Volume 47:5 September ⁄ October 2006 www.namyco.org Three Lichenomphalias from the Top of Gros Morne Mountain by Andrus Voitk
Within the genus Omphalina there are two kinds of mushrooms—those that exist as mushrooms alone and those that exist as the fungal component of a lichen. Genetic studies of the genus showed that the lichenized mushrooms shared DNA similarity different from the rest of the genus. Therefore, Canadian mycologist Scott Redhead proposed splitting these into a separate genus, Lichenomphalia. Fig. 2 Lichens are very interesting organisms composed of two or more other organisms. One of these is always a fungus and the other(s) is/are either one (or more) alga actually not true lichens, for they are loosely associated or a cyanobacterium. The fungus is by far the major only, with no intermingling of components—i.e., the component of any lichen, gives its thallus shape, and alga grows freely and the fungus grows freely but only the lichen is known by the name of the fungus. In together with the alga. For example, Multiclavula some instances, both component organisms exist cannot exist without its algal partner, although it is not separately as well as in their combined lichenized structurally linked to the latter. True lichenized fungi form. Of the thousands of lichens, very few have a have their algal partner(s) trapped inside a film or basidiomycete as the fungal partner. Only about 20 pocket of fungal tissue. Thus it is a somewhat unbal- species are formed with agarics (mushrooms with cap, anced partnership: the partner that cannot exist without stem and gills). It seems that in these uncommon the other encapsulates the latter and lives off its cases, over time the basidiomycete has lost its ability to produce. live independently and is an obligate lichen component, The poor soils of barrens, including mountaintops, found only in its lichenized form. The associated alga are preferred habitats for many lichenized agarics. may not be similarly limited and may live indepen- Three species of the genus Lichenomphalia were dently as an alga or with a host of fungi as a lichen. encountered on top of Gros Morne Mountain July 4, The method of association between fungus and 2006. All three are associated with the same alga, alga varies. Some seemingly obligate “lichens” are Continued on page 11
In this issue: President’s Message ...... 2 Fungi in the News ...... 3 2006 NAMA Fellowship Recipient Announced ...... 4 Book Review ...... 5 Mushroom Cultivation . . . in a Glovebox! ...... 6 Recent Additions to the Mycophilic Library ...... 8 Forays and Announcements ...... 10 Mushroom of the Month ...... 12 Fig. 1
1The Mycophile, September/October 2006 Moving? P R E S I D E N T ‘ S M E S S A G E Please send your new address, two weeks before you move, to Ann Bornstein The NAMA Foray in Hinton is a couple of weeks away as I write this. I NAMA Membership Secretary must admit that I’m looking forward to getting out of this late-July heat 336 Lenox Avenue Oakland, CA 94610-4675 here in the Southeast and into those big mountains of Alberta.
