Fairy Rings: Love 'Em Or Leave '
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Volume 47:3 May ⁄ June 2006 www.namyco.org they needed a rest they would sit down on the mushrooms. In the forest, rings with different but larger mushrooms grew providing a rest stop for larger fairies who, being bolder, were not afraid of the forest. The fairy rings are rated by some as choice edibles, so one of the most efficient ways of getting rid of them is to eat them! But make sure that what you have is a true “fairy ring mushroom” (for details, see below). The many “little brown mushrooms”—LBMs—that grow on lawns should be avoided. (Regret- fully, not all these LBMs, which are notoriously difficult to identify, are little nor are they all brown.) Mushrooms picked for the table Hebeloma crustaliniforme shows a classic ring of fruitbodies. must always be positively identified; and when eating these positively identified mushrooms for the first time, try them in small amounts as Fairy Rings: Love ‘Em or Leave ‘Em there is always a possibility of an allergic reaction. by Martin Osis in returning nutrients for all types of If you observe the fairy ring, life, both plant and animal. Different you will notice greener and faster- What’s up with all those mushrooms from plants (and more like us), they growing grass on the outside of the poking up through the lawn? A do not produce chlorophyll but couple of days of rain and then it usually rely on plants for their Continued on page 2 seems that overnight they’re pop- energy source. In this process they ping up here and there singly or in exude enzymes, breaking down dead groups, in a variety of shapes, sizes, plant material and releasing nutri- In this issue: and colors. ents for use by both plants and Mushrooms are, of course, the animals. Forays and Announcements ........ 3 fruiting bodies of fungal organisms One of the best recognized of Fungi in the News ......................... 5 that live in our grass or on a piece of these fungi is the “fairy ring mush- Remembering Elizabeth Moses ... 6 buried wood debris year after year. room.” It must be noted that there How to Get Really Sick ................. 9 When all the conditions are right, are a lot of different fungi that grow the fungus shoots out a fruiting in rings and all of these fungi Alberta Bound! ..........................10 body, usually after a good soaking growing in rings on your lawn are Foray ‘06 Registration .......... 11–12 rain. Fungi consist mostly of water, recycling dead grass. The fungal Book Reviews ............................13 so they require a good amount of it organism itself grows in the ground Index Fungorum .........................15 to be able to produce the mushroom, as a mass of tiny thread-like roots. which in turn produces spores to Some have been known to be 800 Honey Mushrooms & Bees .........16 continue its life cycle. years old. The ancients believed that Photo Contest Entry Form .... 17–18 Fungi are the great recyclers of at night, tiny fairies came out and Mushroom of the Month ............20 the world, playing an essential role danced around in a circle. When 1The Mycophile, May/June 2006 Proposed Slate for NAMA Officers Moving? Each of these members has indicated a willingness to continue to serve Please send your new address, another term in his or her respective position: Ike Forester, President; two weeks before you move, to Bob Fulgency, 1st Vice-President; Judith McCandless, Treasurer. Other Ann Bornstein nominations may be submitted by the general membership. The nomina- NAMA Membership Secretary tions must be received prior to the 2006 NAMA Annual Meeting in 336 Lenox Avenue August for distribution to the Trustees. A nomination must include in Oakland, CA 94610-4675 <[email protected]> writing (1) the nominee’s consent to serve, and (2) a brief biographical description of the nominee’s qualifications and experience. Otherwise—you may not be getting your newsletter for a while. Each issue, several Mycophiles are Fairy Rings, continued from page 1 returned as undeliverable because of no forwarding address on file. NAMA is charged seventy cents for each returned or forwarded newsletter. NAMA is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Contributions to support the scientific and educational activi- ties of the Association are always welcome and may be deductible as allowed by law. Gifts of any amount may be made for special occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries, and for memorials. Special categories include Friend of NAMA: $500–900 Benefactor: $1000–4900 Patron: $5000 and up Send contributions to Judith McCandless, Treasurer 330 Wildwood Place Louisville, KY40206-2523 <[email protected]> Several other species of mushrooms can grow in a ring, including Amanita muscaria. ring. This is because nutrients are being released by the fungus. Often The Mycophile is published bimonthly the