BULLETIN OF THE PUGET SOUND MYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY East Hamlin, Seattle, Wa. SURV IVORS 2161 98112 BANQUET March 1980 Number 160 Ill IJ JI! H!fl!J'1i

VER PA BOHEMICA Ed Cante Ion .:;B;..; A::..N.:..: Q::.. U::; =..ET:.....:....N:...: E...:... W:...:S______....;. M_ a_ r_..g'"'" a_ret_ D_ i_ l l._y__

Spring is already with us, the first mushrooms may already March will soon be here dnd with it our Annual Meeting. be showing. The very first to appear in the Puget Sound re­ Just a word of explanation about it for new members and per­ gion are the so-called early Morels, They are not really haps a refresher for old. Our PSMS By-Laws specify March Morels, but are known by their botanical name, Verpa Bo­ as the month for a special meeting for the purpose of elect­ hemica. The habitat they prefer is in the leafy duff under de­ ing officers and trustees to serve for the coming year. Tra­ ciduous trees. Often they are found under salal, sometimes dition set down by the original board in 1964 was to com­ under wax berry and in mix-ed woods where cottonwoods bine this special meeting with a banquet. Having been a grow. They appear quite early when the nettles are up about real success, the years following have produced some specta­ two inches and the trilliums are still in the bud sta!;le• The cular evenings. This year will be no exception, With our actual time that they appear depends on the warmth of spring evening focussing on ELEGANT DINING- w�intend to mak� ---arid -- the-amount o mo1s ure in tnesoil-; our founders proud of � The cap color of a Verpa is a light tan and blends so well Now for the last minute reminders. There still are a few tick­ with the leafy carpet in which they grow, that they are diffi­ ets left - but don't hesitate too long, we want to see your cult to find, even for those of us who have been gathering smiling face that evening. Park north of the campus andTol­ them for a long time. As the season progresses, and the Iight low the signs to the dining area where you will be greeted colored stems increase in length, they stand well above the by our gracious hosts and hostesses. Please remember your duff and are easily located. In this genus the cap is easily ticket, as it will assist us in locating the place card you separated from the stem. The true Morel is all one piece, will receive, enabling you to select and reserve seating of The stem of the Verpa is hollow and is "stuffed" with a cot­ your choice. The Champagne Reception will be held at ton-Iike material. In cleaning them for the table, the stems 6: 30 in the Alki Room - to the right of the main entrance. should be split lengthwise. At times they are inhabited by Those who participate should be prepared to surrender part little creatures which can usually be washed off under a of their ticket to the wine-stewart when they are served. stream of water. The caps should also be split and inspected You need not feel you must imbibe to join in this social re­ for the same reason. I didn't know about splitting the stems union, everyone is welcome. After dinner, served at 7:30 when I first prepared Verpas. I did think they had a peculiar we shall have a brief business meeting, introduction to spe­ flavor. To this day I have no idea what sort of I ittle creatures cial people, and then a most interesting slide lecture on I may have consumed. "Collecting Fungi on the Alaska Tundra" by Dr. Joseph Some authorities suggest that Verpas be parboiled and the Ammirati.

water discarded, this to remove chemical elements that dis­ Following the presentation will be the drawing for door pri­ agree with some persons. Al I authorities agree that any per­ zes, using your ticket numbers. The lovely floral arrange­ son eating any wild mushroom for the first time, eat of it ments adorning each table will be available to you at cost. sparingly. Some persons find that even the commercial mush­ So come prepared to take some flowers home either for your rooms obtained from the grocery store make them i 11. own enjoyment or as a gift to someone special. March 14 is The first Verpas in the spring have very short stems, and the _date - see you there. someti�s only the convoluted-tip�of th'e cap shows above the duff. Some mushroom hunters in their eagerness to fill their baskets, scratch the duff with scratching tools, such as are . . } used in gardening. Thi; is a very destructive policy, as it ' · P . destroys the plant that produces the mushroom. ----�

THE 1980 PSMS ELECTIONS H.R.H. �-

This issue of Spore Prints is mailed to you a little earlier than usual, because it is serving as our ELECTION NOTICE Included you will find the official ballots and return enve­ lope for your votes. Remember, a family membership entitles you to two votes, and a single membership to one vote.

Please return your marked ballot by March 8, 1980.

