Volume 49:1 January ⁄ February 2008 www.namyco.org Pipestem Foray Overview
An East-Coaster’s Perspective A West-Coaster’s Perspective by Dave Wasilewski by Debbie Viess For about 25 years now I have As Steve Trudell rightly pointed out hunted and studied wild mush- to me, don’t gloat about your mush- rooms, but I’ve never been active in rooms until they are safely in your a club. The NAMA Orson K. Miller basket! The continuing “Curse of Memorial Foray held in Pipestem, NAMA” (some call it global warm- WV, this past August was the first ing) slipped in the back door, behind such event that I have ever at- the earlier and heartening West tended. Virginia thunderstorms. Extreme I must admit that, as I drove heat and lack of rain for the previ- south on Interstate 81 through two ous couple of weeks made condi- solid hours of Pennsylvania rainfall tions on the ground challenging for on an eight-hour trip to a place hopeful finders of fungi. Chlorosplenium aeruginascens, one of where little or no rain had fallen for Luckily, my Southern Belle the many delights found at Pipestem. over a week, for the purpose of hostess with the mostest, Coleman hunting wild mushrooms, I felt a bit McCleneghan, took me on a few names like Gyroporus and Pulvero- conflicted. My mind wandered pre-NAMA forays in Virginia, where boletus, tucked among the through conifer groves in the conditions were much improved. My many shades of forest green and Poconos where imaginary boletes very first walk ever along the brown. Patches of Indian Pipe, the pushed up through the duff. How- Appalachian Trail, at the foot of Mt. ghostly white and transparently ever, upon arrival it did not take me Rogers, was delimited by a huge delicate, monotropic, saprobic plant, long to realize that I was in a real local species of lepidella: Amanita created more pockets of magic on good spot, for everyone in atten- rhopalopus. This monstrous, off- the Southern forest floor. dance had some sort of interest in white, deeply rooting amanita was Farther along the deeply worn fungi. There were scientists, mycol- the most abundant fleshy fungus and root-crossed Appalachian Trail, ogy students, photographers, nature collected; they covered most of a Continued on page 5 lovers, and all sorts of McIlmaniacs specimen table in great stinking like myself. It was my entry into the piles. In this issue: Shroomunity! Continued on page 4 Better even than fat, stinky lepidellas were the big and beautiful NAMA Seeks New Exec Sec ..... 2 fruitings of Amanita jacksonii, or the Wanted: 2nd VP for NAMA ...... 2 American Caesar’s mushroom. NAMA Forays in France ...... 3 Coleman and I found a fairy ring of Recalling Margaret Weaver ...... 6 these edible amanitas along the Appalachian Trail; they were cloaked Book Reviews ...... 7 in gorgeous shades of bright orange, ‘07 Slide Contest Winners ..... 8, 9 in a moist, verdant and delightfully NAMA Educ. Offerings ...... 10 unfamiliar woodland alive with tulip T. Lockwood Entertains ...... 14 poplars and green-barked birch, rhodies and oaks. ‘07 NAMA Awards ...... 15 Drawing the eye away from the The Editor Speaks ...... 15 French foray participants; see story page 3. spectacular amanitas were colorful Mushroom of the Month ...... 16 Photo courtesy of Alain Bellocq. boletes with unfamiliar generic
1The Mycophile, January/February 2008 Moving? NAMA needs an EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Please send your new address, two weeks before you move, to Ann Bornstein It was announced at the 2007 Board of Trustees meeting in Pipestem that NAMA Membership Secretary because of other commitments, Judy Roger, NAMA Executive Secretary, will 336 Lenox Avenue no longer be able to serve in her current position. Judy has done a superb Oakland, CA 94610-4675 job, and her skills as Executive Secretary will be sorely missed. The Board
◆ Maintaining the historical files of the organization: minutes, lists of The Mycophile is published bimonthly officers, lists of awards; by the North American Mycological ◆ Attending and participating in the Annual Meeting and meetings of the Association, 6615 Tudor Court, Gladstone, OR 97027-1032. Board of Trustees; NAMA is a nonprofit corporation; ◆ Preparing and distribute the agenda for each business meeting of NAMA contributions may be tax-deductible. and its Board of Trustees prior to the annual meeting; and Web site: www.namyco.org ◆ Submitting an annual report to the Board of Trustees. Isaac Forester, NAMA President A modest annual stipend of $5,000 goes with this position. The individual P.O. Box 1107 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659-1107 selected to fill the job will be announced following the 2008 Trustees
The Mycophile, January/February 2008 2 no box lunches—trust the French to beyond our linguistic capability, but NAMA Forays take their food seriously. we enjoyed the great food, lots of There were a few optional van wine, and watching the French in France trips in the afternoons for sightseeing laughing tears. by Ursula Hoffmann or mushroom collection. We were Diane Derouen Chambliss, in back for the bar and dinner, the her good French, invited our hosts to Seven intrepid NAMA members evening lecture or study or the next year’s NAMA foray and went off to France, courageously display area, then went home to our thanked them for their gracious coping with strikes, delays, mis- hotel for after-dinner drinks, conver- hospitality while the rest of us placed baggage, and people talking sation, a bit of sleep, a big breakfast flanked her on the stage. very fast in a foreign language, buffet (including all those very edible In the region, the foray was a especially every time we asked for croissants and cheeses), and back for big deal: all the local newspapers directions. Of course, all of us have the next day’s foray. No mycophagy, covered it, and the mayor of Poitiers a great sense of humor so we but champignons de Paris were on held a reception with special men- surmounted most