1 The Mycophile, March/April 2006 Volume 47:2 March ⁄ April 2006 www.namyco.org NAMA Foray 2006 Travels to Hinton, Alberta, Canada by Dr. Markus N. Thormann and Martin Osis This year the Edmonton Mycological Society will host NAMA in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The Foothills Natural Region is a transitional zone between the Rocky Mountain and other natural regions, running along the eastern edge of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Due to its higher elevation, summer tem- peratures are cooler, although the region often escapes the severe cold of Arctic air masses in winter. This results in warmer winter tempera- tures than in portions of the Boreal Forest and Parkland Regions. Many of the forays will take place in this natural region around Hinton, the “Foothills Model Forest.” The Model Forests program was created in 1992 and includes among its partners the forest industry, environmental groups, woodlot owners, academics from numerous universities, aboriginal communi- ties, parks, government agencies, recreational groups, trappers, and anyone who has an interest in sustainable forest management. The Foothills Model Forest is the second largest of Canada’s model forests. It covers about 2.75 million hectares (27,500 km²) and embodies Jasper National Park, the Willmore Wilderness Park, forest management area of Hinton Wood Products and “Crown forests.” The Foothills Model Forest develops projects in support of 12 program themes, including projects on the impacts of natural disturbances, the monitoring of grizzly bear populations, and the socio-economic impacts of tourism in Alberta’s parks. In addition, it is active in the areas of biodiversity, forest health, water quality, water- shed planning, and climate change. Within Foothills Model Forest boundary a conglomerate of very different forest areas—boreal, montane, and subalpine—has resulted in a great diversity of habi- tats, plants, and animals. This includes numerous provincially and nationally rare plant species, an abundance of uncommon birds, and important elk, moose, deer, and other fur-bearer habitats as well as critical nesting habitat for osprey. Not surprisingly, little is known about the fungal biodiversity in this region. Edmonton Mycological Society hopes that the NAMA foray will help begin to fill this informa- tion void. On a weekend foray in central Alberta, just south of the Foothills Continued on page 15 Allein on NAMA ‘06 Foray ......... 2 Forays and Announcements ..... 3 Foray ‘06 Registration ........... 5–6 Newfoundland/Labrador ‘05 ..... 7 Fungi in the News .................... 8 Aseröe rubra in America ........ 11 Book Reviews ......................... 12 Culinary Corner ....................... 15 Remembering Wayne Ellett ..... 16 Photo Contest Entry ........... 17–18 The Boreal Bolete .................... 19 Mushroom of the Month ......... 20 In this issue: SEM of fungal mycelium, courtesy of Paul Stamets. See page 13 for a review of his latest book, Mycelium Running. Site of the Annual Foray is shown in pink on map. Photos courtesy of Markus Thormann.
Transcript
1 The Mycophile, March/April 2006
Volume 47:2 March ⁄ April 2006 www.namyco.org
NAMA Foray 2006 Travels to Hinton, Alberta, Canadaby Dr. Markus N. Thormannand Martin Osis
This year the Edmonton MycologicalSociety will host NAMA in thefoothills of the Rocky Mountains.
The Foothills Natural Region is atransitional zone between the RockyMountain and other natural regions,running along the eastern edge ofthe Canadian Rocky Mountains. Dueto its higher elevation, summer tem-peratures are cooler, although theregion often escapes the severe coldof Arctic air masses in winter. Thisresults in warmer winter tempera-tures than in portions of the BorealForest and Parkland Regions.
Many of the forays will takeplace in this natural region aroundHinton, the “Foothills Model Forest.”The Model Forests program wascreated in 1992 and includes amongits partners the forest industry,environmental groups, woodlotowners, academics from numerousuniversities, aboriginal communi-
ties, parks, government agencies,recreational groups, trappers, andanyone who has an interest insustainable forest management.
The Foothills Model Forest is thesecond largest of Canada’s modelforests. It covers about 2.75 millionhectares (27,500 km²) and embodiesJasper National Park, the WillmoreWilderness Park, forest managementarea of Hinton Wood Products and“Crown forests.” The Foothills ModelForest develops projects in support of12 program themes, includingprojects on the impacts of naturaldisturbances, the monitoring ofgrizzly bear populations, and thesocio-economic impacts of tourismin Alberta’s parks. In addition, it isactive in the areas of biodiversity,forest health, water quality, water-shed planning, and climate change.
Within Foothills Model Forestboundary a conglomerate of verydifferent forest areas—boreal,montane, and subalpine—hasresulted in a great diversity of habi-tats, plants, and animals. Thisincludes numerous provincially andnationally rare plant species, anabundance of uncommon birds, andimportant elk, moose, deer, andother fur-bearer habitats as well ascritical nesting habitat for osprey.Not surprisingly, little is knownabout the fungal biodiversity in thisregion. Edmonton MycologicalSociety hopes that the NAMA foraywill help begin to fill this informa-tion void.
On a weekend foray in centralAlberta, just south of the Foothills
Continued on page 15
Allein on NAMA ‘06 Foray ......... 2
Forays and Announcements ..... 3
Foray ‘06 Registration ........... 5–6
Newfoundland/Labrador ‘05 ..... 7
Fungi in the News .................... 8
Aseröe rubra in America ........ 11
Book Reviews ......................... 12
Culinary Corner ....................... 15
Remembering Wayne Ellett ..... 16
Photo Contest Entry ........... 17–18
The Boreal Bolete .................... 19
Mushroom of the Month ......... 20
In this issue:
SEM of fungal mycelium, courtesy of PaulStamets. See page 13 for a review of hislatest book, Mycelium Running.
Site of the Annual Foray is shown in pinkon map. Photos courtesy of MarkusThormann.
2The Mycophile, March/April 2006
The Mycophile is published bimonthlyby the North American MycologicalAssociation, 6615 Tudor Court,Gladstone, OR 97027-1032.
NAMA is a nonprofit corporation;contributions may be tax-deductible.
Web site: www.namyco.orgIsaac Forester, NAMA PresidentP.O. Box 1107North Wilkesboro, NC 28659-1107<[email protected]>
Britt Bunyard, Content EditorW184 N12633 Fond du Lac AvenueGermantown, WI 53022<[email protected]>
Judith Caulfield, Production Editor927 Lansing DriveMt. Pleasant, SC 29464<[email protected]>
NAMA is a 501(c)(3) charitableorganization. Contributions to supportthe scientific and educational activi-ties of the Association are alwayswelcome and may be deductible asallowed by law. Gifts of any amountmay be made for special occasions,such as birthdays, anniversaries, andfor memorials.Special categories include
Friend of NAMA: $500–900Benefactor: $1000–4900Patron: $5000 and up
Moving?Please send your new address,two weeks before you move, to
Ann BornsteinNAMA Membership Secretary336 Lenox AvenueOakland, CA 94610-4675<[email protected]>
Otherwise—you may not be gettingyour newsletter for a while. Eachissue, several Mycophiles arereturned as undeliverable because ofno forwarding address on file. NAMAis charged seventy cents for eachreturned or forwarded newsletter.
by Allein Stanley
NAMA’s 2006 Annual Foray willreturn to our northern neighbor’sterritory August 17–20. This year weshall search the foothills and theedges of the boreal forest fromHinton, Alberta. We are excitedabout yet another new collecting siteand about such an opportunity tovisit this spectacular subalpineregion of the West, where fungireputedly abound. We will also be insight of the Canadian Rockies, withall of their fabulous scenery andfascination. We expect members ofthe Edmonton Mycological Society tojoin us and share their knowledge ofthe local areas.
We originally had scheduled theforay at a facility close to Hinton,Venturescape; however, ourrequirements proved more extensivethan it could accommodate. Our newlocation is the Forestry TrainingCenter in the town of Hinton, wherewe will have ample classroom anddisplay areas. We also will have ourbreakfasts and lunches on campus,but for our evening meals andprograms we will move across theroad to the Hinton CommunityCenter—a site large enough for ourentire group.
At present, the Forestry Centercan guarantee us 114 beds, possiblymore, depending on the wildfireseason and the necessity of lodgingfirefighters. The rooms are designedfor double occupancy with single
beds. Non-coed bathrooms are in thehalls. There are elevators, but airconditioning is unnecessary this farnorth. In fact, evenings are coolenough in August for a light wrap.We can socialize in a bright roomwith a stone fireplace or around thebig firepit in the woods betweenclassrooms and gym. In addition,there is a campsite adjacent to theCommunity Center from which wewill shuttle and numerous otherswithin a five mile radius of thecenter for a more rustic adventure.
Due to a heavy influx of energypersonnel, we were unable to obtaina block of motel rooms. Some roomsmay be available in the many localmotels on an individual basis.August is prime tourist season inthese parts, so expect a high demandon rental cars, motel rooms, camp-sites, and even campers (should thatalternative appeal). We encourageearly registration as this promises tobe an exceptional experience.
