V 46:3 M ⁄ J 2005 .. On to Wisconsin! Our very first venture into the Principal Mycologist, and Adele Wisconsin woods along the banks of Mehta once again will keep track of the Mississippi River is coming up our collections as Recorder. soon. NAMA’s 2005 Annual Foray We are eager to see the fabu- will be held at the University of lous old-growth American chestnut Wisconsin at La Crosse, July 21–24, forest. Tom’s students will likely Amanita virosa, photo courtesy of John with Dr. Tom Volk as Host Mycolo- share their expertise on the trees Plischke III gist. Plans include at least one or two with us as well as assist with other workshops and some fascinating forays. It will be a real opportunity talks on subjects both international for us to see firsthand what it takes “We Told You So!” and unusual. to be a mycological student these Summary of Mushroom Tom will introduce us to the local days. Poisonings in 2004 flora and fauna of the region and We will b housed in a single enlighten us on the fungi that dormitory with both a kitchen and accompany them. Among some of social room. There is a reduced by Michael W. Beug, Ph.D., Chair, the presenters are Dan Czederplitz, registration charge for those of us NAMA Toxicology Committee sharing with us his experiences col- willing to bunk on the upper two In 2004 members of the Toxicology lecting fungi in Belize, a novel floors. Although there is no air Committee reviewed and often session on indoor air quality that conditioning in the dorms, fans are investigated reports of 148 humans should be of great interest, and Britt available for a small fee. The poisoned, including 40 children and Bunyard’s mysterious Agaricus pseu- average July high temperature in La adolescents. We also received dopollination topic. Walt Sundberg Crosse ranges between the lower reports of 51 dogs stricken by eating will be offering his popular “hand and mid eighties, absolutely balmy mushrooms. lens anatomy” on demand, and Bart for those of us from lower latitudes. For the first time in several Byuck, the Russula problem-solver, If you prefer off-campus accommo- years there were four reports of will return to us from France. dations, they are listed below. human deaths—three confirmed Heather Hallen will bring us up to This promises to be one of our and one possible—from mush- date on Amanita toxins, and ex- very special forays, not only for the rooms. We feel that this was due to president Gary Lincoff will, as usual, unusual non-glaciated habitats we the fact that the mushroom season have something up his sleeve. Dr. in the western half of the United Andrew Methven will serve as Continued on page 13 States was exceptional, with record fruitings of many species. In addition, the hurricanes that In this issue: affected the Southeast brought lots President’s Message .................... 2 of rain during mushroom season there. With a record abundance of Forays and Announcements ........ 3 mushrooms and an increased inter- Fungi in the News ......................... 5 est in the harvest of edible wild Limerick ........................................ 8 mushrooms, there was an asso- Mushroom Shapes & Colors ......12 ciated increase in the total number Book Reviews .............................14 of poisonings. Mushroom of the Month ............16 Story continues on page 9. More Chlorophyllum molybdites, photo courtesy photos on pages 2 and 15. of John Plischke III 1T M, May/June 2005 Moving? P R E S I D E N T ’S M E S S A G E Please send your new address, two weeks before you move, to Ann Bornstein I’ve been reading a lot lately about the struggle that the Food and Drug NAMA Membership Secretary 336 Lenox Avenue Administration (FDA) is having with defining what constitutes an “expert Oakland, CA 94610-4675 wild mushroom identifier.” The need for such a definition arose due to <[email protected]> restaurants that buy “wild” mushrooms from other than “approved” sources Otherwise—you may not be getting (meaning those of us who go into the woods and gather them). your newsletter for a while. Each I received a call from the FDA about a year ago and was asked to define issue, several Mycophiles are an “expert wild-mushroom identifier.” That was a tough one. The only thing returned as undeliverable because of that I knew for sure was that being president of NAMA did not make you an no forwarding address on file. NAMA “expert.” Over the years I’ve learned that there’s much more I don’t know is charged seventy cents for each about identifying mushrooms than what I do. Anyway, I struggled with this returned or forwarded newsletter. question and decided my input would only confuse the matter more. How would you define an “expert wild-mushroom identifier”? Maybe NAMA is a 501(c)(3) charitable that would be a good contest, to see who could come up with an answer organization. Contributions