obstacles with a several lunch and dinner menus at tion of us American guests. The lot of laughter. the school cafeteria. people in charge of the foray did a While northern France had fantastic job organizing, disseminat- Poitiers enjoyed good rain and a spectacular ing information to the registrants, We rented cars at the PARIS mushroom fair in Paris the week and publicizing the event to the airport and—via Chartres and its before, central and southern France town. Congratulations and thanks! cathedral—drove to Poitiers to join had a drought, so the total checklist the annual six-day meeting of la was estimated at about 400 species, Tours Société Mycologique de France, the instead of the usual 1000 plus. Dr. Bart Buyck of Belgium was French mycological society, this year Probably because of the lack of rain, our good companion and guide not hosted by the mushroom club of there were fewer attendees than in only during the time in Poitiers, but Poitiers. A high school was the other years, but about 170 made a also during the following week facility, available during the stu- very respectable showing, especially when we were based in Tours, dents’ fall break. It had a cafeteria considering the fact that the annual exploring the Loire Valley. There, we and lecture hall, lots of labs for NAMA forays draw about 200 while went on another mushroom hunt led study, and two large classrooms for the total U.S. population is five times by one of Bart’s acquaintances. the display: one for gilled, the other that of France. Several times, we visited the for non-gilled fungi and lichens. huge and fascinating Mushroom Sorting was done outside, with Highlights Museum in St. Hilaire near Saumur. people transferring collections from All registrants received a mug A friend of Bart’s owns the mu- their baskets into an open-weave and a briefcase, with nametag, area seum, Bart being its scientific plastic tray. These trays were map, and a bound folder containing advisor. The museum is in huge stacked in locations arranged by trip not only the program but also a caves hewn out of the local lime- number; then the collections were detailed description of each foray stone. Part of the museum are the taken by people ready to study and with a colored topical map and a list caves for cultivating quite a variety identify them. Named fungi went to of all mushrooms previously found of mushroom species (some of the recorder, who printed out a color- in that area. which we bought, cooked and ate: coded label for each collection plate We walked through the managed they were delicious); the other parts (red for poisonous, other colors for French forests: no old growth forest, have large exhibits of cleverly good edible, etc.) and were then no bushwhacking, but lots of paths preserved fresh specimens and of moved to the display. and trails. We met many people with freshly collected mushrooms—the Most of the French attendees fluent or minimal English, all very museum employs two mushroom were very serious about mushrooms gracious and welcoming, who collectors—as well as big charts with and had brought books, cameras, generously offered help and shared much information. At each of our microscopes, notebooks. They spent their own best wines with us. We visits the museum was well at- the afternoons and many evenings received member status in the tended by tourists and French working with their and other French mycological society and were families. people’s collections and the display. invited to next year’s meeting, near On other excursions, we saw Every morning we rode by bus Paris. cathedrals, castles, castle gardens, to the foray site. We returned for Oh, about wines: they were flower towns (parks, plazas, houses, lunch or, on longer trips, had lunch flowing freely at both lunch and gardens with spectacular flower at a restaurant near the foray site dinner. There was also a gala dinner, displays), some of the stunning so- and then came back to the facility: with a local comedian putting on a nonstop performance in local dialect Continued on page 15
3The Mycophile, January/February 2008 Pipestem: An East-Coaster’s fishing lure container that he had a slide show that featured beautiful Perspective, cont. from page 1 brought along for the purpose of pictures of a wide variety of fungi. So the meager prospects of toting these tiny specimens. (Later, One of the pictures looked exactly finding, for instance, bagsful of Tim also gave me a large basket, like the mushroom of current fresh chanterelles became relatively which comes in handy when pieces interest. It was called Leucopholiota unimportant. I did, in fact, spend a of dead tree branch need to be decorosa. That was it! At least now I lot of time foraging, but it was not carried.) We walked, joked around, knew what it was. the type of foraging to which I am and shared in the excitement of The next day, Saturday, I ran accustomed because, on a NAMA finding various fungi here and there. into Ilona, who told me that she foray, every species counts. Crusty The entire morning seemed to fit into had not submitted the specimen stuff growing on a dead branch may the space of a single hour. until Saturday morning. So once not generally pique my interest, but For the afternoon foray, I joined a again I searched the tables for this such a fungus could turn out to be of different group. Some of these people shroom. Apparently it had been great interest to one of the mycolo- were members of the NJMA, and the siphoned off as a specimen of gists in attendance. A new type of Washington DC MA. I have been a interest to be preserved. Putting it excitement replaced the usual member of the NJ club for a couple onto a display table would have anticipation of finding a nice patch of years now, but I had not previ- resulted in its being handled by of edibles. ously met many of the other mem- many different people. This beauti- After registering, I found my way bers since I live over 100 miles from ful specimen must have been to