The election committee has presented us with a slate of ex­ cellent, capable and enthusiastic candidates, Their pictures The photo of the Verpa is a mature stage of growth. The to­ and brief campaign statements appear on pages 3 and 4. tal season in our area is usually four to five weeks in any one area, It is possible to extend your own personal season We. urge all members to take a few minutes and VOTE and by at least three more weeks by going to higher elevations. return your ballot postmarked no later than March 8, 1980.

is published monthly except July and August by the NEW BOOK SALES CHAIRMAN PUGET SOUND MYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY % The Museum of History and Industry, 2161 E. Hamlin, Kathy Ringo agreed to take over book sales for our Society. As Seattle, WA 98112. Mail all articles, art or photos to you know, PSMS offers books on mycological subjects at Hildegard Hendrickson, 2559 NE 96th, Seattle, 98115. a discount to the members. To make Kathy's job easier we suggest that you phone her (784 - 9630) prior to a monthly OFFICERS Jennie Schmitt, President, 1980 (1) membership meeting, and she will bring these books to the Rick White, Vice-President, 1981 (1) meeting. In the near future we hope to have a list of the Earl Harrison, Treasurer, 1980 (l) publications which are available to our members. Also if you Margaret Holzbauer, Secretary, 1981 (1) have any suggestions for new titles, let Kathy know about it. TRUSTEES Term expires March 1980 UPDATE ON COPRINE Donald Simons Bob Hanna (2); Margo Harrison (l); Carl Hermanson (1); Stan March (apptd); LomNee The following article appeared recently in The Mycophile, March (1) the regular publication"of NAMA Term expires March 1981 Coprine is the trivial name for the chemical compound in Margaret Dilly (1); Grace Jones (1); Dennis Coprinus atramentarius that interferes with the metabolism of Krabbenhoft(l); Tom McKnight (1); Agnes alcohol and results in a build-up of acetaldehyde in the Sieger (1). blood. The acetaldehyde produce� a characteristic syndrome: ALTERNATES: John Lockwood; Rudy Karz mar marked flushing, rapid heart beat, pounding headache, chest SCIENTIFIC ADVISER Dr. Daniel E. Stuntz pain, nausea, vomiting, and a sense of doom. These alarm­ ing symptoms are transitory and the.sufferer generally recov­

