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Home , Edible mushroom, False morel, Morchellaceae, Morchella deliciosa, Morchella elata, Mushroom hunting

Print 2005 No. 1 Quarterly Newsletter of the Edmonton Mycological Society

A Confirmation of Spring – the Delicious Morel by Loretta Puckrin ( - ) large groups. An area might be Whether you call them ‘morels’ covered in morels but you will still (), morille (France), have several steps between speisemorchel (Germany), spugnoal pickings unlike many other edibles bruna (Italy), or colmenilla (Spain) grow in clumps. In spite of this you are talking about the early spread-out nature, morels are one that starts the of the few that are wild mushroom picking season. picked commercially. Wind is very Being a very distinctive mushroom, important in the spreading of the morels are picked very freely morel , so if you find a group by many people who would of morels check downwind of your normally stay away from wild current location and you will likely mushrooms. It doesn’t hurt that find more. the morel family (Morchella to give Morels tend to appear early in them their proper name) the spring, although they do have a very good. longer growing season. With the Morels grow in old-growth forest floors being covered in brown A morel mushroom with its distinctive cap which is forest, abandoned orchards, dead leaves, the morel can be attached to the stem or . Notice the vertical banding gardens, along roads and on sandy difficult to find. A general rule of and the ridges that are darker than the recessed parts. stream banks. They are also known thumb is to look for morels when common morel (Morchella as a mushroom that loves to grow the crocus is beginning to esculenta) is normally found at after a fire. There is an old saying bloom. Remember this is just a lower elevations especially after an about morels – ‘they grow anywhere hint – mushrooms have their own unusually cold winter. They are by not everywhere’. Even though timetables! Another indicator is the associated with elm, ash, oak and they have many areas in which to opening of saskatoon blossoms. beech-maple trees. The burnsite germinate, the morel can be a very You may have heard about a morel (Morchella atromentosa) is shy mushroom. When they often number of different morels prolific a year or two after a forest fruit (it is the ‘fruit’ of the fungi mushrooms as the word “morel” fire, especially in areas that host that you pick) they often come up describes a family of fungi rather pines and poplar trees. The black in ones and twos rather than in than a specific mushroom. The continued on page 3

FEATURE MUSHROOM PRESIDENT’S PAST EVENTS COMING EVENTS ARTICLES Pick a Wild The Mighty Morel MESSAGE.... Poplar Creek The First Annual Welcome to Mushroom Alberta...pg 8 ...pg 1 Welcome to the Natural Area Gets Photo Contest another Winter Visit..pg 4 ...pg 6 Season...pg 6 Urban ‘shrooming The earliest morel New Executive The winter foray at FORAYS mushroom is the ...pg 9 ...pg 2 Poplar Park was a Come find the which is Contact information success both in terms currently in ‘bloom’. of fun and in finding Mushrooms Mushrooming on the new executive Courses...pg 11 and some background mushrooms. ...pg 4,5 Recipes information on plans The next two major Stuffed Morels and Mushroom for the current year. forays are for the Cream of Morel Events Calendar Environments ...pg ...pg 10, 11 morel mushrooms and 12 Soup...pg 8 the oyster mushrooms Fleming (Membership Director), Markus President’s Message Gail Daniluk (Communications), 2005 Executive Geraldine Kolacz (Newsletter Edmonton Mycological Society Director), Loretta Puckrin (Treasurer), and Melanie Fjoser President: Markus Thormann (Secretary). In addition, Pieter van (780) 432-1392 der Schoot and Robert Rogers are [email protected] our two Directors-at-Large. Last- Past President: Peter Arabchuk but-not-least, a special thank-you (780) 479-6630 goes out to Peter Arabchuk, our [email protected] Past President, who has done a great job presiding over the EMS 1st Vice President: Mike Schulz over the past years. We will all (780) 930-2102 strive to make this year as [email protected] enjoyable and educational as Website Manager: George Hamilton previous years. (780) 486-2576 One of the objectives of the EMS [email protected] is, and always has been, to educate Treasurer: Loretta Puckrin its members about fungi, including (780) 458-9889 their identification, distribution, [email protected] ecology, and significance. This objective will continue to be central Secretary: Melanie Fjoser to all of our activities and permeate (780) 987-4412 our monthly meetings and forays. [email protected] The “Pick a Wild Mushroom, Foray Coordinator: Bill Richards Alberta!” campaign is not (780) 998-3507 exclusive of this objective. It is [email protected] currently our flagship project and Current President of EMS, Markus Thormann, in the field will receive continuing support by Program Director: Martin Osis wearing his special outfit the EMS. Other projects in the (780) 987-4412 foreseeable future include the [email protected] development of a provincial fungal Newsletter Editor: Geri Kolacz Greetings! database, a digital image library, (780) 475-7927 By the time you are receiving easy-to-use identification keys for [email protected] this newsletter, we have already diverse groups of fungi, and a Communications: Gail Daniluk had our first meeting of the new NAMA foray in the southern boreal (780) 986-4493 year. Based on the amount of and/or foothills forests. These [email protected] moisture we have received over the projects will greatly enhance our winter months and the favourable visibility in the community and Membership: Alan Fleming weather this spring so far, we can across the province and western (780) 463-8540 anticipate an excellent year for Canada. Last year was a very [email protected] successful year, let’s continue on fungi. Directors at Large Since early this year, the that path! previous EMS executive has met With that in mind, let’s look Pieter Van de Schoot several times to lay the foundation forward to our spring foray, which (780) 696-2436 for this year, culminating in the will take us into the southern Robert Rogers election of a new executive in late boreal forest to the northwest of (780) 433-7882 March. I am honoured to be the Edmonton on May 14. We can new president of the EMS. I expect to see (true and false) welcome the return of Bill Richards morels, verpas, and diverse spring MAILING ADDRESS: (Foray Coordinator), Martin Osis agarics. Hope to see you all there. Edmonton Mycological Society (Program Director), and Mike 1921 – 10405 Jasper Avenue Schulz (Vice-President) as well as Standard Life Building our new executive members Alan Cheers and happy ‘shrooming, Edmonton AB T5J 3S2