my room and met my roommate the places where most of the NJ spared that fate. Jim, a guy from western PA who events are held. John, an NJMA Back at home I Googled Leuco- was about my age and who shared member, his son Benjamin, and I pholiota decorosa and ended up at my enthusiasm for the outdoors. A spent a fair amount of time on a high Tom Volk’s Web site (TomVolkFungi good night’s sleep in a comfortable and dry trail that offered little in the .net). In his synopsis of the history bed left me well prepared for some way of fungi, but we certainly had of the taxonomy of L. decorosa, Dr. serious foraging. plenty to discuss. Volk relates a story of a previous Luckily, the organizers of the Once back at the van, we saw an NAMA foray at which ultimate event had managed to do some last interesting mushroom that Ilona, a possession of a single specimen of minute hunting of their own—for member of the DC group, had found. this same shroom had caused a bit vans. A well-known car rental outfit It was a tall majestic gilled specimen of a controversy amongst some of had lost the paperwork that was with a brown stalk that was shaggy/ the mycologists in attendance. By supposed to guarantee our vehicles. scaly below the ring, and a similarly this time Leucopholiota decorosa had Kudos to the people who hustled at shaggy/scaly brown cap surface. I made its impression upon me as a the last minute to get the transporta- had never seen one of these. Ilona mushroom possessing great powers, tion in place! said that someone had suggested it in a sort of Tolkienesque sense. A 30-minute ride took my group might be a type of Lepiota or maybe (Good thing there were no Hobbits to Little Beaver State Park. There the a Pholiota, but I thought I recognized at Pipestem!) After reading my group split up into smaller units and it from the Audubon manual, which I account of this episode on the took to the various woodland trails. happened to have stashed inside my Mushroom Expert.com discussion My group also included Tim, my knapsack. After leafing through the board, Debbie Viess kindly e-mailed friend from MushroomExpert.com, pages, I located pictures, and then me an excellent picture of the exact and Miklos, an eagle-eyed, experi- descriptions, of two Cystodermas that specimen collected at Pipestem. It enced mushroom hunter from MI. seemed to share some of the same has been dried and stored in a A thunderstorm the previous characteristics as the mushroom at herbarium in Chicago. evening must have left measurable hand. Since Lincoff included a For the second day of foraging I rainfall in this area. My best find comment to the effect that there are chose the Indian Falls area. The was a patch of newly emerged about 20 similar-looking Cystodermas word “falls” offered hope that water Cantharellus minor, which turned up found in North America, I decided might be nearby, but we soon in a small clearing nearby a creek. I that this was likely a specimen from realized that not only were there no also found a cluster of withered this genus. Indians to be found, neither were Hydnum repandum. Of course, there Back at the lodge that served as there any falls! At one point I stood was the usual assortment of our headquarters, I searched all the atop the bone-dry rocky edge of Russulas to be seen, except now pre-sort and species display tables but what is normally a high waterfall. each one got harvested and put into could not find this shroom or any But there were still fungi to be a bag. Something I had not antici- other of its kind. I asked for the collected. And there was something pated was the collection of very whereabouts of this interesting kinda “Zen and the Art of Mush- small fragile shrooms. Tim was nice specimen, but nobody had a clue. room Collecting” about filling up enough to lend me an extra plastic Part of the evening’s events included my basket with crusts and polypores.
The Mycophile, January/February 2008 4 Back at the lodge, one dead twig Pipestem: A West-Coaster’s squarrosa from the very similar P. that had some blackish crust on it Perspective, cont. from page 1 squarrosoides); Pat Leacock, from the seemed to really excite one of the Field Museum, documenting and I spotted a perfect, shiny-capped, scientists. I felt proud of myself for vouchering our many specimens; cream-colored, pink-topped amanita. bringing in a specimen that ordi- and many other talented profes- Its membranous partial veil, bulbous narily would have failed to capture sional and amateur mycologists. base, and sac-like volva proclaimed my attention. Also, on this walk I The foray was, of course, dedi- it a member of section phalloides, spent some time with a guy from cated to the memory of Orson but no one had a clue as to its Cleveland, Dan, and his young Miller, who had made many mush- identity. Deadly or not, it was daughter Emily. It was rewarding to room collections in Pipestem Park captivatingly beautiful. I have experience the joy of discovery and environs. Everyone shared photos, illustrations and a beautiful through the eyes of a child. Emily memories of Orson, and his wife dried specimen, all ready to send to spotted a few good specimens, but it Hope was an inspiring and touching you, Rod! was Dan who had the best discovery presence. But a gal can’t live on toxic of this foray. In an area where rain- Even under adverse collecting mushrooms alone. There were fall apparently often collects into a conditions, when you get a couple of plenty of varieties of edible chanter- washdown, Dan spotted a nice hundred people in the field you elles brought to the specimen tables: cluster of fresh, perfectly formed always find something. And when Cantharellus cibarius, C. minor, C. Armillaria tabescens. I was surprised you are at the other side of the appalachiensis, C. lignicolor, C. that such an arid area produced this continent, in a wholly different lateritius, and the Eastern black specimen. Thursday night’s brief habitat, you get to see lots of cool chanterelle, Craterellus