The Mycophile is published bimonthly by the North American Mycological Association, 6615 Tudor Court, Gladstone, OR 97027-1032. NAMA is a nonprofit corporation; contributions may be tax-deductible. Web site: www.namyco.org Isaac Forester, NAMA President P.O. Box 1107 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659-1107
The Mycophile, September/October 2006 2 F U N G I I N T H E N E W S
By now, you’ve no doubt heard the On a disappointing note, the Ten species had abundance levels sad news of Orson Miller’s passing. editorial of the same issue explains that varied by management class. He was among the greatest North that at the end of the year, BMS will Two of these species, Cystostereum American mycologists of all time cease publication of The Mycologist. murraii and Rigidoporus crocatus, and will be greatly missed. Ike’s It will be replaced by a new journal, were most abundant in old growth words echo the sentiments of us all. titled Fungal Biology Reviews. While I and might be good indicators of look forward to reading informative stands with old-growth characteris- On a happier note, a void has been review articles in the latter, I will tics. Oxyporus populinus, an filled in the mycological world, as greatly miss The Mycologist. No important pathogen of Acer spp., was our own journal, McIlvainea, has doubt, regular features like “Myco- most abundant in even-age stands. been reborn. By now all members of logical Dispatches” and “Profiles of As you might expect, variability NAMA should have received their Fungi” (where a different plant from year to year suggests that more copies. I greatly appreciate all the pathogen or other interesting garden than two years of sampling are kind words of praise I’ve received or woodland fungus is discussed) needed to characterize annual over the past few weeks. Most of will be dropped. Other pertinent variation. Changes in the diversity the praise should go to Judith articles will likely find a home in and species composition of the Caulfield as she is the reason it Field Mycology. Of course, this wood-inhabiting fungal community looks so good! I also am thrilled by verifies the importance and timeliness could have significant implications all the requests for copies and of the resurrection of McIlvainea. for the diversity, health, and produc- author instructions from future I’m confident the members of tivity of forest ecosystems. authors. With such interest and NAMA will welcome all mycological How many nuclei are present in enthusiasm from the mycological refugees left stranded by The a mushroom spore? Think it’s a trick community, I’m confident that Mycologist’s demise. question? You’ve probably always McIlvainea is back on track and here just assumed it was one. And why to stay. The next issue is scheduled From the Mycological Society of would the number of nuclei per for an on-time delivery in the fall. America’s Mycologia comes a spore matter to the mushroom any- Stay tuned! number of interesting articles. The way? Thomas Horton explains Mar/Apr issue (vol. 98, no. 2) is the (98[2]: 233–38) that the production of From the British Mycological current one; mine arrived today. even a limited number of hetero- Society’s The Mycologist (vol. 20, part “Species diversity of polyporoid karyotic spores would be advanta- 2) comes a review of Albert and corticioid fungi in northern geous for establishing new indi- Hofmann’s life and involvement hardwood forests with differing viduals after long-distance dispersal. with the discovery of LSD, derived management histories” by Dan (This strategy is analogous to self- from a plant pathogenic fungus Lindner, Hal Burdsall, and Glen R. fertilization in plants. While called Claviceps purpurea (a.k.a. Stanosz (98[2]: 195–217) describes inbreeding is bad for the population, ergot). The review is actually a how the effects of forest manage- it can be beneficial to the species by synopsis of an article that appeared ment on fungal diversity were establishing new populations after a in the International Herald Tribune to investigated by sampling fruit bodies long-distance dispersal event, which coincide with the 100th birthday of of polyporoid and corticioid fungi in could leave an individual far away the “father of LSD.” forest stands that have different from any possible mates. Think Tom The same issue has a review management histories. Hanks in the movie Cast Away here.) article that I highly recommend to Fruit bodies were sampled in 15 While Suillus and Laccaria species all those somewhat puzzled by all northern hardwood stands in are known to produce binucleate, the discussion of DNA technology northern Wisconsin and the upper heterokaryotic spores, this condition for the investigation of fungal diver- peninsula of Michigan. Sampling is poorly studied for most ecto- sity and evolution. “Sequences, the was conducted in five old-growth mycorrhizal fungi. To begin address- environment and fungi” by Mitchell stands, five uneven-age stands, three ing this matter, the number of nuclei and Zuccaro (20[2]: 62–74) discusses even-age unthinned stands and two in basidiospores was recorded from molecular techniques ranging from even-age thinned stands, during the 142 sporocarps in 63 species and 20 DNA extraction to PCR amplification summers of 1996 and 1997. A total genera of ectomycorrhizal (EM) to DNA sequence analysis, and all of 255 polyporoid and corticioid fungi. The mean proportion of things in between: everything morphological species were iden- binucleate basidiospores produced by you’ve wanted to know but were tified, 46 (≈ 18%) of which could not afraid to ask. be assigned to a described species. Continued on page 4