2 Spore Print Spring - 2005 No. 1 www.wildmushrooms.ws Test your ‘mushroom eyes’. This photo is full of morels. Can you spot them?

Morel Mushrooms continued from page 1 One mushroom that is morel () occurs on often miscalled a morel, is almost every continent in higher the close cousin the Verpa alpine-like meadows well into the digitaliformis and Verpa summer under and bohemica. One common trees. The head looks almost identical name is the thimble to a fallen pine cone and is very mushroom because the cap difficult for the novice to spot. The resembles a thimble sitting white morel () is on top of the stalk (stipe). probably the most tasty member of Both the morel and the the morel family. This variety likes verpa are of the family growing under old fruit trees . Where the especially in the Pacific Northwest. morel’s cap is continuous The half-free morel (Morchella down to the stem the verpa simlibera) is often found in sandy cap is separated with the soil along streams and lakes. stem freely passing up into the cone of the cap. All morel mushrooms are hollow both in the stem You don’t have to wait until you get home to treat yourself to these delicious mushrooms. They are great stuffed or just seasoned and fried. (stalk, stipe) and the mushroom cap itself. The cap and stipe make stuffing very stem of the verpa is more solid. easy with delicious results. If you Although these mushrooms are are interested in learning more not prone to worms, the texture of about the morel mushrooms make the cap (wrinkled in appearance) sure you join the foray on May allows for insects to hide in the 14th in the Wabumum area. If you folds. A quick wash with cold want more ideas on your water tends to relieve you of these wild mushroom harvest make sure unwanted passengers. Cutting the to keep an eye on the website for morel in half also helps to find if our first mushroom cooking class there are insects in the hollow (expected to be held in August). centre. The favoured way of storing morels is to dry them but You can also check out some they freeze as well. However you morel recipes on page 8. prepare them ensure that the There are a number of varieties of Morel mushrooms which all morels are cooked before eating. belong to the ‘morchella’ family of fungi. What many consider Morels can be added to sauces, Photos for this article were taken the ‘true morel’ are those where the cap is attached to the be the base for gravies or soup and and supplied by Bill Richards from stem along the entire bottom edge. The ‘’ or verpa are delicious stuffed (try cream his expedition in June of 2004. has a cap that, although it looks similar, is only attached at cheese). The hollow center of both the peak of the cap.