fallax. The shower must have been just enough. new mushrooms! Here are some of bad news was two-fold: the fairly In summary, the entire event the highlights: substantial “cibarius” that I collected turned out to be completely enjoy- I was speechless to find myself near Coleman’s cabin was too able. Scouring the woods in the amidst a fruiting of black earth worm-ridden to eat, and most of the name of science in order to collect tongues, Trichoglossum hirsutum rest of the chanterelles, although such things as eighth-inch-wide (though they’re common to our area handsome and no doubt tasty, were pinwheels atop thread-thin stalks as well), and delighted to find the too tiny to matter! attached to dead leaves produces a rarely seen blue-green fruit bodies The thrills didn’t just come from unique sort of satisfaction. And of the common Chlorosplenium fungi. Those of us who stayed on spending a few days among so (Chlorociboria) aeruginascens, whose the east side of McKeever Lodge at many others who, in a variety of mycelia also stains its woody Pipestem State Park had a real different ways, enjoy the study of substrate a beautiful blue-green (see treat—in every room were floor-to- fungi was very satisfying. I was photo page 1). I couldn’t believe my ceiling windows opening onto a impressed by the respect the scien- eyes when I came across a log balcony that overlooked a beautiful tists showed for all of us amateur covered in the lovely and amusing valley, hidden river, and a series of mycophiles, and vice versa. orange eye-lash fungus, Scutellinia low mountains. In the mornings this Orson K. Miller’s field guide was scutellata. All of these fun bi-coastal spectacular panorama was often the first one I owned. I used it exclu- fungi traveled back home with me, touched by mist and fog, much like sively during my first two or three along with a couple of exclusively in the Bay Area, and at dawn and years of learning about wild mush- Eastern oddities: the carrot-colored dusk by the leathery wings of bats rooms. Now it’s dog-eared and full Calostoma cinnabarina, a gelatinous that roost nearby. Who sez of scribbled notes on habitat, dates, stalked puffball; and Xylaria poly- mushroomers never look up??! and edible qualities. I gathered from morpha, the charmingly named The top-notch NAMA staff of presentations at Pipestem that the “dead man’s fingers.” Appearing mycologists included Bill Roody, our structure of this type of large-scale soon at picnic near you! local West Virginia mushroom foray pays tribute to Dr. Miller’s In addition to our familiar but far expert; Tom Volk, looking in the vision of getting a bunch of pocket too infrequently encountered pink; Rytas Vilgalys, “Clade knife-totin’ McIlmaniacs together Sparrasis crispa, the East also has Runner” out of Duke University; with a team of microscope-peerin’ another species of cauliflower Walt Sturgeon, another wonderful scientists in order to produce a fruit- fungus: Sparassis spathulata. This West Virginia mushroom expert; ful variety of “symbiotic” relation- crisply delicious edible has blunt Walt Sundberg, a vastly experienced ships. I cannot envision any better edges and resembles a stiff lace taxonomist and engaging teacher; way to honor Orson Miller’s legacy collar from Elizabethan days. Coleman McCleneghan, who gave than to accomplish exactly this thing. Another couple of fine and locally an interesting and well-attended talk popular edibles are two similar on her favorite group, Pholiota (and [Editor’s note: Dave is a member of the finally taught me how to tell P. Continued on page 6 NJMA.]
5The Mycophile, January/February 2008 Margaret We ave r Weaver graduated from Oberlin A. pantherina var. multisquammosa, College as an art history major and a A. farinosa and A. frostiana. Section Honored in Memory singer. In the 1930s, she worked at validae sported the common A. several Ohio colleges. She moved to brunnescens in brown and white Margaret Weaver of Eden Prairie Faribault in 1939 with her husband, forms, a few A. rubescens (not the had a fondness for and curiosity who practiced medicine there. She same “blusher” as our novinupta in about the natural world that led her served many civic organizations, the West), A. volvata elongata, A. to become a local expert on fungi including twelve years on the Fari- pseudo-volvata and the colorful A. and discover three species of mush- bault school board. She is survived flavoconia. Amanita bisporigera was rooms. More than 30 years ago she by three sons, six grandchildren, and the dominant member of section found Suillus weaverae, named for five great-grandchildren. phalloidae (A. phalloides is not found her, near her family’s Crow Wing in the area yet.) And of course my County cabin. Weaver, 97, died in [Editor’s note: From an article by Ben little unidentified “cream and roses” Eden Prairie on Aug. 10. Cohen in the Minneapolis Star amanita. Weaver, an Ohio native who had Tribune, reprinted here with permis- Phew! That’s quite a list, but lived in the Twin Cities, Faribault, sion. Ms. Weaver was a member of the only a fraction of what could’ve and on Pelican Lake near Brainerd Minnesota Mycological Society; thanks been found. Luckily for me, amani- since the 1930s, became interested to Ron Spinosa for submission.] tas still fruit in dry conditions. in mushrooms while hiking in the For photos and more info on Nerstrand–Big Woods area northeast these amanitas, visit Rod Tulloss’s of Faribault in the 1960s. Web site and his Smoky Mountain The mysterious appearance of Pipestem: A West-Coaster’s collections at http://pluto.njcc.com/ mushrooms fascinated her, said Perspective, cont. from page 5 ~ret/amanita/key.dir/am_gsmnp David McLaughlin, professor of .html#sectvagi. plant biology at the University of species of Lactarius: L. corrugis and Hope you enjoyed this vicarious Minnesota and curator of fungi for L. volemis. Both bleed copious white trip to the mushroomy Southeast. the Bell Museum of Natural History. latex, but