Some of our foray sites aredescribed in the article starting onpage 1. We also are planning a forayby canoe through two beautifullakes. This foray will be limited dueto the number of canoes, but wecould schedule both a morning andan afternoon session.
We recommend flying intoEdmonton, less than three hoursfrom Hinton. We are considering ashuttle to the airport, should there
Continued on page 17
Time to Nominate NAMA Officers!
Proposed slate: Ike Forester, President; Bob Fulgency, First Vice-President; and Judith McCandless, Treasurer. Each has indicated awillingness to continue to serve another term in his or her respectiveposition. Other nominations may be submitted by the general member-ship. The nominations must be received prior to the 2006 NAMAAnnual Meeting in August for distribution to the Trustees. A nomina-tion must include in writing: (1) the nominee’s consent to serve, and(2) a brief biographical description of the nominee’s qualifications andexperience.
Au Canada!
3 The Mycophile, March/April 2006
F O R A Y S & A N N O U N C E M E N T S
2006 Mycology & LichenologySeminars at Humboldt Inst.Steuben, Maine
Development of Electronic NaturalHistory Identification GuidesOctober 2–6, 2006 (Monday andFriday are travel days)Fred SaintOurs<[email protected]>
Eagle Hill Seminars
In support of field biologists, modernfield naturalists, and students of thenatural history sciences, Eagle Hilloffers specialty seminars and work-shops at different ecological scalesfor those who are interested inunderstanding, addressing, andsolving complex ecological questions.
Topics range from watershedlevel subjects and subjects in classi-cal ecology to highly specializedseminars in advanced biology,taxonomy, and ecological restoration.
Eagle Hill offers hard-to-findseminars and workshops that provideimportant opportunities for trainingand meeting others who are dedi-cated to the natural history sciences.Eagle Hill field seminars are ofspecial interest because they focuson the natural history of one of NorthAmerica’s most spectacular andpristine natural areas, the coast ofeastern Maine from Acadia NationalPark to Petit Manan National WildlifeRefuge and beyond.
Most seminars combine fieldstudies with follow-up lab studiesand a review of the literature. Addi-tional information is provided inlectures, slide presentations, anddiscussions. Seminars are primarilytaught for people who already have areasonable background in a seminarprogram or in related subjects, orwho are keenly interested in learningabout a new subject. Prior discus-sions of personal study objectives arewelcome.
For more information, pleasecontact the Humboldt Institute, P.O.Box 9, Steuben, ME 04680-0009;phone 207-546-2821; fax 207-546-3042; email <[email protected]>.Online registration and informationat http://www.eaglehill.us.
Mycological Society ofAmerica / Canadian Phyto-pathological Society / Ameri-can Phytopathological SocietyQuébec City, Québec, CanadaJuly 29–August 2, 2006
This joint annual meeting is still inthe planning stages.
NAMA Annual ForayHinton, Alberta, CanadaAugust 17–20, 2006
This foray is still being planned—see this issue. Additional details canbe found at the NAMA website.
Details can be found on the web-site: www.sapmea.asn.au/imc8.
Alaska’s Wild MushroomsAugust 25–27, 2006
This foray will be held at “Across-the-Bay Tent and Breakfast,” acrossKachemak Bay from Homer and onKasitsna Bay. Price of forayincludes rustic, cozy accommoda-tions, delicious meals, a wood-firedsauna, and scenic surroundings.Explore the hemlock and spruceforests of the Kenai Peninsula forwild mushrooms with Alaskamushroom enthusiast Chris Riggio.
Cost includes water transporta-tion from Homer, accommodations,meals, and foray. Add an extra dayto the workshop for a sea kayaktrip, mountain biking, or hiking (anadditional charge will apply). Foraylimit is around 17 persons. For moreinformation contact owners MaryJane and Tony Lastufka: tel. 907-235-3633/345-2571; email <[email protected]>; or visit websitewww.tentandbreakfastalaska.com.
Continued on page 4
4The Mycophile, March/April 2006
Bavarian Mushroom ForaySummer 2006
Posh Journeys, Helga VanHorn andFreia Bradford, member of PikesPeak Mycological Society, offer a ten-day mushroom tour in Garmisch-Partenkirchen for late summer. Fordetails, see the Jan./Feb. issue ofThe Mycophile. Itinerary is now set!Visit the Posh Journey website,www.poshjourneys.com, or contactFreia (tel. 719-784-3838, email<freia@redgeckointernet .net>) orHelga (tel. 775-852-5105, email<[email protected]>).This unusual and personal trip willbe limited to a small group.
Forays of 6–10 people will beconducted in various provincial andfederal parks, covering multiplehabitats: boreal forest, coastalhighland and heath, unfertilizedmeadow, sand dunes, bogs, andfens. This event offers an excellentopportunity for amateur naturaliststo learn about mushrooms besideprofessionals and seasoned myco-philes, and for veterans to shareexperiences with the like-minded.
Places are limited and will befilled on a first-come first servedbasis. Early registrants get a dis-count and are assigned more desir-able accommodations.
Each evening two to threemycological lectures will be featuredas well as discussions aroundcollecting tables. Species list will bebacked by photographs of collectionsand archived voucher specimens.
Faculty: Michael Burzynski,*Dave Malloch, Faye Murrin, *RonPeterson, Stan Pieda, *Greg Thorn,Andrus Voitk, Gary Warren (*=guestfaculty; other guest faculty tba).Check back on our website, www.hnhs.ca/mushrooms.
Thailand Mushroom Ecotour
We are currently trying to organize amushroom-oriented “ecotour” innorthern Thailand, outside ofChiang Mai. Features of the tourwill be determined by participantslater but will revolve around collect-ing in the mountainous areas nearChiang Mai. Lectures, cultivationworkshops, cooking demonstrations,field identification, and microscopework will also be components.
The tour program will includetransport, food, accommodations,use of laboratory equipment, andguided collecting trips with a nativeEnglish speaker, Dr. Edward Grand,who is a recent graduate of theUniversity of Tennessee, where hestudied Lentinus, Panus, and otherBasidiomycetes with Dr. RonaldPetersen. The Mushroom Centrehouses several students workingwith Basidiomycetes as well asfrequent visiting researchers.
For more information about theCentre or the tour, please email Dr.Grand at <[email protected]> or visit the website: www.mushroomresearchcentre.net.
Please note that biologicalmaterial cannot be taken outside ofThailand without the permissionand/or collaboration of a Thaiuniversity or institution.
Bryce Kendrick wants YOU . . .to help with a research project!
“I recently read Charles Darwin’sfascinating book on earthworms.(He showed them to be almost asimportant as fungi in the workingsof the biosphere; you can find thetext of his book at www.webmesh.co.uk/darwinworms1.htm .) Hemaintained an active and fruitfulcorrespondence with amateurscientists in many countries andincorporated input from them intohis book.
“I am not even remotely tryingto get on the same page as Darwin,but professional mycologists cancertainly use help from the manykeen amateurs who are to be foundalmost everywhere.
“My purpose in writing this is toask for your help. I am studying thephenomena of rare vs. commonmacrofungi. Of course, this beginsby looking at records: how often doindividuals or groups collect/see aparticular fungus? This leads, ofcourse, to other questions: Is afungus likely to be less common if itmakes a large fruit body rather thana minute one? Is it less likely to berecorded if it is very small or cryptic?Is it more likely to be found in habi-tats frequented by mushroomseekers or in other less-visitedareas? Some fungi are more season-ally limited than others: how doesthis affect records of each group?
“One question appears to bemore important than any other: thelikelihood of a fungus being seenmust be proportional to the longevityor persistence of the fruit bodies.
“And this is my request: If any ofyou have information on the actuallongevity of agaric or other macro-fungal fruit bodies, I would be verypleased to receive it. We know thatsome species of what used to becalled Coprinus are extremely short-lived, and that polypores can persistfor many years; but there arethousands of taxa that sit betweenthose extremes, and they are theones I would like to hear about.
“Here is the kind of data I need:Name of species. Size of fruit body(e.g., cap diameter, overall height).Approximate weather conditions andtemperatures prevailing (mushroomscan freeze and sit there for monthsafter their “best before” dates!).Longevity of individual fruit bodiesin days, with actual dates of initialdevelopment and final disappear-ance or decay.
“I will be happy to give credit forany information I can use in thefinal compilation.”
—Bryce Kendrick PhD, DSc, FRSC8727 Lochside Drive
Sidney-by-the-Sea, B CV8L 1M8, CanadaTel. 250-655-5051
Total ....................................................... $_____________
Do you require vegetarian meals or have other special concerns?
