2006 No. 3 The many facets of Armillaria The genus Armillaria Armillaria in North contains about 40 species of America. Fortunately, important wood-rot fungi which physical features do are widely distributed across the separate some of the world. Their basic behaviour is species, and the fairly similar, because all the species well documented invade plant roots and cause a geographical ranges of progressive white rot. For this the mushrooms help reason, all these fungi were at one to separate others time grouped into a single species, The classic Armillaria mellea; however, they Honey Mushroom, are now separated based on Armillaria mellea, morphology, physiology, turns out to be pathogenicity, and geographical limited mostly to distribution. eastern North Since so many species of America, so the Armillaria look alike, mycologists Honey Mushrooms we have “mated” Armillaria species in collect and eat in the lab. They grow two species, in Alberta are not a single Petri dish and observe the Armillaria mellea, resulting reaction once the two but one or two other expanding colonies meet in the species of Armillaria. middle of the dish. They discovered that some Honey Morphology Mushrooms would take to one Cap: 3-15 cm, convex another, while others turned up to broadly convex or Photo courtesy: Martin Osis their fungal noses at the idea of plane in age; the margin often pairing up. Thus, using the arched at maturity; dry or tacky; vaguely radially arranged. “biological species concept” (in color extremely variable, but Gills: Attached or slightly basic terms, if they cannot mate, typically honey yellow; smooth, or decurrrent, nearly distant; whitish, they belong to separate species), we with a few tiny, dark scales sometimes bruising or discolouring now define ten species of concentrated near the centre and darker. (Armillaria ...continued on page 3) FEATURE PRESIDENT’S NAMA FORAY GILL STURCTURE UPCOMING EVENTS FORAY UPDATES MUSHROOM MESSAGE Hinton in August ... pg 6,7,9 ... pg 12 ... pg 10 & 11 Armillaria The mountain .. pg4 ... pg 1,3 &9 pine beetle ... pg 2 PHOTO CONTEST DEVONIAN EXPO ... pg 5 ... pg 8 www.wildmushrooms.ws Fall 2006 No. 3 1 in western Canada.) These ophiostomatoid President’s Message fungi are called blue-stain fungi, since they 2006 Executive stain colonized wood in a bluish hue. You Edmonton Mycological Society likely already know that mountain pine beetle and blue-stain fungi are responsible President & Webmaster: for immense losses of lodgepole pine trees Markus Thormann in B.C. What you may not know is that this (780) 432-1392 deadly insect-fungus combination has been [email protected] expanding its range into western Alberta, where it has been found in Banff and Past President: Jasper National Parks and in the Wilmore Vacant Area. Current management tactics employ visual inspection of pine trees and burning 1st Vice President: Mike Schulz colonized/infected trees on site. Well, you (780) 939-2106 say, no problem, there is very little [email protected] lodgepole pine in Alberta, we have mostly Treasurer: Loretta Puckrin jack pine. That’s true; however, research (780) 458-9889 in my lab has shown that jack pine is [email protected] equally, if not more, susceptible to the blue- stain fungi. In fact, the blue-stain fungi Secretary: Melanie Fjoser appear to be even more pathogenic in jack (780) 987-4412 pine than in lodgepole pine. This is of [email protected] great concern to Alberta and the rest of Canada, because we do not want to Membership: Alan Fleming experience here what B.C. has experienced (780) 463-8540 over the past decade, i.e., the decimation of [email protected] Markus Thormann, president of the pine stands and the subsequent significant Edmonton Mycological Society impacts on the forestry industry. Foray Coordinator: Bill Richards Earlier this year, you may have seen (780) 998-3507 We’re in the middle of the mushroom a series of reports in local newspapers and [email protected] season and have already held a number of on TV about the impending mountain pine forays. Those of you who attended the beetle problem in Alberta. The Program Director: Martin Osis Poplar Creek foray will remember two information you saw was generally (780) 987-4412 things. We collected well over 50 different incorrect, suggesting that the beetle solely [email protected] species of fungi and enjoyed a fabulous pig is responsible for the death of the tree. roast dinner. Many thanks go out to the Unless 1000s of beetles attack each and Communications Coordinator: organizing committee of that foray and our every tree, the beetle can indeed kill a pine Robert Simpson many volunteers. Reflecting back on that tree; however, this does not happen often. (780) 481-7905/ Wk: (780) 420-6850 foray, it occurred to me that this was my It is in fact the