3The Mycophile, September/October 2006 2006 NAMA Fellowship Fungi in the News, understand the connections between cont. from page 3 in vitro growth and the ecological behavior of the fungus. Recipient Announced sporocarps within a species ranged Taylor, et al. (110[6]: 628–32) Congratulations, Bryn Dentinger! from 0.00 to 1.00 (or 100%), with report a new fossil fungus discovery. Bryn will receive $2000 and the most genera within a family Well, okay, it’s not technically a opportunity either to contribute a showing similar patterns. Basidio- fungus; they determined it was most manuscript for publication in spores from fungi in Amanita, likely an Oomycete (based on the McIlvainea, or to serve as a presenter Cortinariaceae, and Laccaria were putative presence of oogonia and at next year’s Annual Foray. primarily binucleate but were likely antheridia reproductive structures). Bryn earned a B.A. in Biology still homokaryotic. Basidiospores David Moore, et al. (110[6]: 626– from Macalester College and in 2001 from fungi in Boletaceae, Cantha- 27) sound the alarm that there is a began working on a Ph.D. in Plant rellus, Rhizopogonaceae, Russula- “Crisis in teaching future genera- Biological Sciences with David ceae, Thelephorales, and Tricholoma tions about fungi” and cite statistics McLaughlin at the University of were primarily uninucleate, but from colleagues around the globe, Minnesota. Bryn has served as a binucleate basidiospores were showing that schoolchildren are not teaching assistant in several courses observed in many genera and in being taught anything about fungi at U of M. According to one referee, high levels in Boletus. Further other than that they are decom- “he has the ability to turn students research is needed to relate basidio- posers and degraders. (The fungi, on to the excitement of studying the spore nuclear number to reproduc- not the children.) In many surveys, fungi” and has a “talent not only for tive potential in ectomycorrhizal from several different countries, good science but for communicating species. most people thought fungi and it to the public.” bacteria to be the same organisms. Bryn has been involved in Back to the BMS for a look into the It’s time to redouble our efforts! I several research projects, including pages of Mycological Research. think that education of the public ecological surveys of ectomycorrhi- Richard Winder’s paper on “Cultural should begin at the club level. Club zal mushrooms that examined studies of Morchella elata “ (110[5]: members—get out there and spread responses to nitrogen fertilization 612–23) caught my attention. The in the word about fungi! and fire frequencies, ultrastructural vitro growth of Morchella elata was analysis of subcellular characters as characterized with respect to the From Genetics (171[1]: 101–8) comes part of the Assembling the Fungal effects of a variety of substrates, a paper by a team of researchers Tree of Life project, and molecular isolates, developmental status of the that has found that the inky cap phylogenetic analysis of clavarioid parental ascoma, temperature, and mushroom, Coprinus cinereus, and bolete mushrooms. pH. All sorts of combinations of exhibits remarkable photomorpho- Bryn’s dissertation research different carbohydrates, tempera- genesis during fruiting-body focuses on rates and causes of tures, and other factors were tested. development. That is, the fungus speciation in porcini mushrooms. If you’re planning to grow morels, needs light to make mushrooms. He is the author on five publications in culture, you may want to read Under proper light conditions, and has won numerous awards, this article in depth. Among all these fruiting-body primordia proceed to including a prestigious doctoral data, I found it intriguing that when the maturation phase in which dissertation fellowship from the U calcium carbonate was used to basidia in the pileus undergo of M graduate school and the 2005 adjust pH, optimal growth shifted to meiosis, producing sexual spores, Backus Award from the Mycological pH 7.7 or above, suggesting that followed by stipe elongation and Society of America. wood ash and other calcium com- pileus expansion for efficient According to his referees, Bryn is pounds may not only stimulate dispersal of the spores. And if “a truly exceptional student” who growth in natural settings, but may there’s no light during mushroom will be “a major contributor to also alter the optimal pH for formation? In the continuous dark- mycology, a fact already becoming proliferation of M. elata. Of course, ness, the primordia do not proceed to evident by the many publications to further studies with other substrate the maturation phase but are etio- which he has made significant combinations and incubation con- lated: the pileus and stipe tissues at contributions.” ditions will be necessary to fully the upper part of the primordium remain rudimentary and the basal
Mushroom Identification Trilogy Available part of the primordium elongates, Taylor Lockwood’s entertaining visual guide to mushroom identification producing “dark stipe.” In this study explains all the basics with photos, illustrations, and video footage of real a gene called dst1 was discovered mushrooms. DVD ( approx. 1 hr.) includes Introduction, Into the Details, and and may code for a blue-light Into the Woods. QuickTime preview at www.fungiphoto.com/treasurechest/ receptor of C. cinereus. Illuminating! MIT/mit.html. Reviewed in Mar/Apr ‘06 Mycophile.
