi Mushroom Morphology

scale; also called warts; cap remains of the universal veil

gills tubes (tooth fungi) pores (boletes)

ring (annulus)

stipe, stalk

scales volva Order: Agaricales The Amanitas

• Some of the deadliest mushrooms • Tall thin stalks • Cream to white in color • Brown, yellow, red • Smell bad • No smell

Amanita cokeri Order: Agaricales The Amanitas

• Gills are free • Partial veil • Universal veil Partial veil • Spore print white to cream colored

Amanita virosa Order: Agaricales The Amanitas

• Mycorrhizal – Oak – Hickory – Pine • Grow on the ground – Single to several – Occasionally form “fairy rings”

Amanita thiersii Amanita virosa

• Virosa means poisonous • Late spring to fall • Single or small groups • Found in association with oaks • Pleasant odor • White spore print Amanita polypyramis

• Polypyramis means many pyramids – Describes the pyramid- shaped warts on the caps • Strong chlorine smell • Late fall and winter • Solitary on ground – Associated with pines Amanita rubescens

• Rubescens means turning red – Bruises reddish especially on the lower stalk – Called the “blusher” in Europe • Spring, summer, and fall – Most common during the summer Amanita muscaria

• Iconic image of the amanitas • Muscaria means “of the fly” – Believed to kill flies • Late fall and early winter – Under pines during wet seasons Order: Agaricales The Russulas

• Russula comes from the Latin word meaning “red.” • Many species have red or pink caps

Russula rosacea (Rosy russula) Order: Agaricales The Russulas

• Short and stout • Brittle • Caps brightly colored – Red, pink, purple, green – White, yellow, brown • Gills evenly spaced • Spore print white, yellowish, buff-colored,

orange Russula variata Order: Agaricales The Russulas

• Russula species occur on the ground • Associated with a wide range of conifer and hardwood hosts – Woods – Lawns with trees – In brush

– Pastures with trees Russula emetica Russula aeruginea

• Distinctive green cap – aeruginea is Latin for “green” • Summer and fall – Single to numerous under oaks • Often found with Lactarius volemus and Lactarius corrugis

Lactarius volemus Lactarius corrugis Lactarius indigo

• Common throughout the Gulf Coast – Found in areas that have recently been under water – Fresh specimens exude a blue milk • Summer and fall Lactarius salmoneus

• Distinctive bright salmon pink to orange gills • Summer and fall • In wet, swampy areas in floodplains that have recently been underwater Order: Agaricales The Tricholomas

• Large, fleshy caps • Stalks are off-center, grow out of the side of the cap, or missing • Gills distinct and thin-

edged Pleurotus dryinus • Spore prints white, light pink, lilac, pale yellow, light tan Order: Agaricales The Tricholomas

• Found on living or dead wood • Important role in primary decomposition – Economically important because they decay trees humans don’t want to see damaged Panus rudis Pleurotus ostreatus

• Large meaty caps are edible • Found anytime of the year – Most common during the cooler months • Dead and decaying trees – Willow and cottonwood Phyllotopsis nidulans

• Nidulans means “nesting” – Looks like small nests • Distinct orange color • Foul odor • Fall and winter • Fallen trees – Conifers

Clitocybe gibba

• Clitocybe means “sloping head” – Refers to the funnel shape • Summer and fall • Decomposer of pine litter Collybia iocephala

• Slight gunpowder odor • Summer • Common on decaying leaves • Low spots that are occasionally underwater Marasmiellus albuscorticis

• albuscorticis is from the Latin for “white” and “leather” • Summer and fall • Decaying litter and berry bushes • Spore print is white Order: Agaricales The Crotinarii

• Latin cortina meaning “curtain” or “veil • Large family • Rusty-brown to brown-spored mushrooms • Mycorrhizal to decomposers of mosses and wood Cortinarius cinnamomeus Order: Agaricales The Crotinarii

• Diverse family

• Large, medium, and small • Colors from orange to brown to purple and red • Gills attached to the stalk • Spore prints usually

some shade of brown Cortinarius cinnamomeus Gymnopilus spectabilis

• Large, orange-yellow mushroom • Spore print is a bright rusty orange • Called the “big laughing mushroom” in Japan – Hallucinogenic Cortinarius marylandensis