corrugis has a browner Travel is so broadening! Approaching experts at the univer- cap, and volemus a more orange sity, she found that little had been one. I tried this mushroom two [Editor’s note: Debbie is a member of done in the documentation of native years ago at the Pennsylvania the Bay Area Mycological Society.] Minnesota fungi. She began reading NEMF, and it was excellent! all she could about them, sometimes There were a number of standout translating French and German boletales. Coleman couldn’t wait to works about fungi. In 1964 she took have me slice into a pale and non- Like to read poems about a graduate field course at the descript Gyroporus cyanescens in the mushrooms? Who doesn’t! University of Michigan, at the time field; the context instantly turned a hotbed for mushroom research. ink blue, and the entire mushroom McLaughlin says that though turned blue-green within a few The Mushroom Poems by Joyce Weaver was an amateur, her aca- hours. Buttons of bright yellow Hodgson (12 pages + photos) is still demic work was scholarly. “She has Pulveroboletus ravenelii, with their available. been a real contributor to what we flocculent partial veils, were distinc- Joyce, a retired British biologist know about documenting Minnesota tive. The brilliantly red-capped who has just finished a Ph.D. in mushrooms,” he said. In 1980 Boletus frostii was also a stunner, poetry, has produced six pamphlets Weaver and McLaughlin published a although age and drying destroyed of poems on a variety of themes, 90-page key to some of the fungi of the deep and lovely reticulations on including mushrooms. Minnesota for the Bell Museum. its stipe. You can order your copy of The She was honored by the NAMA in I was thrilled to see many Mushroom Poems for just $7, which the mid-1990s, and was active in the exclusively eastern species of covers postage and handling. state association. amanitas. Section lepidella was well Inquiries and orders can be Before McLaughlin became a represented by A. rhopalopus, directed to Britt Bunyard, editor of he ycophile scholar of mushrooms, she and her daucipes, longipes, cokeri, and the T M (contact infor- husband, Dr. Paul Weaver, who took charming black and white A. onusta. mation on page 2 of this issue). many pictures of fungi that are in Many grisettes and several other the Bell Museum collection, col- members of section vaginatae were lected stamps from all over, and also collected: A fulva, ceciliae, wrote in Esperanto to correspondents jacksonii, “banningiana,” and the around the world. Her husband died unnamed grisette “pseudo-protecta.” in 1982. Section amanita was represented by
The Mycophile, January/February 2008 6 B O O K R E V I E W S
occur in North America (e.g., Agro- Fungi Down Under: The Fungimap cybe praecox, Conocybe filaris, Maras- Guide to Australian Fungi, by Pat mius oreades, Clitocybe dealbata, and and Ed Grey. Melbourne: Royal Panaeolus foenisecii), much of the Botanic Gardens, 2005. information will be of use to those of us on this side of the Atlantic. Fungimap is an Australia-wide Watling first introduces eight community group dedicated to major toxicity categories and their advancing the knowledge of fungi associated symptoms, and provides a and promoting their conservation. flow chart that uses the observed The main activity of Fungimap is a symptoms to pin down the particular mapping project for macrofungi, category. The potential causative focusing on 100 readily identifiable fungi are listed along with page target species. This compact volume references for the descriptions and is a guide to those 100 species and, treatment information. Each two- because those species cover a wide page spread deals with one or two range of morphotypes (gilled mush- species. The information includes rooms, boletes, polypores, corals, toxicity category, key characters of etc.), it can serve as a general Children and Toxic Fungi: The the mushroom, medical symptoms, introduction to macrofungi for those Essential Medical Guide to Fungal treatment, habitat, general notes, new to the field. Poisoning in Children, by Roy and general, technical, and medical After the foreword, preface, and Watling. Edinburgh: Royal Botanic references. Each species is illus- extensive acknowledgments, the Garden, 1995. ISBN 1-872291-16-3. trated with a color photo, and many book consists of three main parts. Paper. 54 pp. of Roy’s simple but effective line The first part is an introductory drawings of fruit bodies and micro- section providing background Although this isn’t a new book, it is scopic features are included. The information on fungi and how they still available and deserves to be descriptions are written in non- are classified, as well as how-to more widely known. The author, a technical language. information on observing and world expert in the Bolbitiaceae, In cases where two species are identifying them. The second is the leccinums, tropical macrofungi, and treated on the same pages, they are meat of the book, comprising the many other myco-subjects, was for designated “A” and “B” and discussed 100 species descriptions. The third many years the head mycologist at as such. I found this somewhat part consists of six appendices, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh confusing and suspect that it would including a glossary, list of syn- and long has been a wonderful be even more so if I were a frantic onyms, pronunciation guide, mean- teacher of and mentor for amateur parent whose child had just wan- ings of scientific names, a list of mycologists in the U.K. and beyond. dered into the kitchen with a mouth- references, and background informa- He wrote this small book in re- ful of mushrooms. The photos are a tion about Fungimap. sponse to the finding that, in the bit small and their quality is varied— The species treatments are U.K., roughly half of the suspected some are good, while others are too arranged one species per page. They poisonings by fungi involved dark or