Are you a vendor? Items for sale Amt. of space desired
We must have a signed release for all adults attending the foray. See next page.
6The Mycophile, March/April 2006
LIABILITY RELEASE AND PROMISE NOT TO SUE
I understand that there is some risk in participating in a mushroom foray and conference: all those risks oneassumes by being away from home, risks associated with moving about in fields and woods, risks involved ineating wild mushrooms, risks of losing personal property by theft or misplacement, and all other expected andunexpected risks.
In registering for or attending this foray, I agree to assume total responsibility during this event for my own safetyand well-being, and that of any minor children under my care, and for the protection of my and their personalproperty. I release the North American Mycological Association (NAMA), its trustees, officers, employees,contractors, and all other persons assisting in the planning and presentation of this event from liability for anysickness, injury, or loss I or any minor children under my care may suffer during this event or as a result ofattending and participating. I further promise not to file a lawsuit or make a claim against any of the persons listedabove, even if they negligently cause me or my minor children injury or loss. Finally, I agree to hold NAMAharmless from any liability it may incur as a result of any damages to Hinton Training Center property that I maycause.
This release and promise are part of the consideration I give in order to attend this event. I understand that itaffects my legal rights. I intend it to apply not only to me but to anyone who may have the right to make a claimon my behalf.
Signature 1: Date:
Print Name 1:
Signature 2: Date:
Print Name 2:
VOLUNTEER OPTIONS
If you can help in any way, please let us know. The volunteer time of our members is what continues to makeNAMA forays such a success and great time for everyone. The coordinator will contact you with details prior tothe foray.
❏ Display & identification area❏ Set up ❏ Assist identifiers ❏ Clean up
❏ Mycophagy❏ Set up ❏ Preparation (Sat.) ❏ Clean up
❏ Raffle❏ Solicit prizes prior to foray ❏ Assist at foray
❏ Other:
7 The Mycophile, March/April 2006
Foray Newfoundland & Labrador 2005
This year’s Foray was a double event, with one sessionin spectacular Gros Morne National Park Sept. 2–5 anda second session in the stunning Labrador Straits Sept.6–9. As in past years, the Foray was sponsored by theHumber Natural History Society, aided by its severalkind partners: the Department of Environment andConservation; the Hon. Tom Osborne, Minister; GrosMorne National Park; Gros Morne Cooperating Associa-tion; the Western Newfoundland Model Forest; SirWilfred Grenfell College of Memorial University;Seaview Restaurant and Cabins in Forteau; and AltiusMinerals Corporation.
Mushroom enthusiasts from the U.S., Canada,Holland, and Newfoundland and Labrador foraged theautumn woods for mushrooms. The weather couldn’thave been better, and the mushrooms were out in fullforce. The experts were kept busy: 208 species wereidentified in Gros Morne and 144 in Labrador, with anoverlap of 48 for a total of 304, bringing our three-yearcumulative species count to 451.
This year’s big-game encounter was a bull moosewho returned to camp each evening to pose for closerange photos and videos. Evening activities consisted ofa reception by the Department of Environment andConservation and a mushroom cook-up. Other thanthat, the evenings were filled with an interestingprogram by our experts, local and visitors.
Reports of Foray Newfoundland & Labrador from2003 to 2005 can be viewed or downloaded from theHumber Natural History Society’s web page,www.hnhs.ca/mushrooms. Meanwhile, plans for 2006are already underway on the Avalon Peninsula Septem-ber 15–17. A Preliminary Report of Avalon Mycoflora
The whole group spent two hours foraging the entire SaddleIsland. You’d think there’s not much on these coastal barrens butalmost every kind of Omphalina was collected there. Photo:Jamie Graham.
and Advance Notice are also on the website; updateswill be added as the date nears. The combination ofenthusiastic foragers, Newfoundland hospitality, astellar group of experts, and a new and exciting loca-tion with some unusual mycoflora should produce anexciting foray and several more new species!
The crew by the lighthouse at Point l’Amour. The lab and sortingtables were in the adjoining building, and the experts’ quartersnext door, allowing the identifiers to enjoy the foghorn bellow.
The resident churchmoose poses while trimming the chapelbushes, which he processes into Stropharia alcis substrate [seepage 20]. Photo: Barry May.
8The Mycophile, March/April 2006
Humongous Fungus in Missouri: I recently got wordfrom Ron Meyers of the Kaw Valley Club in Kansas thata HUGE sulfur shelf was found last fall. An article onthe discovery appeared in The Kansas City Star newspa-per. It seems a fellow named Ty Whitmore was cuttingfirewood in northwest Missouri when he spotted a giantorange mushroom growing from the side of a mapletree. He used a handsaw to cut it off the tree, but thelargest portion of the mushroom fell into the streambelow. The water was too deep and cold for him tomount a rescue operation. The smaller portion that hewas able to save he carried to his pickup truck anddrove to a nearby grocery store. On the store’s scale themushroom was found to weigh 56 pounds! According tothe newspaper account, a Missouri Department ofConservation employee measured the saved portion tobe 30 inches wide and 16 inches from top to bottom.Mr. Whitmore speculated that the lost portion of thehumongous fungus may have weighed more than 70pounds and that the entire mushroom may have tippedthe scales at an incredible 120 pounds! According to thenewspaper article, the Guinness Book of World Recordslists the largest edible mushroom as a 48-pound 8-ounce giant puffball.
Good News/Bad News about Morels: Get ready, freshmorels soon will be in your grocery store—year ‘round!But they’ll probably cost around $13 for a 3.5-ouncebox.
It seems every few years someone buys the patentrights to cultivate morels. The technique was firstdeveloped by Robert Ower and Gary Mills. Well, Millsis back—this time with his own company. With backingfrom Toyota Motor Corp. and other investors, he isgrowing the highly prized fungi and four other exoticmushrooms in a massive new facility in westernMichigan, using local forest products such as sawdust,bark and composted leaves. Sold under the nameWoodland Exotics, the mushrooms are showing up inmarkets in metro Detroit, Lansing, Battle Creek, andChicago. So far, they’re getting an enthusiastic recep-tion. His fledgling company, Diversified Natural Prod-ucts Inc. in Scottville, near Ludington, soon maybecome the Midwest’s major supplier of specialty, orexotic, mushrooms. According to Mills, the companycurrently harvests 16,000 pounds a week at full capac-ity, and about 3,000 pounds will be morels. For moreinformation, check out their website,www.dnpworld.com.
Sad news from the Mushroom Capitol: In KennettSquare, Pennsylvania, officials are still trying to deter-mine what started a fierce blaze that destroyed SunnyDell Foods’ mushroom and vegetable processing plant
on the night of January 27, 2006. The fire devastated acompany that employs about 100 people. Fortunately,no injuries were reported among plant workers whoescaped the blaze nor the 150 firefighters who foughtit. Mushrooms have been processed at the plant formore than 50 years, and there is no word on the futureof the company or its workers.
Amphibians in Danger: An infectious fungus aggra-vated by global warming has killed entire populationsof frogs in Central and South America and driven somespecies to extinction, scientists report in the January 12,2006 issue of the prestigious British journal Nature (439:161–67). In research that showed the effects of risingtemperatures on delicate ecosystems, a team of re-searchers found that a warming atmosphere encour-aged the spread of a fungus that has wiped out speciesof harlequin frogs and golden toads.
Researchers in Monteverde Cloud Forest Preservein Costa Rica established the link between globalwarming and the disappearance of frogs in the cloudforests of Costa Rica by analyzing sea surface and airtemperatures, which rose by 0.18°C per decade be-tween 1975 and 2000. Warmer temperatures increasedcloud cover over the tropical mountain, which thescientists believe promoted conditions to spur thegrowth of the chytrid fungus that kills frogs. They areconfident that global warming is a key factor in thedisappearance of many amphibian populations intropical forests.
About a third of the 5,743 known species of frogs,toads and other amphibians are classified as threat-ened, according to the Global Amphibian Assessment.Up to 167 species may already be extinct, and another113 species have not been found in recent years.Habitat loss is the greatest threat to amphibians, butfungal disease is also a serious problem.
To see some truly beautiful photos of many of thevanishing frogs from Costa Rica, described above,check out the “Geographica” section of the January2006 National Geographic magazine.