combined action of the [email protected] first Poplar creek foray. I sure won’t miss mountain pine beetle and blue-stain fungi Newsletter Editor: Geri Kolacz any in the future!!! The second Alberta that kills the tree. Together they overcome (780) 475-7927 Foray is now fast approaching (July 22-23), the defence mechanisms of the tree, [email protected] taking place in Bow Valley Provincial Park resulting in tree death in a matter of Mailing: Diane Murray (at the confluence of the Bow and weeks! Researchers across Canada are Kananaskis rivers) in beautiful Kananaskis working on the ecology of the beetle and Directors-at-large: Country. Remember last year’s Alberta fungi, trying to come up with a means to Pieter Van Der Schoot Foray in Rocky Mountain House Provincial manage this very serious threat to (780) 696-2436 Park – it was a great weekend foray, and I Canada’s pine stands. What we need are Robert Rogers am sure this year’s foray will be equally several very cold winters to kill off a large (780) 433-7882 great. portion of the existing beetle population. David Rowe As all of you know, I work for the That seems to be the only means of (780) 469-7187 Canadian Forest Service. One of the “managing” this threat at this time. George Litven projects I am currently working on Incidentally, a mountain pine beetle was (780) 476-7912 concerns the eastward migration of the recently collected from a spruce tree. So, ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ mountain pine beetle. This beetle carries other conifer species may be at risk as well. MAILING ADDRESS: with it a suite of specific pathogenic and With that I wish you a continued Edmonton Mycological Society saprobic ophiostomatoid fungi, e.g., successful mushroom season. It’s been a 1921, 10405 Jasper Avenue Ophiostoma. (Incidentally, species of great year so far and the best is yet to Standard Life Building Ophiostoma are responsible for wiping out come. Edmonton, AB T5J 3S2 Dutch elm trees in most of eastern North Happy ‘shrooming to you all, America and are now threatening elm trees Markus WEBSITE ADDRESS: www.wildmushrooms.ws 2 Fall 2006 No.3 www.wildmushrooms.ws Armillaria (continued from page 1) Pathology Stem: 5-20 cm long; 0.5-3.5 cm Six species of Armillaria thick; tapering to base; clustered grow in western Canada and growth pattern; tough and fibrous; the northwestern United smooth and pale near apex, darker States. Armillaria sinapina is and nearly hairy below; with a the most widespread and persistent ring at maturity and a common species of these, white partial veil covering the gills occurring from 49° N to about when young. 57° N. The hosts of this Flesh: Whitish to watery tan. species are primarily Taste: Mild to bitter; smell sweet. broadleaved trees and shrubs. Spore print: White. Armillaria sinapina often also Microscopic features: Basidiospores colonizes conifer stumps. 7-9 x 6-7 µm; smooth; elliptical; Armillaria nabsnona, inamyloid (no reaction to Melzer’s Armillaria cepistipes and reagent – a test for the presence of Armillaria gallica have been starch in fungal tissues); basidia collected only in the southern lacking basal clamp connections. part of B.C. The four species of Edibility Armillaria listed above are weakly pathogenic, and they “Armillaria mellea” is usually spread slowly on their host’s recommended as a good edible; root system. Usually, only however, its identification is stressed hosts are killed. obviously not nearly as easy as was A fifth species, once thought (though there is no Armillaria ostoyae, is the most evidence that any of the other pathogenic North American species of Armillaria is poisonous). Armillaria species and occurs in papyrifera) are species with the More importantly, the Honey western Canada from 49° N to about greatest tolerance to A. ostoyae Mushroom is one of those 53° N. Its principal hosts are infection. Armillaria ostoyae is a mushrooms that can cause minor conifers; however, it can also attack parasite, killing its hosts during gastric distress to some people. If broadleaved trees, shrubs, and some the parasitic part of its life cycle you are eating Armillaria for the herbs. Ponderosa pine (Pinus and utilizing the host as a food first time, you should eat only a ponderosa), western larch (Larix source during its saprobic few bites so you can judge your occidentalis) aged 15 years and (decomposer) phase. At a point of reaction. older, and paper birch (Betula infection on a root initiated by a rhizomorph or by root contact, the fungus initially spreads in the outer bark and then penetrates to the cambial zone Upper Right: One within the root. The host example of a Honey responds to the infection by mushroom. Notice the producing resin and new tissue stipe, veil and the gill (callus). Vigorous hosts or species structure.