3 www.wildmushrooms.ws Spring - 2005 No. 1 Spore Print side bar for complete list). Thanks Bjerkandera adusta The Last Foray.... to Melanie and Martin for time, Cerrena unicolor space, food and help with the Chlorociboria aeruginascens Poplar Creek Natural identifications. Coriolopsis sp (?) / Oxyporus (?) Area Gets Winter Visit There were few birds on site but Dacrymyces palmatus by Bill Richards, Foray Director there was much mammal sightings Daedaleopsis confragosa including browse and scat from, snowshoe hare, moose, elk, deer Fomitopsis pinicola and porcupine and abundant signs Hypoxylon multiforme of beaver. There was even the occasion to spot the still-white sulfureus hares scurrying about. Lenzites betulina Lycogala epidendron Remember that this land is part Phellinus igniarius of the Poplar Creek Natural Area Phellinus tremulae and it is yours to enjoy so do not Phyllotopsis nidulans wait for an organized outing to do Plicaturopsis crispa so. nigricans Cluster of Plicaturopsis crispa on bark. Poplar Creek Natural Area – Schizophyllum commune (NE17- TWP. 48- R5 –W5 ) Foray It wasn’t as wintery as were Schizopora paradoxa List from March 12, 2005. other winter forays to Poplar Creek Stereum hirsutum Bisporella citrina Natural Area (PCNA), as a matter Trametes hirsuta of fact, our most recent visit on March 12 2005 was a relatively pleasant one. The weather was threatening that Saturday morning but we had ten members who took their chances and had a great day. Not only did the weather hold but there was much bare ground and relatively easy going through this area of PCNA (NE 17 Twp 48 Rge 5 W5M). This quarter section is nestled near a dead end road and apparently gets little visitation – fortunately having been ignored by off highway vehicles users. Unfortunately it has also been ignored by the mycologist for it offers some superb habitat for edible as well as edifying fungi. Hopefully the potential of a good harvest will change its ignored status as a picking site this summer. With the snow almost completely gone we were able to access logs which would have been snow covered. This allowed us to find several more , we noted 22 wood inhabiting species and a large number of Russula nigricans, with their persistent black forms being left over from last fall (see

4 Spore Print Spring - 2005 No. 1 www.wildmushrooms.ws Oyster Mushroom Foray, Roast & Camp Out– Poplar Creek Natural Area by Martin Osis

Location: Moose Hill Hall Across the road and 1/2 mile east of Poplar Creek Natural Area. Date: June 18 & 19 Saturday, June 18: 10 am to sunset. Sunday till 1 pm. Schedule: Saturday June 18 9:00 - 10:00 Coffee at the Moose Hill Hall 10:00 - 1:00 Foray & site assessment on the Poplar Creek Natural Area. 1:00 - 2:00 Identification of Fungi found on foray, set up of display tables (Mike Shulz, Bill Richards). Cook & edible mushrooms. 2:00 - 3:00 “Science and the recreational picking of mushrooms” -Markus Thormann. “Oyster Mushrooms: All you wanted to know but were afraid to ask.” – 7:00 to sunset 10:00 - 12:00 Martin Osis. Evening social. Foray & site assessment on the 3:00 - 4:00 Poplar Creek Natural Area – North Medicinal preparation of Schedule: Sunday June 19 quarter along Poplar Creek. 8:00 - 10:00 mushrooms with sampling - Robert 12:00 - 1:00 Coffee at the Moose Hill Hall and Rogers. Identification of Fungi found on breakfast potluck – by overnight 5:00 - 7:00 morning foray, clean up. campers. “Pig roast” dinner and “Mushroom potluck”- Bring your favourite mushroom dish to share. Site must be vacated by 1:00 pm on Sunday.

Registration: Name______Num. of Adults______X $20.00 = ______Num. of Children (6-16)______X $10.00 = ______Total cost $______