But the Good News Is . . . Climate may also trigger afungus that makes superior wine. Most mycophilesacross North America and Europe are chomping at thebit right now with several weeks to go before springreturns—and we return to woodland forays in pursuit ofthose blessed fruits of the Fifth Kingdom. Most of usenjoy the pursuit and relish a well-prepared dish madewith any number of wild mushrooms, but we can alsoappreciate other, nonmushroomy, members of thefungal kingdom at the dinner table, something toaccompany that great meal. And I’m not just talkingregular old beer and wine here. The products of fungal
F U N G I I N T H E N E W S
9 The Mycophile, March/April 2006
fermentations by yeasts are not the only game in town.Some wine grapes may undergo a “noble rot,” and theresults truly are fit for nobility. Never heard of noblerot? Well, you’ve certainly seen its cause, a funguscalled Botrytis cinereus. It causes all sorts of gray moldyinfestations around the house, mostly on fruit in therefrigerator. I’ll not speak to the putrefaction awaitingyou in your fridge, but when the conditions are justright in the vineyard—which may be rarely or never—the fungus attacks wine grapes, resulting in some ofthe greatest wines you’ll ever taste: Sauternes ofFrance (and North America), Tokaj (or Tokay) of Hun-gary. (Although I’m an amateur wine maker, I’ve neverdared to make one of these wine styles; for a reviewsee the Aug/Sep 2004 issue of Wine Maker Magazine.)
It seems that this past fall was a great time fornoble rot, according to a story in a recent issue of theBudapest Sun newspaper. But getting Mother Nature,and Botrytis, to cooperate is only the beginning. There’sstill a lot of work ahead. Picking grapes for Tokaj winesis the single most laborious, and thus most expensive,grape-picking method. After you learn what it takes tomake the amber colored Tokaji aszú wine, your admira-tion for the great nectar is bound to grow. The produc-tion of aszú is far more complicated than its mostsuperficial explanation—a wine squeezed from almostrotten grapes. The grapes look dry indeed, but goodaszú is not made from grapes white with mould. Sowhat is this super-toilsome and expensive method?
As pointed out, noble rot is far from unique toTokaj, but Hungary does provide very favorable condi-tions. Botritus makes the skin thinner, causing thegrapes to lose its water content. They turn from greento gold and finally to a raisin-like brown. That is whenthe heavily botrytized grapes, in the advanced stage oftheir shriveling, are manually selected and picked.
Now, imagine a box no bigger than a suitcase; thekind of luggage that fits into the overhead compartmentof a plane or train. To fill a box of this size with about20 kilograms of hand-picked and selected botrytizedgrapes takes a day’s work from two or three people. Inorder to proceed with the making of the aszú, thewinery has to have another wine, called alapbor, orbasic wine, already in containers. Whether in a state offermentation or not, the alapbor is used for the macera-tion (softening by soaking or steeping in a liquid) of thevery dry botrytized grapes, which otherwise would notproduce enough liquid. Therefore, depending on thetiming of the production of the other wines, the aszúgrapes stay in the containers for two to three weeksbefore they are macerated. The aszú grapes spendanywhere from half a day to four days maceratingbefore pressing. Fermentation takes place either in oakbarrels or containers. But just barely, which is why theend product is still very high in sugar and tastes syrupysweet. The tank-fermented 2005 aszú will be put tobarrels at the beginning of next year. Then comes theaging, which takes at least three years, two of them
spent in oak barrels. Then the drink is bottled and soldall over the world.
The Tokaj wine region, located in northeast Hun-gary, was the first closed wine region in the world. Animperial decree defined its borders in 1737; the one-time limits were but slightly modified over time. Todaythe Tokaj wine region is a World Heritage site and getsvisitors from all over the world. If you’re wondering,most of the Tokay wine is made from the grape cultivarFurmint. It looks to be a banner year for botrycizedwines. And not just in Hungary: American producersmay be looking at legendary yields this fall and winter.
According to the November 8, 2005, issue of theRochester Democrat and Chronicle, the Heron HillWinery in the Finger Lakes Region of New York isgearing up for a big production of Sauternes from its“moldy” Chardonnay grapes. No doubt we can all lookforward to the bounty of this fall’s harvest . . . in a fewyears. Praise the Noble Rot!
If you can’t wait to try a botrycized wine, headdown to a good wine store (most grocery stores or smallshops may not carry Tokay or Sauternes) and pick up abottle. Sauternes are often a little pricey, so be pre-pared. They’re also nectar-sweet and go well withdesserts, much like a German Eiswein—think cheese-cake or ice cream here—but also can finish off a heavy,cream-laden dinner, match well with a good bluecheese, and are a perfect match for foie gras. (See the“Culinary Corner” in this issue for an easy recipe idea.)
Climate Also Triggers Fungi That Wipe Out Pets:You probably saw the headlines: Poisonous dog foodresponsible for killing at least 77 dogs prompted anationwide recall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administra-tion reports. The number may be as high as 100 dogs,according to researchers at Cornell University. Much ofthe country first heard about aflatoxin when it turnedup in pet food.
Of course, the media mostly called this poison afungus or labeled it “alfatoxin.” Both terms are wrong.Aflatoxin is a toxic secondary metabolite produced bythe fungus Aspergillus flavus, hence the name. It is oneof the most deadly natural substances, possibly still themost carcinogenic substance tested by rat liver assay. Itmostly occurs on peanuts and corn, plus some othergrains or foods when conditions are favorable. TheUSDA always screens grain for it, since you neverknow when a flare-up can take place. In press releaseson the Diamond Pet Food website in January, officialsstated, “What we did know is there was a higherprevalence of aflatoxin in last year’s corn crop. Thisinformation was communicated by many State Depart-ments of Agriculture because of the weather conditionsthe corn crop experienced during its growing season.These conditions included severe drought followed byhigh moisture, which contributed to the growth of this
Continued on page 10
10The Mycophile, March/April 2006
fungus in the crop.” It’s a sad reminder to be everreverent of the power of the lowly fungus.
More Ado with Aspergillus . . . Reproduction usuallyinvolves routing very small particles—sperm, eggs, andspores—away from the site where they were created.Diverse solutions to the basic transport problem haveevolved, such as sticky pollen that is picked up byinsects, and moss gametes that are readily carried bywater. The most interesting methods of transport areballistic: the catapulting of spores by ferns and thecannon-like firing of fungal spores. An object launchedballistically is accelerated to an initial velocity and thendrag acts to slow it, causing it to fall more steeply thanit climbs. For heavy flying objects the effect of drag isminimal, but for small, lightweight ones, drag is hardto overcome. So how do these organisms pull it off?
From the Dec 2005/Jan 2006 issue of NaturalHistory (114[10]: 28–29) comes an article by AdamSummers focusing on the spore-launching abilities ofthe fungus Gibberella zeae, a pathogen of wheat, andthe sexual or “perfect” form of Aspergillus. Its spores arespindle-shaped and small enough that five of themwould fit end to end across the cut tip of a human hair.Eight spores are packed into a pod-shaped, fluid-filledcapsule called an ascus, and hundreds of asci are, inturn, crammed into a pimple-like organ called a perith-ecium. (See the images below.) You’ll have to check outthe article to get all the physics and chemistry of theprocess, but suffice it to say that the end result is thatspores and fluid spurt from the ascus into the air over adistance of less than a quarter-inch. The spent ascusretreats back down inside the perithecium, and a newlybloated ascus comes up. A quarter-inch may not seemvery far, but it is more than enough to launch thelightweight spores into air currents that can carry themto a new home. The force on the spores initiallyaccelerates them at an astonishing 870,000 times the
acceleration of gravity. They reach speeds of eightymiles an hour, or nearly two million spore lengths persecond.
By the way, the entire genome of several species ofAspergillus has recently been completed and is pub-lished in the December 22, 2005, issue of Nature.
Of what “good” are toxins to mushrooms? They reallyonly benefit the fungus if they prevent fungivory, right?Glad you asked. The adaptive significance of toxins inmushrooms has received very little consideration,although it is clear that poisons have appeared (and/ordisappeared) many times in mushrooms’ evolutionaryhistory. One possibility is that poisons have evolved insome mushroom species to deter their consumption bywould-be fungivores before spore dispersal. If this isso, then one might expect poisonous mushrooms tosignal their unprofitability in some way.
In a recent study, titled “Explaining Dioscorides’‘Double Difference’: Why are some mushrooms poison-ous, and do they signal their unprofitability?” (AmericanNaturalist 2005; 166[6]: 767–75) the ecological andmorphological traits associated with edible and poison-ous mushrooms in North America and Europe are dis-cussed. Poisonous mushrooms do not tend to be morecolorful or aggregated than edible mushrooms (unlikethe “aposematic” or warning coloration exhibited mymany poisonous plants and animals), but they are morelikely to exhibit distinctive odors even when phyloge-netic relationships are accounted for. This raises theintriguing possibility that some poisonous species ofmushrooms have evolved warning odors (and perhapstastes) to enhance avoidance learning by fungivores.
The fungal whiff of danger, further discussed:I recently read in the British journal Nature of aninvestigation of the hypothesis that poisonousmushrooms use odor as warning signals. Scientist TimLincoln presents the results of a study that determinesthe incidence of toxicity in mushrooms using modern
evolutionary trees (Nature 2005; 437 [7063]:1248).The author gives descriptions of toxinsas a metabolic by-product and makescomparisons of related poisonous and edibleforms.