The Mycophile, September/October 2006 4 B O O K R E V I E W
Fungal Disease Resistance in enhanced resistance in plants—is from fungal infection to help reduce Plants: Biochemistry, Molecular the topic of this highly informative and possibly prevent new outbreaks Biology, and Genetic Engineering. book. Plant pathology graduate of devastating crop epidemics caused Zamir K. Punja,ed. New York: students and professionals alike will by fungi, and fungi-like organisms. Haworth, 2004. ISBN 1-56022-960-8 find Fungal Disease Resistance in Without intense research and Plants a very useful and illuminating scientific study, catastrophic harvest The diversity of fungal plant patho- book. Up-to-date, accurate informa- failures due to fungal diseases will gens is mind-boggling. And yet, tion on recent developments in crop continue to cause food shortages, most of the time, plants are able to protection is discussed in topical human and animal poisonings, and withstand the onslaught of would-be chapters written by experts in the economic loss throughout the world. invaders. Throughout history, field. On-going research in this field is pathogen resistance has broken Fungal Disease Resistance in important and timely—new and down with noteworthy or even Plants highlights the various barriers emerging fungal diseases of plants catastrophic results. How plants are that plants have evolved to protect continue to wreak devastation on able to fend off fungal invasion— themselves from invading fungal forest and other economically and how research has led to pathogens. These defenses include important plants (recent examples physical barriers such as thickened include sudden oak death, soybean cell walls and chemical compounds rust, and karnal bunt). Fungi in the News, cont. from page 4 expressed by the plant when What I like most about this text attacked. Still other plants have is that each chapter begins with a The spring 2006 issue of Mushroom acquired proteins that play an general introduction to a special the Journal has been out for a while important role in defense. Fungal subject, followed by a compre- now. I was relieved to read that Disease Resistance in Plants discusses hensive overviews of current issues Leon has finished his other business these evolutionary traits and intro- surrounding the subject, then (he recently earned a Ph.D. in music duces new scientific techniques to discussion of key advances and the from the University of Chicago!) and engineer resistance in plants that current state of knowledge for the will have that magazine “back on a have no such protection. The editor, topic. Topics covered in the chapters normal schedule from here on out.” Zamir K. Punja, currently editor-in- of Fungal Disease Resistance in Plants As always, MTJ is packed with chief of the Canadian Journal of include cellular expression of interesting and enlightening reads. Plant Pathology, is to be congratu- resistance to fungal pathogens; the There is a story on “Heavenly lated on assembling a who’s who of hypersensitive response and its role Hedgehogs” with several accom- leading experts in botany, plant in disease resistance; induced plant panying recipes. The fun stories on breeding, and plant pathology who resistance to fungal pathogens— poisonous mushroom lore kept me share their knowledge of the latest mechanisms and practical applica- riveted. Larry Evans makes a strong developments in crop protection tions; pathogenesis-related proteins case in “How to Harvest a Forest” and their roles in resistance to for the preservation of forests. It fungal pathogens; signal trans- makes financial sense, as the duction—plant networks, delivery, mushroom harvests (in the West, and response to fungal infection; anyway) are worth more money and fungus genes as they relate to than the harvested timber. And no disease susceptibility and resistance. ugly clear cuts are left as a result of With its exciting new advances mushroom harvesting. I was in molecular biology, biochemistry, enthralled with “Mushroom-hunting and genetic engineering, this infor- with Headhunters,” an encounter mative book will help researchers, with mushrooms in Borneo. Then professors, and students further there’s the ever-entertaining ram- their understanding of plant blings of Maggie Rogers in “Keeping defenses. —Britt A. Bunyard Up,” mushrooms stamps from around the world, and a crossword [This article originally appeared in puzzle. If you don’t subscribe to MSA’s Inoculum (57 [1]:18–19). It is Mushroom the Journal you’re missing reprinted here with permission.] out on the best mycological magazine out there! —Britt