Cheque Enclosed ✉

5 www.wildmushrooms.ws Spring - 2005 No. 1 Spore Print features. Emphasis is placed on key First Annual EMS visual characteristics being present to be able to identify the mushroom Mushroom Photo at least to . Subjects may be shot in the field or studio. While Contest both technical and artistic consideration will be given to the by Martin Osis judging, the main criteria will be on the identifiability of the subject. The goal of the contest is to You don’t have to personally be create a resource library of able to identify the mushroom! photos for educational use by the EMS club and its members Judging and presenters. It is important Judging will be done by that individual photo quality committee. The voting committee be judged on projection quality will be a combination of images - 4 megapixels plus. All professional photographers, photography formats are professional and amateur acceptable but digital images mycologists. You do not have to are preferred. Slides and enter a specific category. The prints will be scanned to a judges will place the photos in final digital format and be categories as they see fit. judged on that basis. Awards We are planning 1st, 2nd, 3rd, place in each category as well as a Eligibility selection of Honourable Mentions. The contest is open to EMS Criteria will include both technical Watch for prize updates. members and friends. (in other (focus, depth of field, exposure, Most of the glory will come from words everyone with an interest in lighting, colour) and artistic appeal the use of photos in our upcoming mushrooms and/or nature (composition, colour, background, publications of bookmarks, posters, photography) lighting) aspects. SporePrint and calendars. Prizes Closing date 2. Best photo of the will be awarded based on 60% of September 19, 2005. We Provincial mushroom the entry fees as well other prizes encourage entries to be submitted ( boreale): The based on the resourcefulness of the throughout the summer as they objective is to find a single photo contest committee and the become available. suitable for use in our bookmark, generosity of donors. poster, and calendar. Criteria will Subject Matter include both technical (focus, depth Ownership of images Any member of the fungi of field, exposure, lighting, colour) All copyrights will remain with kingdom. and artistic appeal (composition, the photographer. The entrants colour, background, lighting) consent to allow the EMS to use Categories aspects. the photos as they see fit, both in 1. Best overall mushroom photo. 3. Best mushroom photo EMS publications as well as part of 2. Best photo of the Provincial series. Photo series will include 3 our digital image library and mushroom (Leccinum to 5 photos displaying the educational programming. boreale). following: Fruiting body, growth Entry Fee 3. Best mushroom identification habits ( i.e. in rings, on wood, All entrants must fill out the entry series under or with spruce, etc), gills or form and submit it with the fee of fertile surface, cut through of $5.00. This is for the first image. Judges Criteria mushroom, important ID details An entrant can submit as many 1. Best overall mushroom (i.e. ring or veil, volva, bulbous entries as they wish for an photo. The objective is to find a base, etc.). The series photos will be additional cost of $1.00 per image. single photo suitable for display or judged based on the visual images Remember, the more the entries illustration in a book or calendar. showing critical identification the larger the prizes.

6 Spore Print Spring - 2005 No. 1 www.wildmushrooms.ws Welcome to Another Season of EMS Entry Form Fabulous Fungi by Martin Osis, Program Director Annual Mushroom Photo Contest I want to say a special hello to all of our new members. For them we have a special program this Closing Date: September 19, 2005 year. As you start to learn about fungi you will soon find yourself challenged by many new things. New Name:______terminology, new ways to look at living things and especially in an information overload. For these new Address:______members as well as long standing members I want to point out that the science of will City:______Postal Code:______overwhelm you. But don’t panic. Use all the resources you have around you. Books, lectures, Phone:______courses and experienced members. Gather up as much knowledge as you can and then let it sink in E-mail: ______over the off-season. Sometimes you will astound yourself as information slowly sorts itself out over time. Competition Categories There are two strategies I would like to share. 1. Best overall mushroom photo. The first one is to use field notes. One of the 2. Best photo of the Provincial mushroom things with field notes is that it disciplines you to (Leccinum boreale). look at all aspects of the from the very large 3. Best mushroom identification series things such as where it grows to the smallest details of gill formations, shapes or attachments. Look for and write down as many clues as you can. Every entry should have a photo number, or name One of the best tips is to make a picture of the (if you are submitting more than one) and the date mushroom. If you are talented enough you can draw taken. it, but for most of us it is easier to photograph it. One of the program items this year will be on photography with a follow-up field walk to help you Entry Fees: out. We are also sponsoring a photography contest Registration fee –covers the 1st photo $ 5.00 to encourage members to hone their photography habits and skills. Additional entries ___ X $1.00 $______Write down lists of mushrooms you have seen or had others identify for you. These lists can be looked Total $______over in the off-season or be referred to when something seems faintly familiar. A mushroom found at a July foray usually will be stumbled across the following July in similar habitats. You Submit entry fee by mail to then have another resource to check up on. Edmonton Mycological Society, The second strategy is to try and lump 1921 – 10405 Jasper Avenue , mushrooms together into either their families Standard Life Building, or into genera. Even very experienced mycologists Edmonton, AB, T5J 3S2. refer to their resources regularly. They find what Payment should accompany entries. Any entry they are looking for because their experience not paid in full by September 19th is disqualified for teaches them how to narrow down the search. the competition. To help newer members out we will have a couple of lecture and field workshops on edible mushrooms. Entries may be submitted by mail to address From this you should learn to identify a dozen above or email to mushrooms or so. This information should at least [email protected]. give you a start to get picking while you slowly digest the rest of the infomation you have picked up.