Unique Australian TreesThis tree—possibly the rarest on earth—owesexistence to fungi. It was in 1994 that hikersstumbled upon a small grove of strange treesin Wollemi National Park in southwesternAustralia. Amazingly, the 90-foot tall treeswere completely new to science! Investigatorssoon realized that these specimens were notonly an unknown species, but also a treeoutside any existing genus of the ancientAraucariaceae family of conifers. (One
Continued on page 14
Fungi in the News, continued from page 9
11 The Mycophile, March/April 2006
Aseröe rubra inAmerica
by Tim Geho
Aseröe rubra is a member of thestinkhorn family. Like the otherstinkhorns, it grows from an egg-likestructure that is covered with auniversal veil. It has several com-mon names, such as “StarfishStinkhorn” and “Sea AnemoneFungus.” Though Aseröe rubra is notoften described in North Americanmycological texts, it has been foundin several areas of South Carolina,including Charleston and Columbia.It is not clear if this fungus hasalways been present or has beenintroduced through trade with otherparts of the world where it iscommonly found. It is the mostcommon stinkhorn in the HawaiianIslands and is widespread through-out the South Pacific. Orson Miller isworking on a formal description ofthe species in North America with apaper due out soon, and the voucherspecimens I sent him have becomepart of the voucher collection atVirginia Tech in the Massey Her-barium, in Blacksburg, VA. Thereference number is OKM 28759.
Ecology: Saprobic; found inareas that have been mulched withwoodchips or where there is anatural or introduced supply oforganic material or leaf debris; in
flower beds, lawns, or other culti-vated areas; sometimes on rottingstumps; found in the HawaiianIslands, Africa, Oceana, and manyother tropical locations.
Fruiting body: When young, anegg-like structure; when mature,with a stem up to 8 cm long thatbecomes somewhat flattened anddevelops 6–10 arms, each onebranching into two thin tentacles;with an olive to brown spore mass atthe base of each arm, surroundingthe central disk; white to orange,reddish orange, or reddish. It has asmell, of course; when mature verystrong, reminiscent of rotting meat.
Spore dispersal is by insects,snails, and slugs that are attracted tothe smell of the spore mass; subse-quently, some of the spore masssticks to them and is spread to newareas.
Aseröe rubra is similar in appear-ance to Clathrus archeri, which hasarms that do not split into thintentacles. Clathrus archeri is widelydistributed in North America butrare. Arora (1986) reports it fromCalifornia. Edibility is not known forA. rubra; I do not recommendexperimenting.
[This article was mostly reprintedfrom the MushroomExpert.comwebsite (www.mushroomexpert.com/aseroe_rubra.html). The photosare courtesy of the author, who ispresident of the South CarolinaMycological Society. The distributionmap is courtesy of the Fungi Mapwebsite (http://fungimap.rbg.vic.gov.au/fsp/sp003.html).—Ed.]
Tim says (2/15/06), “I have abouta half dozen or so duplicate slidesthat I’d be willing to share/send toanyone who is studying thestinkhorn family.” You can find hisaddress in the NAMA Directory.]
Distribution of A. rubra in its nativerange in Australia. Photo courtesy of theFungimap Project of Australia.
Aseroe rubra specimens collected in theCharleston, SC, area by Tim Geho.Notice how each arm splits into two thintendrils. Photos by Tim Geho, courtesy ofMushroomExpert.com.
12The Mycophile, March/April 2006
B O O K R E V I E W S
Common Mushrooms of theTalamanca Mountains, Costa Ricaby Roy E. Halling and Gregory M.Mueller. NY: New York BotanicalGarden Press, 2005. ISBN 0-89327-460-7 (spiral bound with laminatedsemi-rigid cover). 195 pp.
Costa Rica has earned considerableinternational attention for its conser-vation efforts and is high on eco-tourists’ lists of places to visit. Formany such visitors, the availabilityof field guides allows them toincrease their appreciation of thehuge diversity of organisms thatexists in that relatively small nation(roughly the size of New Hampshireand Vermont combined). Untilrecently, however, mushrooms werenot among the groups for whichguides existed. That has begun tochange, as evidenced by this newoffering from two well known U.S.mycologists who have spent consid-erable time studying the macrofungiof Costa Rica and other parts ofCentral and South America.
As the title suggests, the book isfocused on the most common anddistinctive species that occur in onewell-studied mountain area, particu-larly those in its oak forests. It is notintended to be a comprehensivetreatment, either taxonomically orgeographically. We are still manyyears away from the time whensuch a project would be feasible.
The content and organization ofthe book are typical for a field guide.Sections include The Mushrooms inThis Book; Introduction (notes on thebiology and geological history of theCordillera de Talamanca, Document-ing the Diversity of Costa RicanMacrofungi, Goals of This Book andthe Targeted Audience, DescriptiveNotes, including lists of the speciesthought to be endemic to [occur onlyin] tropical Montane oak forests, andthought to form ectomycorrhizaswith neotropical oaks); Recommen-dations for Collecting Mushroomsfor Scientific Study (preparing
specimens—making spore prints,taking photographs, making notes,material for DNA analysis, dryingspecimens, general reminders); Keyto Included Families; SpeciesDescriptions (the bulk of the book);Literature Cited; Specimen VouchersList; Glossary; and Index.
By my count, 101 species aredescribed in detail, each on one ortwo pages. Every entry includes thefungus’s name and author citation;photograph(s); description (mostlyusing technical jargon) of macro-scopic and key microscopic features(e.g., spore dimensions and shape,cystidia, gill trama, pileipellis, clampconnections); substrate, mycorrhizalhost (where applicable), distribution,and commentary. The main photosare all in color, are of good quality,and are effective for identificationpurposes. Some were taken in thefield but most were boringly stagedagainst a neutral background in thelab. For some species, there is anadditional aspect photo and/orelectron micrographs of spores and/or cystidia, and the section alsoincludes a few habitat photos thatprovide a good feel for the areas inwhich the fungi were collected.
According to the authors, “Thetarget audience for this treatmentincludes mycologists and othersinterested in tropical diversity, landmanagers, conservation biologists,educators, naturalists, nature tourguides, etc.” It is mycologicallyauthoritative, clearly laid out, andshould be quite serviceable for thataudience. However, the approach,especially the heavy use of jargon(e.g., “tubulose” or “lamellatehymenophore,” rather than “pores”or “gills”) may prove a hurdle, or atleast an annoyance, for those whoaren’t trained mycologists. I get thesense that the book was put togetherby taking material from Roy’s andGreg’s journal publications withoutmuch editing for the less technicallygrounded users who comprise alarge part of the intended audience.
Careful editing could have increasedthe user-friendliness of the book,with negligible loss of precision oraccuracy.
I also wish most of the photo-graphs were larger, preferably closerto the size of the “second” photos ofspecies covered on two pages (whichare roughly 10 x 13 cm, as opposedto about 6 x 8 cm for most of themain photos). To make room forlarger images, extraneous materialfrom the description and commentscould be deleted. For instance, wedon’t need to be told the mushroomhas a lamellate hymenophore whenthe photo clearly shows a gilledfungus. Likewise, given the book’stitle, we don’t need to be told in thedistribution that the fungus occurs inthe Talamanca Mountains of CostaRica. In many cases the commen-tary repeats information from thedescription or distribution that addslittle to our understanding and couldbe deleted.
Despite these quibbles, I likethis little book and think it has suc-ceeded in its intent to provide anenticing introduction to the macro-fungal diversity of what by mostaccounts is a most wonderful part ofour planet. At $19.95 it’s worthpicking up for an armchair excursioneven if you aren’t planning a CentralAmerican vacation any time soon.
This book is Vol. 90 in theMemoirs of the New York BotanicalGarden Press, 200th Street andKazimiroff Blvd., Bronx, NY 10456-5126. Tel. 718-817-8721. E-mail <nybgpress@ nybg.org>. Websitewww.nybg.org. Price $19.95+ship-ping/handling ($6.00+5% of subto-tal). U.S. checks, Visa, MasterCard,and Amex accepted.
— Steve Trudell, Seattle, Washington
13 The Mycophile, March/April 2006
Mycelium Running: How Mush-rooms Can Help Save the World.2005. Paul Stamets. Ten Speed Press,Berkeley, CA; ISBN: 1-58008-579-2;paper; 339 pp and tons of greatphotos and images. Book cover price$35.00.