fail to show the key features include common and scientific children. of the fungus. The line drawings names, a capsule description that Thus, in this short handbook he will be especially helpful in these includes habitat information, a more describes and provides treatment cases. detailed description, brief discussion information for the fungi (including For those who are likely to be of look-alikes, good- to excellent- some non-poisonous ones) most called by the local emergency room quality color photos (typically two likely to be consumed by grazing or neighbors for assistance in the photos per species, one of which youngsters. These are species found case of mushroom ingestions, this includes callouts of the key identifi- in back yards, lawns, playing fields, would be a useful library addition. cation features), and a map of and the like; he excludes those Australia showing the recorded characteristically found in forests —Steve Trudell, Seattle, WA distribution of the species. and woodlands as children are less The layout is attractive and likely to sample their fungal sur- [Ordering information: Royal Botanic functional, but I have two com- roundings in those habitats. Because Garden Edinburgh, www.rbge.org, most of the fungi included also e-mail
7The Mycophile, January/February 2008 Slide ContestWinners for 2007
A J
F H
E C
The Mycophile, January/February 2008 8 PO-2 Ramaria sp. B D
Pictorial Open First Place: Stereum ostrea, by Walt Sturgeon ...... A Second Place: Ramaria sp., by David Work ...... B Third Place: Hydnellum peckii, by Ron Pastorino ...... C Honorable Mention: Xeromphalina campanella, by David Work; Clavulinosis fusiformis, by Noah Siegel; Leucopholiota decorosa, by Noah Siegel; Albatrellus caeruleoporus, by Noah Siegel; Rhodotus palmatus, by Walt Sturgeon; Stropharia rugoso-annulata, by Noah Siegel; Geastrum quadrifidium, by Lawrence Leonard; Polyozellus multiplex, by Noah Siegel Documentary Open First Place: Agaricus arvensis, by David Work ...... D Second Place: Leucopholiota decorosa, by Walt Sturgeon...... E Third Place: Tremiscus helvelloides, by Noah Siegel ...... F Honorable Mention: Pleurocybella porrigens; by Charles Fonaas; Mycena pura, by Noah Siegel; Hypholoma sublateritium, by Walt Sturgeon Judges’ Option Winners: Look What I Found (Calvatia gigantea), by Dick Dougall ...... G Chromelosporiun coerulescens 2 stages 4.5 X, by Lawrence Leonard ...... H Braconid Wasp on Pleurotus ostreatus, G by Charles Fonaas ...... J
9The Mycophile, January/February 2008 N A M A E D U C A T I O N A L O F F E R I N G S
Catalog of Educational Programs on 3. Gilled Fungi: The Friesian Genera. Dr. David Mushrooms and Other Fungi Hosford & Kit Scates-Barnhart. 60 min. 80 slides. For mushroom identification classes and advanced stu- dents. Demonstrates which genera of each spore color Enrich your meetings and teaching sessions with occur in each stature type and explains how to tell NAMA slide and video programs. When ordering, them apart. Most effective if used after program #2. please allow plenty of time for packing and shipping by our volunteer. All programs have written scripts, and Programs 4–11 are a series intended to help the student most also include a narrative on audio cassette. The learn to identify a wide variety of common mushrooms, cassettes are not cued for automatic advance. Some including edible and poisonous species. Program 4 should programs are now on videotape. be viewed first, but the others can be used in any order. To order: Write, call, or e-mail Carlene Skeffing- 4. Introduction to the Major Groups of Mush- ton, giving your name, street address (no P.O. boxes), rooms. Dr. Michael Beug. 40 min. 80 slides. A general date you need the program (allow time for previewing), overview of mushroom identification, with music back- alternative program choice, and phone number where ground. May be substituted for program 1. This is a new you can be reached. If you wish a confirmation, please program and not a revision of #4. enclose a self-addressed postcard with correct postage. 5. Gilled Mushrooms I: White Spored. Dr. Michael Cost: These programs are available on loan to Beug. 48 min. 80 slides. VHS video available. Includes NAMA members and NAMA-affiliated clubs at no Amanita, Lepiota, Hygrophorus, and Russula families. charge; but due to financial restraints, we are request- 6. Gilled Mushrooms II: White Spored. Dr. Michael ing voluntary contributions (suggested amount: $5 to Beug. 43 min. 80 slides. VHS video available. Includes $10 per program) to cover the costs of outgoing postage Armillaria, Mycena, Flammulina, Collybia, Marasmius, and upkeep. Checks should be made payable to NAMA Clitocybe, Laccaria, Lentinus, Pleurotus, and others. and enclosed with the program return. Non-members pay $20 per program; include with 7. Gilled Mushrooms III: Pink to Brown Spored. Dr. your order form a check made payable to NAMA. Michael Beug. 42 min. 80 slides. VHS video available. After use, please return programs promptly via first Covers Pluteus, Volvariella, Entoloma, Paxillus, Gym- class (i.e., priority) mail, insured for $50 per program. nopilus, Pholiota, Heboloma, Cortinarius and others. UPS or similar commercial carrier is fine, too, and 8. Gilled Mushrooms IV: Purple-Brown to Black usually includes up to $100 insurance. Please return Spored. Dr. Michael Beug. 36 min. 80 slides. VHS the enclosed form or pertinent information so that we video available. Discusses Agaricus, Stropharia, Psilo- can verify your return of borrowed materials. cybe, Coprinus, Panaeolus, Chroogomphus, and more. Address for orders and return shipments: Carlene 9. Non-Gilled Mushrooms I. Dr. Michael Beug. 42 Skeffington, 505 W. Hollis St., Ste. 109, Nashua, NH min. 80 slides. VHS video available. Chanterelles, 03062, phone (603) 882-0311, email
The kits contain Western Mushroom Teaching Kit Maggie Rogers • Lesson ideas and activities for grades K–12 relating 1943 SE Locust Ave. to fungi Portland, OR 97214-4826 • Illustrations of fungi on 4" x 5" poster board (503) 239-4321