7 www.wildmushrooms.ws Spring - 2005 No. 1 Spore Print We have been fortunate to “Pick a Wild Mushroom, obtain educational funding from Alberta Sport and Recreation as well as from the Alberta Alberta!” Conservation Association. This is By Melanie Fjoser, Chair, “Pick a Wild Mushroom, in addition to the financial and Alberta!” Committee moral support from our Society. What we still need from EMS Our committee’s campaign to members, are great photographs of have a mushroom join the Leccinum boreale suitable for our provincial emblems of Alberta is posters and bookmarks. If you one of The Edmonton Mycological have digital, prints, or slides of Society’s major projects. Just to re- Leccinum boreale (or will take cap, the winner of the vote was strong interest in nature and them this season), please enter Leccinum boreale (a.k.a. “red top” environmental issues. Instructive them in our Photo Contest (details “red cap” “northern roughstem”, CDs, posters, and bookmarks are Page 6 & 7). You may be famous! etc.). We feel that Albertans made currently under design to illustrate a great choice with their votes, as our message. this fungus: • is widespread in Alberta • is easy to identify Recipes • is a good edible Stuffed Morels In a bowl combine crabmeat, egg, • has a beneficial relationship oil, mayonaise, onions, lemon with poplar and aspen trees 1 doz. medium size morels juice and 1/4 of bread crumbs. Wash 1 can (8oz) flaked crabmeat morels under running water. Fill morel • has a long growing season in 1 egg, beaten "shells" with mixture. Combine 1/4 cup salad oil remaining 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs Alberta 2 tbl mayonaise with melted butter and sprinkle over • has cultural significance 2 tbl chopped sweet onions mixture. Place the stuff stuffed Morels 2 teas fresh squeezed lemon juice in a pan. Bake in oven for approx 15 • will be an attractive emblem 1/2 cup of seasoned bread crumbs minutes at 375 deg F. Serve Hot. 2 tbl melted butter or margarine Courtesy of Richard Progovitz for Alberta With permission from “The Great Morel Website:thegreatmorel.com Tony Abbott, MLA, will represent our cause with a Private Members Bill to the Alberta Cream of Morel Soup 1) Chop off dark green leek leaves and Legislature. He is excited about . Slice the stem lengthwise and our project and believes that it has 3/4 LB fresh morels (more or less to rinse under cold water making sure to great validity. Mr. Abbott was taste and your hunting success) remove all grit trapped between chopped layers. Peel and halve potatoes. Add chosen because of his interest in 1 large leek (use everything below the both to soup pot with the water. Boil issues as well as that green leaves) moderately until quite tender. 20-30 Poplar Creek Natural Area is in 3 medium to small russet potatoes min. 1 cup chicken stock 2) Heat medium pan over a medium his riding. You may recall that 1 cup heavy cream flame. Add butter , morels and a few EMS acts as Volunteer Steward to 1/2 cup dry white wine dashes of salt. Cook morels gently for 2 TBS butter or mild oil ~ 15 minutes, making sure they do not this area, where we Observe, salt and pepper to taste dry out. Add a few dashes of wine at a Record, and Report critical 2 cups water time to keep moist. When nearly done add wine, turn up flame and continue information. It is unlikely that our cooking until liquid is almost gone. Bill will be presented this year, but Add chicken stock and stir until blended. will be on the table next Spring. 3) When potatoes and leeks are tender, This initiative fits in with our remove from heat and blend until smooth. Return to pot. focus on , in that it draws 4) Add morel mix to potato/leek attention to the importance of mixture and simmer very gently, stirring occasionally to avoid fungi with visuals, followed up scorching. After about 5-10 minutes, with informative text. We will be add cream and salt and pepper to producing educational items to be taste. Courtesy of David H. located in Petoskey, distributed to schools, libraries, Michigan With permission from “The Great Morel museums, and groups with a Website:thegreatmorel.com

