2006 No. 4 Rozites caperata or as it is commonly known Rozites - the Gypsy Mushroom caperata or Throughout all the literature the gypsy that has come across my desk, mushroom every author has questioned the as it may reasoning for naming this be found in particular fungus “gypsy”. To date the forest, no definitive answer has been but usually given. So the common label they have remains a mystery. Rozites caperata appeared has also been labelled as the one here “powdered sugar mushroom” and because of the white fibrils that another a can be seen on the caps of young bit of a hike fungi. The caps appear to have a away. Photo sheen or bloom or pasted Kleenex courtesy: effect. These are not, by any Helen means, the only questionable areas Engel about this mushroom – so maybe the name has arisen because they are so mysterious – like the gypsy genus for this species was created Similar mushrooms include: tribes. once it was studied in detail. The Agrocybe praecox – does not The classification for Rozites presence of a volva-like structure have a wrinkled cap and is usually caperata is: at the base of the stem and the found in cultivated areas. Order: Agaricales spores were different in colour and Phaeolepiota aurea – has a Family: Cortinariaceae shape. more powdery-granulose cap and Genus: Rozites (named after An interesting article by stem. Ernst Roze, a Michael Kuo states that recent Cortinarius species – do not European mycologist) DNA studies have determined that have a membranous veil. Species: caperata (wrinkled) this mushroom is actually a Because there are similar look- Originally this fungi was Cortinarius and the gypsy alikes in the forest, it is best to labelled: Pholiota caperata mushroom has been renamed and become very familiar with all the (wrinkled pholiota). A specific is now Cortinarius caperatus. (Rozites ...continued on page 3) FEATURE PRESIDENT’S NAMA FORAY WEIRD & WACKY FORAY UPDATES UPCOMING EVENTS MUSHROOM MESSAGE Update Fossil fungi ... pg 10 ... pg 12 Another success- .. pg 4 & 5 Rozites caperata ... pg 7, 9 ful year ... pg 1,3 IDENTIFICATION Bow Valley Foray ... pg 2 DEVONIAN EXPO SERIES ... pg 11 Update... pg 8 Stipes ... pg 6 www.wildmushrooms.ws Winter 2006 No. 4 1 those four days in mid-August. We all President’s Message should be very proud of our 2006 Executive accomplishment!!! Special recognition Edmonton Mycological Society goes out to the NAMA Foray Committee (in no particular order): President & Webmaster: Martin Osis, Melanie Fjoser, Alan Markus Thormann Fleming, Loretta Puckrin, Bill (780) 432-1392 Richards, and Jerry Fochler. You all [email protected] did a superb job! I will post some images from the foray on our web site Past President: in the near future…stay tuned. Vacant Let’s not forget about the “City of Champignons” Mushroom Exposition 1st Vice President: Mike Schulz at the Devonian Botanic Garden on (780) 939-2106 July 30. Despite some below average [email protected] weather (cool and rainy all day – thank Treasurer: Loretta Puckrin you, George, for your jacket), we (780) 458-9889 attracted about 300 visitors to our [email protected] exposition. Our many volunteers answered many questions about edible, Secretary: Melanie Fjoser poisonous, and medicinal mushrooms, (780) 987-4412 entertained them with mushroom slide [email protected] shows, sold memberships, mushrooms products, books, and other educational Membership: Alan Fleming materials, and cooked diverse (780) 463-8540 mushroom dishes. A propos mushroom [email protected] Markus Thormann, president of the dishes, a very special thank-you goes Edmonton Mycological Society out to Judy and her mushroom kitchen Foray Coordinator: Bill Richards staff! Once again, you provided us with (780) 998-3507 Wow…what a foray last a diverse selection of delicious [email protected] month!!! The North American mushrooms delicacies. The soup was Mycological Society and The superb, as were the sautéed Program Director: Martin Osis Edmonton Mycological Society co- mushrooms on buns. You have run the (780) 987-4412 hosted THE foray of the century in Exposition kitchen for many, many [email protected] Alberta out of the Forestry Training years, spent a lot of your time, effort, and money preparing mushroom dishes Communications Coordinator: Centre in Hinton. About 140 Robert Simpson professional and amateur mycologists in advance, doing the final preparations at the Exposition, and (780) 481-7905/ Wk: (780) 420-6850 converged on Hinton to scour the [email protected] surrounding foothills for fungi. In all, finally serving these delectable dishes to our guests and volunteers. Thank we identified and accessioned almost Newsletter Editor: Geri Kolacz you Judy et al., we truly appreciate 300 