5The Mycophile, September/October 2006 Mushroom Cultivation . . . in a Glovebox! by James Tunney
I live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and am a member of the Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club. As a walk identifier, I can safely identify about 120 species of mushrooms. I am also the chairman of the Educa- tional Committee for the club. I have had an interest in mush- rooms since I was a child. There was a Golden Guide mushroom Pleurotus on cottonseed hulls. Pleurotus eryngii on cottonseed hulls. book in our house when I grew up. Mostly, I just looked at the pictures place contamination can occur: in this book; I learned what a pouring plates. If you don’t have a Russula was and a few other genera, flow hood, I recommend this as well, from having it around. technique. Last year I gave a talk at In the summer of 1996 I started one of the club meetings and looking for mushrooms, with a demonstrated how I do transfers in a borrowed copy of the Audubon Field glovebox using agar in baby-food Guide by Lincoff. About nine years jars. I’m hoping more people in the ago I bought a few other field club do some cultivating. guides, including The Mushroom What I like most about mush- Cultivator by Stamets. I read it and room cultivation is getting a new (to in the back of the book found a list me) species to fruit. (What I don’t of possible contaminants. The list at like is when one won’t fruit!) If I did Pleurotus on cotton seed hulls. the back of the book is something not care so much about failing at you don’t want to dwell on if you this, it wouldn’t be as much fun. on agar. I transferred it to more agar are going to grow mushrooms. jars after I received it. Then I Thinking about that list delayed my Starting from either a clone or inoculated some wood shavings culture work for, like, five years. I spores, and getting it to fruit mixed with bran in mason jars that gave away my copy of TMC. So what have I successfully culti- had been sterilized. None of the I grew a few things in the vated? I have grown Pleurotus cultures—neither the ones on agar meantime with kits: shiitake and ostreatus on coffee grounds, card- nor the ones on wood shavings— oysters. I grew blewits and shaggy board, tea, straw, cottonseed hulls, glowed. I told my friend about it, parasols by adding the bases to and logs; P. eryngii on cotton seed and he said that they were P. mulch. I grew oyster by adding hulls; P. djamor on cotton seed hulls, stipticus, which did not glow in the pieces of oysters to coffee grounds cardboard and cocoa hulls; Panellus dark. This I could not accept, and reishi by adding pieces of it to a seratonus on sawdust and straw; because every time I have found plum stump. Panellus stipticus on sawdust and one and checked it to see if it I bought another copy of TMC maple logs; Grifola frondosa on grain glowed, it did. and started playing with agar in and agar; Shiitake on grain; Hericium baby-food jars. I use baby-food jars on sawdust; Agrocybe aegerita on for agar mostly, as it eliminates one cottonseed hulls; Lepista nuda on leaf mold outside; Hypsizygus tessulatus on sawdust and buried cardboard; Stropharia rugosoannulata on wood chips, stable bedding, and straw. Additionally, I’ve tried to grow three times this many species. Last winter I grew some mush- rooms I thought were going to glow in the dark. I wanted to have some glow-in-the-dark mycelium to give to Pleurotus djamor on cardboard and my nephews at Christmas. A friend Panellus serotinus on sawdust in cocoa hulls in a milk carton. gave me culture of Panellus stipticus pint container.