ers uneventfully. • •• ldenti cal symptoms are produced by Calendar disulfiram, the active component of a drug (Antabuse) used The 16th Annual Survivors Banquet which will be held in the aversion therapy treatment of alcoholics. Since disul­ Friday, March 14, 1980 at the South Seattle Community firam has some toxic side effects, it was logical to evaluate College, 6000 - 16th Ave. SW. is our regular monthly and coprine as a possible replacement. Coprine, however, has required special membership meeting for this month. turned out to have some unusual side effects of its own: Tests with male rats and dogs show that prolonged administration March 24 Monday, Board Meeting, 8:00 pm caused severe degeneration of the testicular tissue and great­ March 28 DeadI ine for Spore Print material. Send all arti c­ ly reduced sperm production. (M. J8nsson et. al., Testicu­ les, photos, etc. to the Editor, 2559 NE 96th, lar Lesions of Coprine and Benzcoprine, Toxicology 12: 89- Seattle, WA 98115 100, 1979). Obviously, the next step is to evaluate coprine and its derivatives as a male antifertility drug. March 29 Saturday only, Field Trip to the Tqlt River Camp­, ground by Carnation 1980 NAMA FORAY TO YUGOSLAVIA April 12 & 13 Field Trip to Rockport - Steelhead County Park NAMA is planning an international foray to Yugoslavia with an extension into the Austrian Tirol possible. Most likely April 14 Monday, Membership. Meeting, 8:00 pm dates for this trip (still in the planning stage) are Aug. 27 to Sept. 17, 1980. The trip is limited to NAMA members. COMMERCIAL MUSHROOM GROWING IN JAPAN For further information contact Alec Feiner, 4 Soi lers Way, You may be interested to know that in Japan our store­ Rumson, New Jersey, 07760. bought mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) ranks fifth in product­ WELCOME TO THE FOLLOWING NE W MEMBERS ion, behind shii-take (Lentinus edodes), hira-take (Pleuro­ tus ostreatus), enoki-take (Flammulina velutipes) / and Ear Stacy (1 - 509 - 697 - 4796) nameko (Pholiota nomeko), Brian Luther Mary Alice Lee ( 283 - 0434) CHUCKLE OF THE DAY Brenda Rogers ( 784 - 6401) Below a recent "Dennis The Menace" comic was the follow­ John & Kathleen Hans (524 - 5813) ing quotation: "There we are •••• a nice helping of mush­ Jonathan & Jan TuthiII ( 632 - 9526) rooms for me, and a nice helping of toadstools for you," Randall Grauer ( 226 - 1616) page two FIELD TRIPS Dick Sieger Even though this field trip is scheduled for one day only, there is an overnight-area for cam­ During the season it may be necessary to change or cancel ping in the park. field trips. lf a change is made, a notice will appear in This trip is planned for first-timers. Bring a the Sea ttle newspapers on Wednesday, Thursday, and basket or a bucket {no plastic bags}. Dress Friday before the scheduled trip. Before setting out, check warmly, include rain gear and sturdy and wa­ the classified ad section "825 TRAVEL" in the Seattle Times tertight boots for walking off trails, Don't for­ or "740-TRAVEL" in the Post Intelligencer. When the trip get your lunch. Coffee is provided by PSMS. is being held as scheduled, no notice will appear. {More on the ABC's of field trips next issue}. Last fall it was very difficult to get volunteers for hosts on April 12-13 Rockport - Steelhead County Park field trips, This may continue during the spring. If you there­ There are two possible routes, both lined with fore arrive at a designated field trip site, and find no hosts, cottonwood trees for hunting Verpa bohemica no coffee and no log book {and the field trip had not been on the way. Either take the Arlington exit cancelled in the Seattle newspapers} plan to come back at #208 from 1-5 and drive through Darrington, 5:30 pm for an informally arranged potluck. To prevent all OR take the Burlinton exit #230 and proceed of this, call Dick Sieger {phone 362-6860) TODAY and on State Highway 20 to Rockport. Steelhead volunteer for hosting or co-hosting duti.es. PSMS has been County Park is right on the river. The camp­ the envy of other mycological societies and our-field trips ground has some hook-ups, There is a fee for have received nothing but praise. Let's volunteer and con- --�­ all camping. tinue our 01(.l_nt_eloustr adition------· Let's try some car poolina this spring, especially for those May 3-4 Thunderbird Park near Monroe who don't stay overnight. A few days before the trip, call Travel to Monroe and cross the Skykomish 362-6860 and talk to Dick Sieger or the answering machine. River. At the south side of the river, turn 2!: Tell how many passengers you can take how many people east onto the Ben Howard Road and continue need rides.. Leave your 'phone number and address. You for about 5 miles to Thunderbird Park. This will be called and told if connections can be made. is a private resort with camping facilities and hook-ups. There is a fee for day use and March 29 Tol t County Campground camping. Pot hunters will be looking for Saturday only - no potluck. morels, verpa, Gyromitra esculenta, and an Located one half mile south of the town of qssortment of spring mushrooms. Ca rnation. Enter via N .E. 40th Street from hi'ghway #203 to get to the day use area of THE CATALOG OF THE FARLOW .REFERENCE LIBRARY the park. The day use parking lot is located OF CRYPTOGAMIC BOTANY right by the suspension bridge. The shelter is on the other {west} side of the river. This one was recently published by G.K .Hall & Co., 70 Lincoln St. day trip will be held rain or shine, mushrooms Boston. This work fills six volumes and costs $660. The Far­ or no mushrooms. Monte and Hildegard low Library and Herbarium was founded by the bequest of Hendrickson will be your hosts. This area is Wi II iam G. Farlow {1844-1919), first professor of cryptoga­ close to Seattle and it's a great opportunity to mi c botany in America. It contains the largest scientific learn how to find Verpa bohemica from two collection of materials on fungi, algae, lichens, and mosses masfer mushroom hunters. Try to arrive by in the U.S. and possibly the world. The·published catalog 9:00 am. Monte will give an introductory is a photographic reproduction of the ·80,000 cards in the lecture about verpa, nettles and mouse-eared Library's Author/Title and Subject catalogs, covering books, cottonwood. He will then lead the hunt. periodicals, and reprints. -CYR- EL: EC-T E D 0 Fri c-E s- F 0 R P.S.M;S-, 1980

ELECTION INFORMATION: Remember that each individual membership is entitled to just one vote.