8 Spore Print Spring - 2005 No. 1 www.wildmushrooms.ws Urban ‘shrooming by Loretta Puckrin With the hectic quality of today’s lifestyles, some mushroom lovers are taking to areas in urban settings to find their edibles. Even though they may feel safe picking in familiar territory there are important considerations when picking mushrooms, especially in urban areas. Do You Have the Right? Unless the mushrooms you find are on your own property you have This is also a concern in farm Alcohol Inky Cap. Aside from not to consider whether you have the areas. Last year there was an area having alcohol within 24 hours of right to pick those delicious that sprouted a variety of edible ingesting this mushroom, people specimens. If they are on a mushrooms. It was hard not to pick with hiatis hernias tend to react neighbour’s property you need to them. The problem was that the with a type of indigestion. This get permission. “They don’t like the farmer had not only burnt the area does not mean that the mushrooms mushrooms anyway,” is not to get rid of the weeds but had are not edible – it just means that permission. If they do like used a powerful herbicide to kill your particular digestive system mushroom but don’t know how and the roots. Although the treatment has some issues with the chemical what to pick, you might consider was done the year before it was composition of that type of sharing the harvest in exchange for safest not to pick in that spot for a mushroom or of where that variety your knowledge. couple of years. When you haven’t has grown. The people reacting to Various levels of government found enough mushrooms this is a the Alcohol Inky Cap also react to have different rules about picking very hard thing to do - leave them caffeine – a very common on their property. For example, you where you see them. substance in acceptable ‘safe’ foods. are not allowed to pick anything in Is it a New Mushroom for You? Pick for the Future a Federal park (eg. Jasper National Making sure that the variety is When picking a mushroom in Park, Elk Island, Kootneys etc). considered edible is only the first any environment, make sure you Other areas restrict the number of step. The second step is to ensure only pick the fruiting body and pickers and the amount they can that your body agrees. don’t disturb the ‘ system.’ take to keep the environment Think in terms of picking an apple stable. There are still many areas Everyone reacts to various foods differently. Some cannot tolerate from the tree. If you just pick the that have no restrictions except for apple the tree continues to fruit in common sense. dairy products, others have reactions to corn. Is it any wonder future years. If you tear off the What Contaminants are There? that some people can eat a large branches as you pick the apples Especially in urban areas, you variety of mushrooms while others there will be less fruit every year have to be aware of any pesticides can’t? until you kill the tree. or herbicides that are being used in If you are learning new Picking mushrooms by tearing your potential mushroom area. mushrooms that are considered the entire plant from its growing Mushrooms have the ability to edible try eating just a few or a medium will have the same effect - distil the chemicals in their small serving the first time. Wait a no mushrooms in future years. environment - this includes the couple of days before trying more. Pick wisely and enjoy! toxins. If the county or city has In this manner you will find out EMS has scheduled an urban been spraying for mosquitoes or whether that particular type of mushroom walk on July 13, has a weed control program in the mushroom and your system get Wednesday evening, at Mill area you would be well advised not along. Creek (meet at the swimming to pick and eat any mushrooms One example of a common edible pool parking lot). See what can from that area. that can cause problems is the be found within the city.

9 www.wildmushrooms.ws Spring - 2005 No. 1 Spore Print Please Join Us! All forays are undertaken at your own EMS Calendar of Events for 2005 transportation, accommodation and risk. Weekend Foray to the May • • • • • • • • • • • • • • July • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Foothills ARea A weekend Sat-Sun) ( foray 27 Mushroom: Gypsy, Saturday - A day Foray in the / Men-on-horseback, New Member Field Aspen Parkland/Boreal Forest 28 Hedgehogs 14 Area 9 Orientation, KEY workshop Mushroom: Morel, Verpa, Spring / Mushroom: The king Location: Robb Agarics 10 Bolete area Location: Jack Pine Grazing Location: Ashland Reserve, Wabamun area Dam site, Camp out September• • • • • • • • • • MEETING – Natural Mid-Summer Wednesday Evening Long Weekend Foray – First Photography and the use of Foray Annual Alberta wide Foray digital cameras followed by an 13 Mushroom: various 25 3 Mushroom: Leccinum, evening foray June 8th. Location: Mill Creek Ravine / Russula, and (meet at the swiimng pool parking 5 other agarics lot) June • • • • • • • • • • • • • Location: Sundre Area A Wednesday Summer Evening MEETING – Obscure Edible Weekend Foothills Campout Foray and photo workshop Mushrooms of Alberta - Mike 8 Mushroom: various 25 Schulz Mushroom: Location: Sherwood Park Area 10 and Hedgehog Time: 7:00 pm / Location: Foothills August • • • • • • • • • • • • TBA EMS Member Only - Introduction to 11 Saturday Foray collecting for Mushrooms Details Page 11. MEETING Mushroom Exposition 2005 Photography 11 Mushroom: All groups from 6 28 Contest A weekend Sat-Sun) ( Special all habitats Finalists Foray Event Location: Your choice 18 Mushroom: various / Location: Poplar City of Champignons Exposition at October • • • • • • • • • • 19 Creek Natural Area Devonian Gardens, Sunday. near Breton (see page 5 7 Members volunteers are needed! MEETING AGM for details) Late-Summer Wednesday Evening 26 MEETING – How to use a KEY foray to identify Mushrooms – Martin 17 Mushrooms: various November • • • • • • • • • • 22 Osis Location: Edmonton River Valley President’s Dinner TBA (Mill Creek or Whitemud Creek) A Summer Wednesday Evening Foray MEETING – Preparing your 29 Mushrooms: various favourite mushrooms. Location Location: North Cooking 24 TBA Lake Natural Area Time: 7:00 pm