• First collected in Maryland • Deep rust-red color • Summer, fall, and winter • Spore print deep rusty brown Cortinarius iodes

• Bell-shaped, purple cap • Fall and winter • Under oaks and beeches during wet winter months • Spore print rusty brown Order: Agaricales The Agarics

• Short, thick stalks • Thick, fleshy caps • Tiny, hair-like fibers or scales on the caps – Usually in the center • White, tan, reddish, or brown • Gills free Agaricus bispora Order: Agaricales The Agarics

• Spore print chocolate brown – Few species with purple-brown spores • Some species bruise a very light yellow on the cap and stalk

• Saprophytic on dead Agaricus sp. spore print plant material Agaricus campestris

• Closely related to commercial mushrooms • Spring and fall • Often form fairy rings in grassy areas • Spore print chocolate brown Order: Agaricales The Coprini

• Small • Gills directly attached or notched so the upper part is attached to the stalk and the lower half is free • Spore print some shade of

brown or black Panaeolus phalaenarum • Decompose decaying material, dung, or humus Panaeolus campanulatus

• Toxic • Fall, winter, spring • Found on cow dung • Spore print black Coprinus comatus

• Bullet-shaped cap • Scales on the cap • Cool, wet weather, usually winter • Spore print black Order: Agaricales The Boletes

• Fleshy cap and central stalk – Tubes instead of gills • Mycorrhizal • Most are summer species – Few fall species

Boletus sp. Boletus pinophilus

• Pinophilus means “pine loving” – Long-leaf pine • Summer and fall • Single mushroom can weigh ½ pound Boletus frostii

• Named for C.C. Frost (1805-1880) – New England naturalist • Bruises blue • Summer and fall • Mycorrhizal with hardwoods

Order: Aphyllophorales The Chanterelles

• Brightly colored • Mycorrhizal with various trees – Oak species • Slow growing

Cantharellus lateritius Cantharellus cibarius

• Known as the “Golden chanterelle” • Best known edibles • Early summer through late fall • Mycorrhizal – Oaks Craterellus fallax

• Called “trumpet of death” in France – Refers to appearance • Fall and winter • Oaks and conifers • Throughout the Coastal Plains

Order: Aphyllophorales The Coral and Club Fungi

• Resemble sea corals or small clubs • Parasitic • Decomposers • Mycorrhizal

Ramaria botrytis Clavulina cristata

• Late summer to fall • In mixed woods – Pines Ramaria stricta

• Found in forested areas of East Texas – Common • Late summer and fall Clavaria zollingeri

• Species name honors Heinrich Zollinger (1818-1859), an early mycologist • Late summer to fall

Order: Aphyllophorales The Tooth Fungi

• Have tiny teeth on which spores are produced • Mycorrhizal – White pocket rot on living trees Sarcodon imbricatum Hericium erinaceus Cousin It?

• Hedgehog mushroom • Winter • Pine and oak Sarcodon imbricatum

• imbricatum refers to the brick-like scales on top of the cap • Summer and fall • Oaks and conifers Order: Aphyllophorales The Polypores

• Polypore refers to the may pores where the spores are produced – Small, short pores • Saprophytic • Parasitic

Laetiporus sulphureus Trametes versicolor

• Most common fungus in the world • Many-colored polypore – Turkey tail • All year Ganoderma lucidum

• Also called cobra head – Artists conks – Long-lasting and unusual drawing surface • Medicinal properties – Raised commercially in San Antonio • All year Coltricia perennis

• One of the first mushrooms to appear after a rain • Year round • Used in dried floral arrangements Schizophyllum commune Just Cause They’re Cool!

Tremella mesenterica Order: Tremellales The Jelly Fungi

Auricularia auricula Tremella fuciformis Calocera cornea Exidia glandulosa Order: Lycoperdales The Puffballs & Earthstars

Lycoperdon pyriforme Geastrum saccatum

Order: Nidulariales The Bird’s Nest Fungi

Cyathus stercoreus Sphaerobolus stellatus Order: Sclerodermatales The Earthballs

Astraeus hygrometricus Scleroderma polyrhizon Order: Phalleles The Stinkhorns

Linderia columnaris Mutinus elegans Chorioactis geaster is known only from Austin, TX