to support that would satisfy all of the agencies which will eventually become the scientific and educational activi- involved. The focus now has shifted away from a definition and onto the ties of the Association are always restaurants to obtain “specifications” about the mushrooms being bought welcome and may be deductible as and the qualifications of the identifier. The FDA and other agencies are in allowed by law. Gifts of any amount the process of developing a brochure to provide more guidance. Luckily, I may be made for special occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries, and know the chef at a local restaurant who will take, without question, my for memorials. “wild” mushrooms and prepare them for me (but just for me or my Special categories include company). Will I soon have to provide him with pages of information about Friend of NAMA: $500–900 the mushroom and myself? Probably so. Benefactor: $1000–4900 If you haven’t registered for the Wisconsin foray in July, don’t wait too Patron: $5000 and up long. The foray is shaping up to be a great one and a new experience for Send contributions to NAMA members as we have never had a national foray in Wisconsin. Judith McCandless, Treasurer Thanks again to Tom Volk for offering to host the foray and to all of those 330 Wildwood Place working with him to make it a success. —Ike Louisville, KY40206-2523 <[email protected]> The Mycophile is published bimonthly by the North American Mycological Association, 6615 Tudor Court, Gladstone, OR 97027-1032. NAMA is a nonprofit corporation; contributions may be tax-deductible. Web site: www.namyco.org Isaac Forester, NAMA President P.O. Box 1107 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659-1107 A <[email protected]> Judy Roger, Executive Secretary 6615 Tudor Court Gladstone, OR 97027-1032 <[email protected]> C <[email protected]> Britt Bunyard, Content Editor A) Volvariella volvaceae, the paddy W184 N12633 Fond du Lac Avenue straw mushroom, growing wild in Germantown, WI 53022 mulch. B) Volvariella pusilla. <[email protected]> C) Volvariella volvaceae, the paddy Judith Caulfield, Production Editor 927 Lansing Drive B straw mushroom, commercially cultivated and canned. (All photos Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 See Summary of Mushroom Poisonings, courtesy of John Plischke III) <[email protected]> beginning on page 1. T M, May/June 2005 2 FORAYS & ANNOUNCEMENTS Eagle Hill Field Seminars Natural History, 219 Dead River Hawaii at Hilo campus from July 30 Steuben, Maine Road, Bowdoin, ME 04287; to August 5, 2005. This will be the www.vfthomas.com/deltahome.htm; first time the two societies have The Eagle Hill Field Seminars are or phone (207) 266-5748. met together, and it will be an set in the woods with good facilities, occasion to celebrate the 50th great food, fantastic teachers, and a anniversary of the Mycological very intensive teaching program. NAMA Annual Foray Society of Japan. Field trips, sympo- Along with numerous other ecology University of Wisconsin– sia, and poster sessions will discuss seminars, this year’s schedule La Crosse all aspects of the importance of fungal interactions with plants and includes five of interest to myco- July 21–24 philes: animals around the world and especially with humans. May 29–June 4 I hope everyone’s heard by now! Special sessions will reveal Lichens and Lichen Ecology— If not, loads of details can be found newly described Hawaiian mush- Dr. David Richardson in this issue, the Mar./Apr. ’05 issue rooms and other fungi, as well as June 12–18 of T M , or from the the most recent technology on how Taxonomy and Biology of Disco- NAMA Web site. Don’t forget: our to grow mushrooms commercially mycetes—Dr. Donald H. Pfister Host Mycologist, Tom Volk, has and how to extract unique pharma- requested that those arriving early July 10–16 ceuticals from fungi. The Japanese please respect the area and not Crustose Lichens of Coastal Maine— will bring new and exciting infor- collect within 20 miles of La Crosse. Dr. Irwin M. Brodo mation on medical and industrial July 17–23 mycology occurring in Japan. The meetings will provide an ideal Ground–inhabiting Lichens: Three Exotic Mexican Forays Cladonia, Stereocaulon, and other atmosphere for American and Genera—Dr. Stephen Clayden Japanese scientists to exchange The Copper Canyon Mushroom ideas and technology and to forge Aug 28–Sept 3 Expedition collaborations for the future. Mushrooms for Naturalists—Dr. July 24–31 For more information, contact Rosalind Lowen and Dr. Lawrence <[email protected]> and supply Leonard The Tlaxcala Mushroom Foray an e–mail address where future August 28–September 4 meeting announcements can be For further information see the web sent, or visit the MSA Web site at site www.eaglehill.us or email them The Veracruz Fungi Exploration www.msafungi.org.