General Member Meetings Fourth Wednesday of every month Time: 7:00 pm Location: Riverbend Library

10 Spore Print Spring - 2005 No. 1 www.wildmushrooms.ws Mushrooming Courses! Alberta Here's your chance to learn or John Janzen Nature Centre - Water Quality refresh your mushroom basics! Mushroom Identification & Foray Mike Schulz will be Are you wild about Awareness Day offering mushrooming courses mushrooms? We are. Come, join through the EMS, the us for two evenings of fungus June 5, 2005 is the Devonian Botanic Gardens, fun! First we'll learn how to day to celebrate and the John Janzen Nature identify the most common edible Alberta’s streams, lakes Centre. Most courses will be mushrooms as well as the quite similar, although the poisonous ones and how to best and wetlands. mushrooms found and pick them (or not!). Then we'll The Edmonton discussed will vary head out on a mushroom foray to Mycological Society has throughout the season. put our new-found knowledge to registered to do water Contact Mike at 930-2102 for the test. testing, which must be more information. See which Mondays, July 11 & 18, 6:30 - one(s) fit your schedule! 9:30 pm done from June 5 to 18th. We will focus on Devonian Botanic Gardens Spring Cost: $40 testing the water bodies Mushrooms Register with the John Janzen Nature Centre at 496-1024 of Poplar Creek Natural The edible morel, oyster and Area, where we are verpa mushrooms are often Devonian Botanic Gardens - present in the spring. After a Volunteer Stewards. A presentation, we will find and Hunting for Edible Summer Special Foray Event will identify all the mushrooms we Mushrooms be held on June 18-19 can during a foray in the Garden This is a practical course (see details pg 5 & 10), grounds. Bring in your own distinguishing local poisonous during which time we mushrooms for identification! and edible mushrooms. After a will do our testing. May 14 (Sat.), 10 am - 4 pm presentation, we will find, examine, and identify Fee $42.00 For more information mushrooms during a collection on AWQA, visit Register with the Gardens at foray in the Garden’s woods and 987-2064 meadows. Some of the more www.awqa.ca desirable edible mushrooms will EMS - Introduction to Mushrooms be sampled. This will be an introduction to mushrooms and mushroom July 23 (Sat.), 10 am - 4 pm picking. We will cover the basics Fee $46.00 Don’t miss any of of identifying and the major Register with the Gardens at mushroom groups, although the 987-2064 this year’s exciting most common edible mushrooms will be discussed. This will be events! followed by a field trip to put our Devonian Botanic Gardens - Fall skills to the test! EMS members Renew today only! Mushroom Foray Join Mike for a walk through Membership forms are June 11 (Sat) 10 am - 4 pm the Devonian Botanic Gardens available on our web site Fee: $35.00 and its woods to discover some of www.wildmushrooms.ws or use page 13 to fill out the Location TBA: to register the wonderfully delicious, information for renewal. Not contact Mike at 930-2102 poisonous, and other mushrooms fruiting in the fall. A sampling of sure if you have renewed? edibles will follow. Date, time, The members paid for 2005 and fee TBA. are listed.