• 9 overhead transparencies illustrating basic Acknowledgments: Many thanks to NAMA members mushroom anatomy, the variety of shapes and spore- who contributed to the contents of the kits: Dean Abel, bearing surfaces of fungi, and fungi ecology Carol Dreiling, Louise and Bill Freedman, Catharine • Laminated spore prints Gunderson, Susan Hopkins, Emily Johnson, Taylor Lockwood, Theresa Oursler, Nancy Parker, Samuel • Mycological Society of America’s “What You Can Do Ristich, Maggie Rogers, Sandy Sheine, Allein Stanley, with Mycology” posters on the subject of careers in Walt Sundberg, Mike Wood. If you would like to add mycology items to the Mushroom Teaching Kits, please send • NAMA poster on mushroom poisoning them to Carol Dreiling or Catharine Gunderson. We would like objects such as dried fungi, spore prints, • 35mm slides of different fungi books, videos, and other teaching materials. • 25 plastic hand lenses
• Dried fungi samples New! NAMA Educational Committee DVDs • Foam blocks and skewers (to mount fresh specimens for drawing in the classroom) Five new educational DVDs are now available from NAMA and many more are planned over the coming • Large magnifying glass on a stand two years. The DVDs contain PowerPoint Presentations • “MykoCD” from MykoWeb with an Audio track and a Word file of the text that can be printed out and on occasions when audio is not • 2 videos on the growth of slime molds available. They also contain a file about NAMA and • Taylor Lockwood’s DVD of his “Treasures of the instructions on how to use the DVD. The DVD can be Fungi Kingdom” shows viewed as a narrated slide show with narration or individual frames can be viewed in any order while • Teaching materials developed by Dr. Walter Sundberg displaying the text below each frame. Requests for the • Wool samples made with fungal dyes and “Fungal DVDs should be handled the same as requests for slide- Elf,” all by Sue Hopkins tape programs and should be addressed to Carlene The Mycophile, January/February 2008 12 Skeffington, 505 W. Hollis St., Ste. 109, Nashua, NH Programs for Sale 03062, phone (603) 882-0311, email
13 The Mycophile, January/February 2008 Book Reviews, continued UNC Crowd Spored, Not in Tibet, Australia, Europe, Africa, from page 7 Japan, India, Indonesia, and North Bored, by Taylor’s “Most America. His story of transformation Beautiful Mushrooms” from rock-and-roll violin player to successful building contractor to Popular photographer and lecturer man of leisure to mushroom aficio- Taylor Lockwood, portraying himself nado kept the audience laughing and as an “aesthetic mycologist,” enter- amazed. But their amazement tained a full house of experienced turned to outright awe as the and novice lovers of fungi on photographs began to roll. September 11 in Wilson Library at Confessing to a particular the University of North Carolina at attraction for blue mushrooms, Chapel Hill. Lockwood, who looks Lockwood didn’t hesitate to show like Indiana Jones, exuded charm numerous stunning variations of and a sense of adventure while that hue, but there were also regaling the audience with his tales. oranges, yellows, reds, greens, and Lockwood described the audience even brown ones that didn’t look as the largest turnout yet during the drab. The images of the fungi that promotional tour of his new book, grow on termite hills in Australia Chasing the Rain. The book’s subtitle, were fascinating. Hearing his “My Treasure Hunt for the World’s nicknames for the fungi, such as Most Beautiful Mushrooms,” aptly “blue potato mushroom,” “laundry describes his vibrant narrated slide lint mushroom,” and “jungle cups,” show of digital images. added to the fun. plaints about the photographs. First, Lockwood’s pioneering work has Lockwood also loves the chal- the main photo is done as a vignette, led to international acclaim from lenge of photographing mushroom’s so the environment of the fungus mycologists, mushroom enthusiasts, undersides, so many of the images (which I consider of great impor- photography critics, and nature gave the audience a chance to see tance for identification) is usually lovers. For over 20 years and in over luminous underneath views of the not apparent. Second, the other 30 countries, Lockwood has sought glow and translucence of gills and photo, which usually does show the out the most striking and astonish- stems. He also spoke about his environment, is in many cases too ing members of the fungal kingdom evolving photographic techniques, small to be effective. Despite those in order to share his own enthusi- interesting cultural exchanges, and quibbles, the treatments should asm for the beauty of mushrooms, mishaps and surprises, such as allow for ready identification of the and to combat Americans’ singular almost stepping into the maw of a little ping-pong bat, velvet para- apprehension of them. His visits deadly tree snake in China. chute, small dung button, and the frequently garner headlines such as The presentation at UNC was other 97 interesting fungi covered by “Photographer Attacks Fungal sponsored jointly by Friends of the the project. Phobia in America.” Library and the North Carolina An innovative addition is a color Lockwood enhanced the abun- Botanical Garden. In addition to chart provided inside the back cover dant specimens shown with his Chasing the Rain, Lockwood is also for those interested in preparing extensive knowledge of mushrooms the author of Treasures from the accurate descriptions of the fungi and his exciting stories of the fellow Kingdom of Fung, and several DVDs they find. The chips are arranged by enthusiasts and experts he has met and educational videos about hue (in eight groups, from brown- mushrooms. —Jeffery Beam yellow to green) and are denoted by numbers from 1 to 190. Perhaps you consider one. The idea of a [Editor’s note: Jeffery Beam is the when someone has time, he or she mapping project also provides a Assistant to the Biology Librarian, can compile a correspondence chart model for NAMA and might help us Botany Section, at UNC and the with the Ridgway, Methuen, and increase our role in conserving fungi author of 16 works of poetry and Munsell color guides to make the and their habitats nationwide. criticism, including the award-winning chart more widely useful. An Elizabethan Bestiary: Retold and This is a fine little book and —Steve Trudell, Seattle, WA What We Have Lost (spoken word would serve as a good, albeit brief, CD), Visions of Dame Kind, and— introduction to Australian fungi for [Available through Fungimap Book with Lee Hoiby—the song cycle Life of those planning a trip down under. If Shop, www.rbg.vic.gov.au/fungimap the Bee.] you aren’t planning a trip, a skim AUD$29.95 (Paperback), plus through these 100 fungi might make AUD$8.00 postage and handling]