The Mycophile, September/October 2006 6 a couple of frosts, so I was sort of surprised to see them. The log was in tall grass, though, so it was somewhat protected from the weather. I posted some pictures on the NAMA Yahoo cultivation site and said that since it didn’t glow, I thought it was Panus rudis. I had already been told once about it not glowing in the dark; sometimes it takes me a while to catch on. A Hypsizygus tessulatus member of the group said that it Wine cap on wood chips and straw. fruiting on straw. looked like Panellus stipticus and that some races of P. stipticus did not glow. Another member agreed with him. I measured the spores; and turns out they were indeed P. stipticus.
All you need are baby-food jars and a glovebox I have provided two pretty standard recipes for agar media for growing mushrooms in Petri dishes (see page 9). The ingredients are poured into a Stropharia rugosoannulata mycellium on narrow-mouthed, closed but vented chipped spruce in a box. container (like a flask) and sterilized in an autoclave for 35–45 minutes. When spring came around, I had Then you take your sterilized media gotten rid of some of the cultures, and pour it into your Petri dishes in Wine cap with two-liter bottle. but I still had a few jars on wood a sterile environment like a flow shavings. The wood shavings hood or a still-air environment like a cultures looked happy so I inocu- glovebox. lated an 18”-long maple log 4” in When I first started growing diameter with some of the colonized mushrooms, I was looking for an shavings. I cut the log halfway alternative to Petri dishes. I came though in four places with a chain- across this technique growing in saw and stuffed the shavings in the baby-food jars. A few people had cuts, then wrapped duct tape around mentioned to me that agar could be the log and over the cuts and done in jars, and when looking for shavings to protect the mycelium the best way to make and use a from drying out. This was in late glovebox, I found a site on the web spring. that described using baby-food jars Blewit on straw. In the fall (five and a half to start orchids on sterile agar months later) I found some fruits on media. I really like this technique. It the base of the logs. There had been eliminates the need to pour plates (agar-filled Petri dishes). Pouring plates is THE step where mold spores or bacteria can get into your media and contaminate it. I use the same recipes that would be used for pouring plates. Instead of pressure- cooking a flask, I put the ingredients into a pot and heat till the agar is dissolved. Next I pour about 1/4 to 3/8 inch of media into a jar. I puncture holes in the metal lids and Agar jars in pressure cooker. Kitty and pressure cooker. Continued on page 9
7The Mycophile, September/October 2006 Recent Additions to the Mycophilic Library Here is a helpful (I hope) index of all the books and other Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms of the World, by Ian media reviewed in The Mycophile since I became editor R. Hall, Steven L. Stephenson, Peter K. Buchanan, four years ago. The list is alphabetical by author. If you Wang Yun, and Anthony L. J. Cole cannot find a back issue of The Mycophile with a review 2003, Timber Press, Inc., Portland, OR of interest to you, send me an e-mail and I will see that you ISBN 0-88192-586-1 get a copy of the review. My thanks to all the reviewers and Reviewed May/June 2004 especially Steve Trudell, who has handled about 95% of Common Mushrooms of the Talamanca Mountains, the load! —Britt Costa Rica: Memoirs of the New York Botanical Fungi non Delineati: Raro vel Haud Perspecte et Garden, Volume 90 Explorate Descripti aut Definite Picti. 26-volume Roy E. Halling and Gregory M. Mueller series, individually priced 2005. NYBG, New York, NY Edizioni Candusso, Via Ottone Primo 90, I-17021- ISBN 0-89327-460-7; 195 pp Alassio-SV Italy; e-mail