Each family membership is entitled to just two votes. {P SMS By - Laws, Article IV,, Section 3 ) •

FOR PRESIDENT FOR TREASURER Member since 1974; incumbent "Nature and people are fascinating trustee (4 years); PSMS librarian; - I sti 11 have much to learn about MC at 1979 survivors banquet; em­ both;" member since 1975; served ployed as logistics manager at one term as trustee and am com­ Boeing since 1959; hobbies include pleting first term as treas urer. bridge, fishing and hunting, besi­ A CPA and director of fiscal ser­ des mushrooming. vices at Valley General Hospital, My desires are to increase educa­ Renton. tional efforts and membership par­ Am an enthusiastic booster of our ticipation in our society. Society

CARL A. HERMANSON EARL HARRIS ON

page three OF THE CANDIDATES FOR THE BOARD TRUSTEES VOTE FOR 5

Native of the Northwest; BSME gra­ Teacher with the Seattle Public duate of University of Washington; Schools for 28 years. Joined PSMS employed for several years in air­ in 1975. Incumbent trustee ( 2 years) plane logistics at Boeing. I am happy to be involved with on Enjoy fishing; hunting; hiking and organization that bridges generation comping, Participate in field trips, gaps, vocational pursuits and ethnic PSMS classes on mushroom identifi­ backgrounds as successfully as our cation, and the annual exhibit. : .... Society does. Intend to become more involved in Hobbies, in addition to mushrooming ,. Society activities. ( include gardening, fishing (especi­ ally jigging smelt) and cooking.

BOB HAMILTON MARGO HARRISON

Born in West Seattle; attended Born in Chicago; graduated from the Fauntleroy and Gatewood schools; University of Illinois in Food Chem­ was a steam engineer at the UW istry. Served as pilot in Naval Air power works - now retired, Corps. Retired pharmacist; alternate I am a "rock hound" and other hob­ trustee and PSMS assistant I ibrarian, bies ore driftwood sculptures and Am interested in continuing the en­ oi I pointing, viable track record of PSMS through I like mushroom hunting because greater membership involvement and it is close to nature. increased membership survival rate of newcomers.

ROBERT JUDD RUDY KARZMAR

Earned degrees in economics and Native Washingtonian, born in psychology; for twenty years I train- ·· Bremerton. PSMS member since Oct. ed teachers and ran a business in 1977, member of the Board since math education. Am an independent 1978 and now serving as our Society's consultant now and very enthusias­ historian. Am employed as an insu­ tic about PSMS and offer my business . rance adjuster at an electronics firm " and organizational skills to it. - in Redmond. Since joining PSMS, my son David ·• My favorite hobbies are art, travel, and I hove participated in as many and· collecting different arrays of PSMS activities as possible. Thanks wi Id fungi. to PSMS we have boiled, canned, My special interest in PSMS is to i ozen and fried our finds get our new members more involved. JOHN KUNZ �f f�n' f� LOM NEE MARCH +--��������������- Originally from Nashua, N.H., Born in Missouri, where I picked my PSMS member since Oct. 1977. first morel; spent almost my entire Member of the Boord since 1978. Iife in Washington. Retired ofter 42 Chairman of publicity committee years with the Telephone Company in for the 1979 annual exhibit. Gra­ Washington. duate University of Washington; I hove especially enjoyed our Soci­ Seattle schoolteacher 30 years. ety's fie Id trips (and hosted several) Favorite hobbies are mushroom col­ and the friendly helpfulness of its lecting, artwork, outdoor life and members. PSMS member since 1968 motorcycling. I I would like to be more active in

MARCH

I am an avid outdoor person interes­ Born in Joi iet, Montano, went to ted in everything out there in the grade school in Laure I, Montana. woods. Now that our Society has Then I came to Washington and gra­ moved I am concerned about our duated from William Winlock Miller annual exhibit, in which I have been High School in Olympia. Have four an eager helper for the past five children and ten grandchildren. years. I think we're all going to have·:.·· My hobbies are traveling and all to work extra hard to maintain this kinds of crofts, in addition to mush­ I successful part of our program, now rooming. am a volunteer coordi­ that we are in our new meeting nator for the Edmonds Senior Center. place.

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