The Mycophile, January/February 2008 14 mycological club may nominate one E D I T O R I A L NAMA Awards for 2007 candidate who it feels has per- formed meritorious service during Each year NAMA’s Award for Contri- the current or preceding year. The “Where’s my Mycophile?” butions to Amateur Mycology recog- Knighton Service Award has been I’ve been asked this quite a nizes someone who has contributed given every year but one since 1989. bit over the past months. extraordinarily to the advancement This year’s winner, David Work, of amateur mycology. Its recipients received three first-place votes from I wish I could tell you have often extensively conducted the three judges who reviewed all that the newsletter has workshops, led forays, written or the nominations. David has invigo- been away on vacation, but lectured widely about mushrooms rated his club the past several years. the real, regrettable, news is and identifying mushrooms, all on a He is currently the membership that because NAMA is national or international level. chairman of his club, the Mid- experiencing a financial Selection is made by a committee Hudson Mycological Association. He consisting of past award winners, is also the club’s webmaster, chief crunch, I was ordered to and the award includes a plaque and photographer, and chief chef. He cease printing any lifetime membership in NAMA. gives mushroom lectures and slide newsletters for a while. This year’s winner of the NAMA shows that audiences love. He Furthermore, as this Award for Contributions to Amateur writes articles about mushrooms and problem is expected to Mycology has had a career in mushroom forays that people praise persist into the future, it mycology since she was in diapers. for their wit and information. And She comes from a family of mycolo- he organizes mushroom walks and likely will lead to fewer gists and is the first NAMA Award has successfully brought whole issues—and with fewer winner with a parent who won this families into the woods and fields in pages—as well as a award before her. Her contributions his area—a not inconsiderable reduction in the number of to amateur mycology include a 15- achievement! color pages (or issues with page single-spaced itemization of —Gary Lincoff no color whatsoever). every foray she has led or partici- pated in, every lecture and workshop I have received lots of she has given, every research NAMA Forays in France, terrific commentary since project she has conducted, and every cont. from page 3 taking on the newsletter, so article and book she has written so I am deeply saddened to far, going back over more than 30 called “troglodyte” towns (houses have to reduce the quality years of active duty in the trenches built into and of the local white and quantity of The of amateur mycology. limestone cliffs, with flowers ycophile This year’s winner of the NAMA providing the color). Last but not M . Award for Contributions to Amateur least, we visited wine tasting caves Furthermore, despite an Mycology is Dr. Nancy Smith Weber. to purchase great Loire wines and outpouring of appreciation ◆ enjoyed wonderful meals as well as for reviving McIlvainea— each other’s company. after 6 years’ absence—I The NAMA Board of Trustees estab- Our last full day was in Paris, regret to inform the readers lished the Harry and Elsie Knighton with a tour of the natural history Service Award to recognize and museum guided by Bart Buyck and a that NAMA’s journal will go encourage people who have distin- great farewell dinner near the back to a single issue per guished themselves in service to Cathedral of Notre Dame. year and possibly little or no their local clubs. The Knightons’ We did get lost quite often: color. In any case, the next efforts began the North American whenever our informants told us the issue is not to be published Mycological Association in 1967. place we were looking for would be until summer 2008 at the The annual award consists of a really easy to find, we just knew we framed certificate; publicity for would get lost again—and so we did, earliest. winner and club in The Mycophile; giggling. Our really big problem was Again, I deeply regret one-year membership in the organi- not having enough time to sleep or having to be the bearer of zation; and registration, housing, do more than get a mere taste of the this bad news, but wish all and foray fees for the next NAMA many “entertainments” assaulting the members the very best Foray. our brains, eyes, noses, palates. in the New Year. Each year’s recipient is selected Yes, we want to do it again! Will by the three most recent recipients you join us? All that is needed is a —Britt of the Award. Every NAMA-affiliated love of mushrooms and adventure!
15 The Mycophile, January/February 2008 North American Mycological Association 336 Lenox Avenue NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE Oakland, CA 94610-4675 PAID PERMIT NO. 1260 Address Service Requested CHAS. WV 25301
Mushroom of the Month
This month’s mushroom is the rarely seen Leucopholiota decorosa, found at this year’s Annual Foray. More about this mushroom inside the issue . . .