The Mycophile, September/October 2006 8 Flora Agaricina Neerlandica (Mushroom Flora of the Insect-Fungal Associations: Ecology and Evolution, ed. Netherlands. Vol. 5: Agaricaceae, ed. by M. E. by Fernando E. Vega and Meredith Blackwell Noordeloos, Th. W. Kuyper, amd E. C. Vellinga 2005, Oxford University Press, New York, NY 10016 2001, A. A. Balkema Publishers, Rotterdam ISBN 0-19-516652-3; 333 pp ISBN 90-5410-494-5 Reviewed July/Aug 2005 Reviewed May/June 2006 Fungi, by Roy Watling Mycorrhizas: Anatomy and Cell Biology, by R. Larry 2003, Natural World Series; Smithsonian Books (in Peterson, Hughes B. Massicotte, and Lewis H. Melville association with The Natural History Museum, 2004. National Research Council of Canada, NRC London), Smithsonian Institution Press, Suite 4300; 750 Research Press, Ottawa, Ontario K1A OR6, Canada Ninth Street NW, Washington, DC 20560-0950, ISBN 0-660-19087-7; 173 pp www.sipress.si.edu Reviewed July/Aug 2005 ISBN 18834-082-1 Reviewed Jan/Feb 2006 Black Mold: Your Health and Your Home, by Richard F. Progovitz MykoCD v2003.08.2, by Michael Wood 2003. The Forager Press, Cleveland, NY 14856 Saturn Dr., San Leandro, CA 94578-1349 ISBN 0-9743943-9-4; 199 pp Reviewed Mar/Apr 2004 Reviewed Sep/Oct 2005 Fungal Disease Resistance in Plants: Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Genetic Engineering, ed. by Cultivation, continued from page 7 Zamir K. Punja 2004. The Haworth Press, Inc., New York, NY melt holes in the plastic lids about 3/16 of an inch in ISBN 1-56022-960-8 diameter that act as vents for air exchange for the Reviewed Sep/Oct 2006 culture. The hole is either stuffed with polyfill stuffing Pathogenic Fungi: Structural Biology and Taxonomy, or taped over with tyvek. (Plastic lids should be #5 ed. by Gioconda San-Blas and Richard A. Calderone plastic, which can withstand the temperatures of 15 psi. 2004. Caister Academic Press, 32 Hewitts Lane, Both tyvek and polyfill can withstand the temperatures Wymondham, Norfolk, NR18 0JA, UK of sterilization.) Lids are put on the jars. Jars are then ISBN 0-9542464-7-0; 371 pp put in a pressure cooker or autoclave and pressure- Reviewed Jan/Feb 2006 cooked at 15 psi. for 15 to 20 minutes. Once the jars have cooled, the media in these jars can be used to Pathogenic Fungi: Host Interactions and Emerging grow cultures by cloning from a fresh mushroom, Strategies for Control, ed. by Gioconda San-Blas and transferring from another culture, or by adding spores Richard A. Calderone to the media. Instead of baby-food jars I now use 8-oz. 2004. Caister Academic Press, 32 Hewitts Lane, jars with screw lids. I found the problem with the baby- Wymondham, Norfolk, NR18 0JA, UK food jars was that while the lids on baby-food jars www. caister.com screw off easily, they need to be pressed down to be ISBN 0-9542464-8-9 sealed and they don’t screw back on easily. This Reviewed Jan/Feb 2006 pressing-down motion can cause turbulence in the air Fungi, by Brian Spooner and Peter Roberts of the glovebox, which is not good. 2005. The New Naturalist Series; Collins, New York ISBN 0-00-220153-4 (paper); 594 pp [James can be reached at
9The Mycophile, September/October 2006 F O R A Y S A N D A N N O U N C E M E N T S
Regional NAMA Foray delectable forest and field fungi. indicate your phone # in your e- Wildacres, North Carolina Guided field trips, lectures, cooking mail.) For further information about September 28–October 1 and preservation, and mycopyrog- the conference e-mail or call Patrice raphy demonstrations will fill the Benson at
Ike’s message, cont. from page 2
Orson will without a doubt be greatly missed at the forays, especially by those of us attending the Trustees’ meeting where his calm, level-headed approach to each problem always helped steer the discussions and decisions in the right direction. I never forgot that first meeting and how much Orson and Hope made me feel like an old friend— something many of us can say, I’m sure. I’ve had the privilege of many forays with Orson and Hope since that day, and I’m sure that when- ever I’m in the woods, mushroom basket in hand, a big part of the experience can be traced back to a remembrance of something Orson showed me or said. He’s not really Hope and Orson Miller with Cathy Cripps. Photo courtesy of S. Trudell. gone. —Ike