different species of fungi and (780) 475-7927 your contribution to the EMS!!! identified an additional 200 or so to [email protected] genus or not at all. The accessioned Another mushroom season is Mailing: Diane Murray specimens will go to the Field beginning to wind down. We have but Museum in Chicago and serve as one more month to go before fall is Directors-at-large: permanent records of our efforts here upon us and another successful year Pieter Van Der Schoot in Alberta. While only a snapshot in comes to an end. The last official event (780) 696-2436 time, this foray was unique in that it of the year will be the President’s Robert Rogers provides us with an immense view of Dinner in early November. I am (780) 433-7882 the fungal species richness and some beginning to think about this event David Rowe of the roles of these organisms in our and will provide you with more details (780) 469-7187 George Litven foothill forests. We will now prepare in the weeks to come. Last year’s (780) 476-7912 a report about the foray for the dinner took place at Sorrentino’s Foothills Model Forest, who provided South and was a lot of fun. Since ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ us with a grant of $7,500.00 towards attendance will be limited again, make MAILING ADDRESS: sure to register as soon as I provide producing a set of educational DVDs. Edmonton Mycological Society These will be available to you for a you with the details. I will try to keep 1921, 10405 Jasper Avenue small cost within a couple of months. costs below $40/person. Standard Life Building A huge thank-you goes out to all of With that in mind, I hope you Edmonton, AB T5J 3S2 you who spent countless hours over had an enjoyable ‘shrooming season. WEBSITE ADDRESS: the past year organizing this event Cheers to you all, Markus www.wildmushrooms.ws and then making it all happen in 2 Winter 2006 No.4 www.wildmushrooms.ws Rozites caperata That is, enough to actually have (continued from page 1) a good meal and enjoy the unique flavours of this fungus. They aspects of this mushroom so that were very visible at the NAMA you do not mistake it for a Foray and were featured in one poisonous or non-edible fungus. of the dishes at the Mycophagy. Here in Alberta, they have Ecology made appearances at various This fungus is mycorrhizal sites including some of our EMS with conifers, hardwoods and foray areas. So put on your bushes in the blueberry family. In favourite hiking boots, grab your Alberta look for mossy, old-growth ‘shrooming kit and head out to coniferous forests. Gypsy The cap of Rozites caperata is wrinkled and has your special places. They are out mushrooms normally grow in radial lines. Photo courtesy: Loretta Puckrin there and not as shy as last year. northern zones throughout the Good luck and good hunting. world. slightly enlarged at the base. Geraldine Kolacz Morphology The base sometimes has a Cap: 5-15 cm (2-6”) wide. faint volvalike zone and the Oval expanding to convex, broadly apex is often striated or knobbed, wrinkled or corrugated scruffy. The veil leaves a radially, silky or silky scale, moist thick white ring at the with superficial hoary coat at first. midsection of the stalk that is movable. There may also be a whitish covering near the base. Spore print: Rusty- brown, spores are 11- 15 x 7-10 microns, elliptical, roughened or warty. Some cystidia (see text and diagram on page 12) present on gill edges. Environment of the gypsy mushroom (above) and Rozites is often a grouping of some found in the Lambert Creek elusive but half of area (below).Photos courtesy: L. Puckrin & G. Notice the gill structure.Photo courtesy: L. Puckrin the fun of Kolacz ‘shrooming is the The colour ranges from a warm hunt. They don’t usually tan to a yellow-brown or orange- appear in groups or large brown with paler margins. The clusters and it generally flesh is thick and white. Because takes a bit of hiking to find of the radial and wrinkled effect enough to make a meal. the Gypsy cap has definite lines on Finding a gypsy mushroom the top. usually leads to a joyous Gills: attached to stem, close. dance. Last year they Begin pale and then turn brown or appeared sporadically in cinnamon brown in colour. The various areas. This year the gills are covered by a partial veil conditions appear to be more when young. favourable as we have found groups and singles in quite a Stalk: 5-12 cm (2-5”). Long, firm, few of our favourite sites. solid and whitish that is equal or www.wildmushrooms.ws Winter 2006 No. 4 3 “Rocky Mountain High- Species List for the NAMA Foray NAMA Foray -Hinton elevation Fungi”. She presented a power point Agaricus cf. bitorquis presentation that included Agaricus silvicola Albatrellus cf.