Mycelium Running is a good book.No, it’s a great book—a must-read foreveryone, not just mycophiles. Inhis latest tome, Paul Stamets, theguru of mushroom cultivation and ofpsilocybins, is back with more thanjust a how-to guide for the grower.Mycelium Running: How MushroomsCan Help Save the World has amessage for mankind. The badnews: the planet’s health is goingdown the tubes, and mankind is toblame.
But Stamets offers hope: we canchange the world and clean up ouract. He has developed techniques forcleaning up the environment andbacks it up with success stories—from the small scale, at his personalfarm, to large scale in collaborationwith big-league researchers atBatelle Labs, to name just a few. Hissuccesses are built on the ever-industrious fungal mycelium . . .and his own ingenuity.
However, Mycelium Running isn’tsolely about environmentalremediation, although it’s a recur-ring theme. This big book (at $35 it’sa good value for a textbook-sizedvolume) runs the gamut frommushroom cultivation to cooking,from mushroom identification tomedicinal properties.
Mycelium Running comprisesthree parts: The Mycelial Mind,Mycorestoration, and GrowingMycelia; and Mushrooms. The firstpart is composed of chapters dealingwith general information aboutfungi. While Chapter 1 is entitled“Mycelium as Nature’s Internet” andis a little more philosophical,Stamets comes back down to earth,literally, with Chapters 2–4: “TheMushroom Life Cycle,” “Mushroomsin Their Natural Habitats,” and “TheMedicinal Mushroom Forest.”
The second part, Mycorestora-tion, has four chapters on environ-
mental science in general, andsaving the planet—the mycelialway—in specific. Chapters 5–8 are“Mycofiltration,” “Mycoforestry,”“Mycoremediation,” and “Myco-pesticides.” Despite the sublimetitles, I found this section to be farand away the most interesting of thethree. But then I have quite a fewsemesters’ worth of teachingmycology and environmentalscience under my belt. Nevertheless,Mycelium Running is my first brushwith combining the two subjects.
Paul’s ideas are every bit asintriguing as his results are astound-ing. In “Mycofiltration” Stametsoutlines how mycelial spawn(fungal hyphae grown on anynumber of substrates: straw, grain,corn cob wastes, and wood chips)can act to cleanse water of all sortsof contaminants. A big source ofwater pollution in the U.S. is runofffrom livestock feedlots and otherfarm settings. The author demon-strates how some well-placed sacksof wood chip spawn will not onlyremove the nutrients and bacteria,but the correct fungus can thrive onthis eutrophic brew—with the endresult a beautiful flush of ediblemushrooms! In “Mycoforestry”Stamets pulls from his own back-ground as a former logger to explainwhy it is incorrect to call forests a“renewable resource,” at least withcurrent management strategies.“Mycoforestry” offers ways torecycle wood (encourage naturalwood decay, rather than burning),employment of mycorrhizal fungi,and mycofiltration of silt as ways tomanage forests that are more intune with natural processes. Youwon’t believe what Stamets getsmushrooms to do in “Mycoremedia-tion.” Mushroom mycelia are usedin a number of experiments todegrade in many cases—or removefrom the environment in others—allsorts of toxic materials: petroleumproducts, organic wastes, evenchemical warfare agents like sarin,VX, and other neurotoxins. AndStamets has the patents to back upthe work, carried out with col-leagues at Batelle Labs. The hyper-
accumulation of radioactive isotopesfrom the environment by mush-rooms is discussed. Wild mush-rooms have been found to accumu-late, within their tissues, levels ofisotopes many times higher than thesoil in which they are growing. Asan example, this was (and remains)a big concern in parts of Europewhere fallout from the Chernobyldisaster occurred. But with thisknowledge Stamets has shown thatmushrooms can literally pull thecontamination right out of the soil.The picked mushrooms can then betaken to a proper containmentfacility, obviating the need forexpensive and environmentallydestructive soil removal. “Myco-pesticides” explores the developmentof several ingenious ways of killingpests with naturally benign fungalmycelium, in lieu of dumping morechemicals into an already saturatedenvironment. Again, Stamets’snecessity ends up being the motherof his inventions. His own house—gradually turning into sawdust at themandibles of carpenter ants—wasthe perfect lab in which to trydifferent types of insect killing fungithat he’d cultured on Petri plates.His fungi did the trick—and earnedhim another patent—but couldn’tsave the house; it was too far gone.
Part III of Mycelium Running isthe longest part of the book and is atour de force in mushroom cultiva-tion. Beginning with such self-explanatory chapter titles as “Inocu-lation Methods: Spores, Spawn, andStem Butts,” “Nutritional Propertiesof Mushrooms,” and “Gardeningwith Gourmet and MedicinalMushrooms” the author winds upwith “Magnificent Mushrooms: TheCast of Species.” The last chaptergives a good overview of cultivatedspecies, including methods, medici-nal properties, and mycorestorationabilities.
There are loads of illustrationsthroughout the book. Another strongpoint is the wealth of references atthe end, leading the reader to addi-tional sources of information.
Continued on page 17
14The Mycophile, March/April 2006
Fungi in the News,continued from page 10
popular member of this family, theNorfolk Island pine, is a popularindoor plant and can get pretty tall inbanks or shopping malls.) Thestrange trees were named to a newgenus, Wollemia. The find was allthe more astonishing given thetowering size and the location of thetrees—less than 120 miles west ofSydney, a city of more than fourmillion people!
The special characteristics of thetree’s habitat appear to have facili-tated its survival in such smallgroves. Hidden in narrow sandstoneravines, the Wollemi pine enjoysconsistent humidity and moist soils,which suit both the plant and themycorrhizal fungi that live inassociation with its roots. Likealmost all Australian plants,Wollemia depends heavily on suchsymbiotic fungi to penetrate hardground and take up nutrients fromthe continent’s notoriously infertilesoils. However, those that coexistwith the Wollemi pine are unlikelyto thrive in the thin, drier soils ofthe surrounding plateaus. so in asense, both organisms may dependentirely on the other for survival.
Same unique Australian treesendangered—by fungi. Just whenyou started feeling warm and fuzzyall over comes dire news. It seemsthat the only known wild stand ofWollemia, a tree dating back toJurassic times, has been endangeredby a deadly disease probablyintroduced by an unauthorized hiker.Because the species is so rare, theonly known stand consists of fewerthan 100 trees, whose location hasbeen kept a closely guarded secret.Those authorized to visit the groveundergo strict infection controlprocedures that involve sterilizingtheir footwear and equipment. Butthe stand has been endangered by afungus-like pathogen, Phytophthoracinnamomi, which was detected intwo trees in November last year andwas almost certainly introduced byan unauthorized visitor. Measuresare being taken to remediate the
outbreak, and officials are hopefulthat treatment will wipe out thethreat to the stand.
Despite the threat, the species isnot at risk of extinction. Thousandsof trees have been propagated inplantations from the wild stand, andsome even went on sale to thepublic for the first time in October2005. Although thought to bedifficult to cultivate, who knows,these trees may one day turn up inyour town. Other species that arenow common ornamentals wereonce known only from fossils (e.g.Gingko biloba and the Dawn Red-wood, discovered in 1948!).
How much are your children taughtabout fungi in school? A team ofresearchers led by the esteemedDavid Moore, of the University ofManchester, published their findingsin the latest issue of Mycologist(2005; 19[4]: 152–58). In the UnitedKingdom, it seems that schoolchildren are not getting muchexposure to members of the FifthKingdom. However, the authors ofthis report describe numerousteaching aids offered by the BritishMycological Association to remedythe situation.
In the same issue of Mycologista report by Jung et al. describes theinvolvement of Phytophthora speciesin the decline of European beech inEurope and the U.S. It seems thatpathogen keeps turning up every-where! Despite the bad news, Ialways thoroughly enjoying readingMycologist and you should too!
Another magazine that youshould be reading on a regular basisis Mushroom the Journal of WildMushrooming. After a hiatus, MTJ isback! The Fall 2005 issue is packed:a huge overview article on Lepiota,America’s “Most Wanted” mush-rooms by Leon, a taxonomic chal-lenge by Gary Lincoff, the alwaysfutile (but never boring) attempts tokeep up with Maggie Rogers, plusall the artwork, puzzles, stamps,etc., that you come to expect inMushroom the Journal. On news-stands now, wherever wild mush-
room periodicals are sold—or youcan make life easy for yourself byusing the subscription form found inthis very issue!