grass dies in the center because the root work or mycelium of the by the North American Mycological Association, 6615 Tudor Court, fungus, which is slightly greasy, grows so densely that it chokes off the Gladstone, OR 97027-1032. water supply to the grass. If you want your grass to look good, aerate the NAMA is a nonprofit corporation; ring with a garden fork, breaking up the fungus to allow water penetra- contributions may be tax-deductible. tion to the grass. An application of soapy water also helps break down the Web site: www.namyco.org oily mycelium. This tactic, which allows both mushrooms and grass to thrive, works best when the ring is still young. With proper fertilization Isaac Forester, NAMA President P.O. Box 1107 the rest of the grass looks like the greener grass growing on the edge of North Wilkesboro, NC 28659-1107 the ring, making the ring hardly noticeable. Healthy grass, delicious <[email protected]> mushrooms, sometimes, you can have your cake and eat it too! Judy Roger, Executive Secretary Continued on page 19 6615 Tudor Court Gladstone, OR 97027-1032 <[email protected]> <[email protected]> Termites tend round fungus Britt Bunyard, Content Editor balls (orange) amid a pile of W184 N12633 Fond du Lac Avenue eggs (white). For the rest of Germantown, WI 53022 the story, see “Fungus in the <[email protected]> Judith Caulfield, Production Editor News,” page 5, item 1. 927 Lansing Drive Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 <[email protected]> The Mycophile, May/June 2006 2 FORAYS & ANNOUNCEMENTS 2006 Mycology and Lichenology Intermediate Mushrooms for acclaimed chef Susana Trilling Seminars at Humboldt Institute Naturalists (books and PBS show), followed by September 10–16 a very special mushroom-focused Steuben, Maine Dr. Rosalind Lowen dinner. Important archaeological For more information, ontact the ([email protected]) sites and unique artisan crafts— Humboldt Institute, P.O. Box 9, Dr. Lawrence Leonard pottery, rugs, fantastic carved Steuben, ME 04680-0009; phone ([email protected]) wooden creatures—will be among (207) 546-2821; fax (207) 546-3042; other diversions included. Development of Electronic Natural email <[email protected]> Both tours are limited to 16 History Identification Guides Online registration and information participants plus staff and technical October 2–6 at www.eaglehill.us or see the leaders and are all-inclusive with he (Monday and Friday are travel days) March/April 2006 issue of T good lodgings, meals, wine, etc. ycophile. Fred SaintOurs M An overview of this Although the forays take place ([email protected]) year’s seminars: in mid-summer, the elevations in both cases (6,000+ ft.) will make Lichens and Lichen Ecology New Summer Forays in Mexico May 21–27 for comfortable temperatures, Dr. David Richardson The only NAMA member residing in especially compared to many areas ([email protected]) Mexico, Gundi Jeffrey, and her “up north” at that season. Dr. Mark Seaward husband Erik have been organizing For more information see the ([email protected]) week-long forays for visitors in website, www.mexmush.com, or various regions of their adopted land call (from U.S./Can.): 011 52 (246) Advanced Mycology: Field and since 2000. For this year, they 461-8829. Lab Studies canvassed opinions from past partici- June 18–24 pants, including many NAMA Mycological Society of Dr. Donald H. Pfister members, regarding preferred America / Canadian ([email protected]) mushrooming locations. Based on the Phytopathological Society / “voting results,” two new areas— Lichens for Naturalists American Phytopathological exciting for fungi abundance as well July 2–8 Society Dr. Fred C. Olday as scenery, culture and history—have Québec City, Québec, Canada ([email protected]) been planned as foray bases: July 9–16, 2006 July 29–August 2, 2006 Crustose Lichens: Identification The July tour will be in the diverse Joint annual meeting. Using Morphology, Anatomy, and Sierra Gorda Ecological preserve in Simple Chemistry the central state of Queretaro. NAMA Annual Foray July 16–22 Spectacular mountains, old-growth William Switzer Provincial Park Dr. Irwin M. Brodo forests, waterfalls, and deserts are Hinton, Alberta, Canada among the fungi habitats to be ([email protected] ) August 17–20, 2006 explored, as well as renowned old Slime Molds: Taxonomy and mission churches, pre-hispanic sites Details can be found at the NAMA Ecology of Myxomycetes and the ruins of Dalí-friend Edward website and inside this issue. July 23–29 James’s surrealistic jungle estate. Dr. Steven L. Stephenson 8th International Mycological August 6–13, 2006 ([email protected]) Congress (IMC8) The August excursion will be based The Fruticose Lichen Genus in Oaxaca, specifically the Benito Cairns, Australia Usnea in New England Juarez National Park, just northeast August 21–26, 2006 September 3–9 of the vibrant, cosmopolitan state Details can be found on the Dr.