The Mycophile, September/October 2006 10 Lichenomphalias, continued from page 1
Coccomyxa. All are white-spored mushrooms with a similar (omphalinoid) appearance—dimpled, wavy cap, decurrent gills, central stem. Our commonest Lichenom- phalia is L. umbellifera (a.k.a. Omphalina umbellifera, Omphalina ericetorum), found uncommonly in our woods and commonly on barrens. In richer habitats, it is considerably larger and lusher. Figure 1 shows some found on the trail to Gros Morne Mountain in 2003. Figure 2, photographed on top of Gros Morne Moun- tain, shows the smaller specimen typically encountered on the barrens. Color varies from nearly white to tan, the latter being more common on barrenland speci- Fig. 4 mens; the stem is usually darker than the cap. The lichen thallus is a crust of green granules. If it grows on bare soil, the crust may be extensive, but in moss or on barren northern coastal islands. Both are common other vegetation it is often not noticeable, as in the finds in July along the Labrador coast, L. hudsoniana illustrations. It is found from early spring to late fall, somewhat more southerly than L. alpina. but less commonly during the warmer part of late Of these three, L. umbellifera is the only one that summer. It is a very Canadian mushroom, with a exists outside the specialized habitats and is therefore circumpolar distribution, roughly north of the 49th the only one of the three to have made it into main- parallel. Most striking of the three is L. hudsoniana with stream mushroom books. This is not because the others its white stem and yellow cap (Figure 3). Its foliose, are not common—no, they are quite common in the green, scaly or leaf-like lichen thallus, seen at the foot described season and habitat. and because we have a of the specimen on the left, is diagnostic. By conven- lot of both coastal and alpine barrens, they are very tion the lichen bears the name of the fungus, but common mushrooms in Newfoundland and Labrador. before the connection between this thallus and L. Most people have not seen them because most people hudsoniana was known, the thallus was known as don’t look for small mushrooms in the summer on top Corsicum viride, and it can be found still under that of mountains or on barren coastal islands. They have name in most lichen books. not made it to mushroom books because authors of A bit smaller in stature with a shorter stem is L. same are remarkably uncommon in said habitats. alpina (Figure 4). This mushroom is a deeper or more Most people consider them uncommon to rare and orange yellow, superficially resembling a tiny chan- somewhat exotic. Mycophiles are thrilled to encounter terelle in color and shape. Cap, gills, and stem are the these pretty mushrooms, and many are willing to bear same color. Its lichen thallus resembles that of L. the cost of significant travel to do so. We are privileged umbellifera, a green granular crust, called Botyrodia to enjoy access to them and have something worth- vulgaris, well seen in the photo. Both yellow Lichenom- while to offer to mycophiles the world over. These little phalias fruit in the early summer with a range con- treasures are worth preserving and cherishing. siderably more northerly than L. umbellifera. The classical habitat for both is alpine, on top of barren mountains, more so for L. alpina than L. hudsoniana. Both are also found in heaths along coastal barrens and
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Mushroom of the Month
This month’s photo of oyster mushrooms fruiting from a burlap sack comes from Paul Stamets’s terrific book Mycelium Running. For an interesting twist on cultivation techniques, dig into this issue!
The Mycophile, September/October 2006 12