More on truffles . . . It seems theOregon truffle keeps popping up inthe printed media. This time it’s thelatest issue (March 2006) of BonAppétit magazine, which talks upthe finer points of this native edible.The take home message, fromseveral restaurateurs, seems to bethat while the North Americantruffle does not taste quite like itsEuropean cousins, the time andmethods by which the fungus isharvested and stored can make allthe difference. This also seems to bethe cause célèbre of Oregon WildEdibles’ website, a mail ordercompany supplying both, Oregonblack, and Oregon white truffles. Forthose wishing to have a taste, beprepared to dig deep into yourwallets—very deep if you must havetruffles from Europe. Before theseason ended early this month, apound of prized white Alba trufflescost $1,600, while Perigord blacks,when you can get them, are pushing$900 per pound, according to arecent article in The Oregoniannewspaper. As truffle suppliesshrink, prices spike even higher.Oregon’s black and white truffles,different but closely related, botani-cally speaking, to Europe’s, can behad for a fraction of that cost, $100to $450 per pound. Of course, withValentine’s Day approaching (as Iwrite this) “truffle” can meanchocolate. But that’s somethingaltogether different.
Needed: Bird’s Nest Fungiand Puffballs
“I am trying to obtain dried speci-mens of birds’ nest and puffballfungi for display in a communitycollege botany classroom. Our edu-cational suppliers either do not carrythem or offer poor quality speci-mens. Thank you!”
• In the Jan/Feb 2006 issue of The Mycophile someinformation was dropped from the review of TaylorLockwood’s new DVD, including crediting SandySheine, NAMA Education Chair, for providing thereview. Thanks, Sandy!
Taylor’s The Mushroom Identification Trilogy DVDVideo is 58 min. long and costs $24.95. The DVD maybe purchased through the websitewww.fungiphoto.com, by calling 800-958-5809, or bymail to Taylor’s MIT, P.O. Box 1412, Mendocino, CA,95460. Price is $24.95 plus $2.05 for shipping andhandling (total $27.00).
• In the story “Mushrooms in Mexico” by Ron Meyers,I misspoke when I referred to him as merely a “con-tributor” to the Kansas Mycolog; of course he’s been theeditor of that newsletter for years. Sorry, Ron!
C U L I N A R Y C O R N E R
Pasta Tetrazzini with Mushrooms and Sauternes
15 ml (1 Tbsp.) butter1 chopped onion2 finely chopped cloves of garlic750 ml (3 cups) sliced mushrooms (I like Sulfur Shelf or
Hen-of-the-Woods in this dish, but all wild andcommercial mushrooms work well.)
½ tsp. each of salt, pepper, dried thyme and aromaticherbs
a pinch of Cayenne pepper50 ml (¼ cup) flour500 ml (2 cups) milk375 ml. (1½ cups) chicken broth125 ml (½ cup) white wine or Sauternes (Madeira also
works well. Do not use “Cooking Sherry.”)400 g (1 lb) short pasta (rotini, broad egg noodles, etc.)1 liter (4 cups) cooked chicken (turkey, veal or ham) cut
up into small piecesa few tsps. fresh chopped parsley (optional)50 ml (¼ cup) grated Parmesan (or more)
Garnish (optional)15 ml (1 Tbsp.) of butter1 finely chopped clove of garlic250 ml (1 cup) of bread crumbs25 ml (2 Tbsp.) fresh chopped parsley25 ml (2 Tbsp.) almonds or chopped pecan nuts25 ml (2 Tbsp.) Parmesan
Melt the butter in a thick-bottomed saucepan. Fry thegarlic cloves and onion in it until they become soft butnot brown. Incorporate the mushrooms and the spicesuntil the mushrooms release their water, which takes afew minutes.* Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirringwithout allowing it to turn brown. Using a whisk,gradually incorporate the milk, broth, and wine until alllumps are gone. Continue cooking, stirring until thesauce thickens and comes to a boil. Do not let it boil.Meanwhile cook the pasta al dente. Drain and add it tothe sauce along with the chicken, parsley, andParmesan. Pour into a casserole dish.
Garnish: In a small frying pan melt the butter at lowheat. Brown the garlic. Add the breadcrumbs, parsley,and Parmesan. Mix well. Spread over the casserole.
Cook in the oven at 180°C (375°F) for 30 minutes untilthe sauce starts bubbling and the breadcrumbs becomegolden brown. Serves 4.
*As a variation of this recipe, add the mushrooms atthe end of the process if you want them to be a littlecrisper.
This dish is so good that it will have you singing like thefamous opera star for whom it’s named! —Britt
Model Forest in August 2005, 30 members of theEdmonton Mycological Society collected and identifiednearly 550 different fungi. That area was ecologicallyless diverse than the Foothills Model Forest area, so weanticipate a large diversity of fungi at the NAMA foray!
Some of the specific sites we are identifying arelocated within the ecologically diverse study areas ofthe Foothills Model Forest, including such areas asundisturbed and disturbed habitats: boreal, montane,and subalpine forests and wetlands. Other areas we areproposing include trips into the spectacular alpineregions as well as some foraying from canoes along apristine creek joining several beautiful lakes in WilliamSwitzer Provincial Park.
If you would like to receive further informationabout the Edmonton Mycological Society and what wedo, contact information can be found on our website:www.wildmushrooms.ws. We hope to see you all inAugust!
[Dr. Thormann is President and Martin Osis is ProgramDirector of the Edmonton Mycological Society.]
NAMA Foray ‘06, continued from page 1
16The Mycophile, March/April 2006
Remembering Wayne Ellettby Dick Grimm with Shirley Hyatt, OMS
Wayne Ellett died Jan. 6, 2006, at age 89. Wayne was acharter member of the Ohio Mushroom Society (OMS)as well as of NAMA.
From the Columbia Dispatch: “Wayne received aB.A. from Kent State and M.Sc. and Ph.D. from OhioState University where he taught Botany, Plant Pathol-ogy and Mycology. Trustees named the plant anddiagnostic clinic the C. Wayne Ellett Plant and PestDiagnostic Clinic to reflect his contributions to theuniversity, his expertise in plant disease diagnosis, andhis establishment of the plant disease clinic. He was aconsultant with the National Science Foundation inWashington, D.C., and with the Institute of Biology inIndia. He retired as Professor Emeritus in 1981 . . .
“Wayne enjoyed photography—especially of mush-rooms and tree flowers—hiking in state parks, stampcollecting, birding and working in his yard. He servedin the Pacific while in the United States Navy duringWW II . . . Contributions may be made in Wayne’smemory to Overbrook Presbyterian Church, 4131 NorthHigh St., Columbus, Oh. 43214, or to the Leukemia &Lymphoma Society, 2225 City Gate Drive, Columbus,Oh. 43219. . . .”
I remember Wayne as a soft-spoken man with alove for the fleshy fungi. We spent some time togetherhunting mushrooms, mostly in central Ohio. Wayneloved photographing his mycological discoveries. Hetold me once, “One can’t, as a photographer, ever walkby an Amanita muscaria or Mycena leiana without takinga picture,” and it seems he never did.
Wayne was always active, especially with theMetro Parks, heading up mushroom walks and givingtalks about the fleshy fungi. He was a charter memberof our society and quite active in the early stages ofOMS.
Wayne and his wife Mary attended some of theNAMA forays along with Phyllis and me. I recall theone in North Carolina, mostly because when wecrossed the border into South Carolina, only a fewmiles away, the police gathered all of the hunters upand planned to take us to jail under suspicion ofpracticing illicit drug trafficking. Wayne was instrumen-tal in convincing them that the hunt was legitimate.
Wayne, along with five other men, mostly mycolo-gists, met in a Boy Scout Camp between Marion andColumbus and initiated the National Amateur Mycologi-cal Society (NAMA), which of course exists to thispresent time and has well over a thousand members,both here in the States and abroad.
Shirley adds: Wayne was Terry’s and my first stepinto mushrooming and the OMS. We’d gone to a winterpresentation by Wayne at a local garden club—justsomething we’d seen advertised in the newspaper—and
Other magazines urge you to subscribe, butwe invite you to join friends on what we call
“printed forays”!
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Continued on next page
17 The Mycophile, March/April 2006
Mushrooms in a Series (limited to3 entries)
his presentation was wonderful—expansive and full of the wonderof mushrooms, their varied colors,shapes, sizes, surprising locations:the works. It was he who gave usthe OMS club information, andfrom there we moved on togreater mushrooming involve-ment. Doubtless there are manyothers whose interest in mush-rooms was first sparked byWayne’s enthusiasm and out-reach. Wayne was an irrepressiblephotographer (he gave most of hisslides to OSU) and a generousteacher. We are thankful. Oursympathy goes out to his wife,Mary, in a special way.
Wayne, continued from page 16
be sufficient interest. Calgary isan additional possibility for airtravel, though a bit moredistant. Jasper is about 30 milesfrom Hinton, with Lake Louiseand Banff within sightseeingpossibilities for anyone prefer-ring a more extended visit to theregion. If you have never visitedthis area of our continent, it isone of those unique lifetimeadventures you do not want tomiss.
Au Canada!continued from page 2
All entries must be received by June 15, 2006!