11 www.wildmushrooms.ws Spring - 2005 No. 1 Spore Print Understanding Mushroom Environments by Loretta Puckrin The environment is also of importance in identifying a mushroom. Although some people can easily identify mushrooms from samples, noting the conditions under which the mushroom was found makes a big difference when closely aligned species must be differentiated. Vegetation Some varieties of fungi only Understanding when more robust rural patches might be grow in the vicinity of certain trees mushrooms grow as well as where ready. or vegetation. For example, the oyster mushroom has a definite they grow is essential to having Noting the weather, not only preference for the black poplar successful forays. during that day but in the week trees. “My usually productive favourite previous to the find, also helps you spots yielded nothing, while areas develop a database which will With others the state of the that I had never found Morels increase your success in future vegetation is another clue to the before, started yielding late season years. chances of finding a fruiting body. mushrooms,” explained Martin Osis As you learned in the article about in his article (May 2004 SporePrint). Rooting Compound the morchellas, noting when a Different mushrooms grow on certain flower is in bloom, or even Water different types of vegetation. Some if it is growing in that area, will Although all mushrooms need are found on the ground, such as help you to both identify the adequate water, some grow close to the morchella family, while others species and locate other patches for water systems (streams, lakes, low are based on trees, such as the picking. lying areas) while others have oyster mushroom and still others greater tolerance to dryer prefer the grassy areas - an Destructive Elements conditions and can be found in non- example being the field mushroom. Insects are a part of the water based forested areas. Of those found on the ground some environment. Some mushrooms are growing on recently downed tend to be relatively free of insects, Temperature trees, others on old deadwood, such as the morchellas, while The serious mushroom hunter humus, or feces. Just because the others are known for the high will check the temperature of the mushroom is found near your feet incidence of infestations, such as soil - not the air - in determining does not mean it is growing in the the bolete family. When you are the potential of a particular earth. Oyster mushroom can be picking a mushroom type that is mushroom fruiting. When it comes found on upright deadwood as well prone to being eaten it is important to Morels Martin Osis and Bill as felled deadwood. The importance to clean them immediately after Richard agree that a ground is more what is encouraging picking. temperature of 50° F or 10°C needs growth rather simply the elevation Never assume that when you to be reached. of the growth. find a mushroom which has been Because of the concentration of Knowing the areas which are eaten by animals that is safe for people and buildings in an urban most likely to host your favourite humans. Squirrels can tolerate area you will generally find that edibles is an important step to some elements to which people the mushroom varieties grow first finding them. There is no react negatively. Urban legends in the urban wilderness (when they guarantee when it comes to such as ‘if the bugs don’t want it grow there at all) and then later in hunting mushrooms but everything neither do you’ will not only make the rural settings. Even if your you know about where and how to you miss some wonderful meals but urban patch is too small to pick, look increases your chances. encourage you to pick non-edible use it as an indicator of when the species.

12 Spore Print Spring - 2005 No. 1 www.wildmushrooms.ws Have you renewed your membership for 2005? If your name is not on the list please send your cheque ($25.00 - individual, $35.00 - family members) to: Membership Edmonton Mycological Society 1921 – 10405 Jasper Avenue Standard Life Building Edmonton AB T5J 3S2 The following are members who have renewed for 2005.

Arabchuk, Peter Holzbauer, Otto / Rita Murch, Jeanine / Mervin Aung, Dr. Steven K.H. Homeniuk, Emily Osis, Martin / Fjoser, Melanie Bens, Ian Hutchings, Janet Podtepa, Georg Blizzard, Emily Ipema, C. Robert Puckrin, Loretta Boluk, Yaman Jack, Andrew / Rebecca Richards, Bill / Murray, Dianne Bradley, Vic Jaroni,Andrew / alicja Rogers, Robert Cegielny, Gerlinde Mrs Jacob, Virginia Rowe, David / Van Der Klaauw, Chipeniuk, Ken / Graham, Debbie Kolacz, Geraldine Agnes Crawford, Chris Koziak, Zenon Schalkwyk, Helene (Leni) Currah, Randolph Koziel, Rosemary Schlogel, Henry Derworiz, David / Beverly Lasinski, Judy/ Burnett, Micheal Schulz, Mike Descheneau, Jon Litven, George / Anne Skoropad, Edi Fjoser, Melanie / Martin, Osis Loven, Larry Simpson, Robert Fleming, Alan / Rae Luarrd, Garnham / Hand, Bernice Stobee, Jon Dr. Gasser, Jeannette Malenczak, Jim / Sutton, Gerald C Glanz, Ralph / Christine Mannweiler,Christy Tabaka, Bob Glowach, Larry Medwid, Henk / Bouman, Dr. Thompson, John P. Grobel, Doug / Isaac, Jan Helen Viana, Andy / Mary Hayward, Audrey Merlo, Werner O. Wilson, Brad Hohol, Dr Harry / Sandra Mozdzenski, Danek Xenos, Elaine / Tassi

Membership Registration Form Name:______Address: ______City: ______Prov: ______Postal Code: ______E-mail: ______Phone: (_____) ______❏Individual… $25.00 per year ❏Family…$35.00 per year

13 www.wildmushrooms.ws Spring - 2005 No. 1 Spore Print