2006 NAMA Photo Contest Entry Form
Name:
Address:
Phone: E-mail:
Classification: Limited [ ] Open [ ]
35mm slide contest: If there are not enough entries for two divisions, allentries will be judged in one division.
Digital: There will only be one division.
Entry TitlesPictorial (Limited to 6 entries)
P–1: P–4:
P–2: P–5:
P–3: P–6:
Documentary (Limited to 6 entries)
D–1: D–4:
D–2: D–5:
D–3: D–6:
Judges’ Option (Limited to 3 entries)
JO–1:
JO–2:
JO–3:
Entry fee enclosed: [ ] $4.00 for 35mm slide contest[ ] $4.00 for digital contest
• You must submit two entry forms if you enter both contests.Forms may be photocopied or downloaded from the Internet.
• Digital images may be e-mailed to [email protected] or mailedon a CD.
• For additional Digital Photo Contest Guidelines and FAQs seehttp://briefcase.yahoo.com/namphocon.
• Mail entry forms, entry fees, slides and/or CD, with check payable toNAMA, to
John Plischke III—Slides Damian Pieper—Digital201 Culbertson Avenue 35 Ventura AvenueGreensburg, PA 15601 Iowa City, Iowa 52245(724) 832-0271 [email protected]@aol.com
S–1:
S–2:
S–3:Book Reviews,continued from page 13
Mycelium Running gives a ton ofuseful and important informa-tion and is an enjoyable read. Irecommend this book to anyonewith an interest in mycology,nature, or simply the health ofthe planet. I’m confident thatmany of the techniques pio-neered by the author will bestandard practice in the future.The planet would benefit from afew more like Paul Stamets.
—Britt Bunyard
18The Mycophile, March/April 2006
Annual Photo Contest RulesEligibility: The contest is open to all paid-up NAMA members. Non-members may enter if a separate check for 2006 dues($35.00) is enclosed with the entry. Slides that have previously won (including Honorable Mention) are not eligible.
Closing Date: All entries must be received by the Contest Director(s) on or before June 15, 2006. Allow at least one weekfor mailing.
Subject material: For Pictorial and Documentary, organisms from the Myxomycota (slime molds) and the classes Basidi-omycetes and Ascomycetes of the Eumycota (“true fungi”) are eligible. For Judge’s Option, nearly anything goes as long as 1)the theme relates to fungi and 2) fungi are a key element of the photograph.
Entry Divisions: For the 35mm slide contest, if there are not enough entries for two divisions, all entries will be judged inone division. There will be only one division in the digital contest.
Pictorial: This division is for single photos that illustrate the beauty and variety of fungi in form and color. The objective is aphoto suitable for display or illustration in a fine book. Judging criteria include consideration of both technical (focus, depthof field, exposure, lighting, color, absence of distracting elements) and artistic (composition, color, background, lighting)aspects.
Documentary: For single photographs especially suited as illustrations in a field guide or monograph or for use in a lecture.Emphasis is placed on portrayal of key morphological characteristics such that the usefulness of the image as an identifica-tion aid is maximized. Subjects may be shot in the field, laboratory, or studio; and the photographer has complete freedom toprocess, manipulate, or orient the specimen in any desired manner to achieve the goal. Close-ups of single features andphotomicrographs are acceptable. Judging criteria will be the same as in the Pictorial category, but they will be of secondaryimportance to the overall mycological utility of the photo. Accurate identification of the subject will be a consideration.
Judge’s Option: For single photos or series that do not fit into Pictorial or Documentary divisions. Examples include time-lapse series, ecological relationships of fungi (e.g. fairy rings), fungi with animals, people enjoying fungi.
Mushrooms in a Series: For single photos or series which do not fit into the Pictorial or Documentary divisions. Examplesinclude time-lapse series, etc.
Entrant Classifications: Limited or Open classification. Open is intended for experienced photographers who are not enteringfor the first time. Limited is intended for the novice. All entries from a person must be in either Limited or Open: no dualclassification entrants. Entrants must compete in the Open class if they have won 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or Merit in two or moreprevious contests. The two classifications are judged separately for the Pictorial and Documentary divisions, and together forthe Judge’s Option.
Awards: First, 2nd, and 3rd prizes will be awarded in Pictorial and Documentary in both Limited and Open classifications.Additional Honorable Mention awards are given at the judges’ discretion up to a maximum of 15% of the entries in thatparticular category. There will be no ranking in the Judges’ Option division, and up to 20% of the entries may be selected.Prizes such as film, subscriptions, book credits, certificates, etc. are awarded, depending on the contest director’s resource-fulness and the generosity of donors.
Format: Send color transparencies of any size that will fit into two-inch square plastic or cardboard mounts that function ina standard 80-slide carousel. Glass mounts will not be accepted. Slides may be cropped, retouched, or otherwise repro-cessed.
Marking, Listing, and Submitting Slides: Mark each slide with a projection spot at the lower left corner of the mountwhen viewed right-side up out of the projector. The same side should include the entrant’s initials, division initials, andslide number (e.g. OQ K-P-1). Use 1a, 1b, 1c, etc. for sequences. Fill out and submit the Entry Form along with your slides.Send by first class mail. Acknowledgment of receipt will be sent to you. If possible, arrange your packaging so that it can bereused in returning your slides.
Marking, Listing, and Submitting Digital Photos: What information do you want included in the digital photo’s filename? If your computer program permits, we’d like to have at least these three things in your filenames: D (for Documen-tary), JO (for Judges Option), P (for Pictorial), or S (for Mushrooms in a Series); the photographer’s initials in 3 spaces,followed by the Genus and species of the fungus or myxomycete if you can identify it; your title for the photo (unless it isthe same as the previous) and, of course, the file extension. If you have enough space for your full name, the date the photowas taken, etc., or you wish to include other info, that is a bonus but not required.
Entry Fee: The entry fee for slides is $4.00. The entry fee for the digital contest is $4.00.
Reproduction: Entry in the contest constitutes the consent of the photographer to allow NAMA to reproduce two copies ofeach winning slide or digital photos (including Honorable Mention) for circulation by the Education Committee among themembership and affiliated societies. NAMA also reserves the right to post images of the winning slides and digital photos onthe NAMA website, Namphocon, and in The Mycophile. All copyrights remain with the photographer.
Questions? Contact the Chair of the NAMA Photo Committee: John Plischke III, 201 Culbertson Ave, Greensburg, PA 15601,(724) 832-0271, e-mail: <[email protected]>. See page 17 for Entry Form.
Leccinum boreale. CommonNames: Northern Roughstem, RedCaps. Family: Boletaceae. Season:August to September (although in2005 we found the first one onJune 18)
If you want a good edible mushroom that doesn’t haveany dangerous look-alikes, grows for a long period oftime, repeatedly grows in the same area, and can befound in deciduous trees, conifers and grass, then thisfamily of mushrooms is for you. The Leccinum borealewas picked through a lengthy process by PAWMA (Picka Wild Mushroom Alberta) as the representativemushroom of Alberta.
As many Boletaceae are edible—Leccinum, Suillus,and Boletus alike—people are not particular as to whichspecies they pick. One reference states, “This commonand widespread bolete has a number of look-alikes, allof which, so far as is known, are edible.” There are,however, differences. As you move from delight infinding something you know is edible and celebratingthe harvest of three mushrooms, you will also findyourself wanting to differentiate between varieties.
First check to make sure that the underside of thecap has tubes rather than gills or pores. If you cut asample across the cap you will see the elongated tubesthat form the bottom spongy matter. The second step isto check the stalk. All Leccinum varieties have tuftedhairs or small scales called “scabers” on the stalk. Ifyou can find the tubes but not the scabers you likelyhave a different member of the Boletaceae. It mightstill be edible but it is not a Leccinum boreale.
The L. boreale has an orange-red cap, which cangrow up to 16 cm across, with off-white pores and arough stem. The stalk is white and solid, varyingbetween a few centimetres to almost 15 cm in height,depending on the growing conditions. Normally it is 10cm in height and 3 cm in width, generally wider at thebottom than at the top but without a veil or volva. Thespore print is yellow-brown to dull cinnamon or me-dium brown. When it grows in the forest, the L. borealelikes clearer areas where the undergrowth is minimal;but it also grows quite contentedly in knee high grass!
With the Boletaceae, the staining color is often amajor way to tell these varieties apart as the cap colorcan be difficult to define and will often overlap fromspecies to species. The L. boreale stains dark when cut.For this reason many pickers choose not to clean theirmushrooms until they get home. Other people insist oncleaning the harvest, mushroom by mushroom, as theyare picked. Why the big difference? One group does notlike the staining colour and if the mushrooms are
cooked very soon after cutting the discoloration isminimal. Cooking inhibits the discoloration process.The second group cleans on site because they feel thatthe staining is secondary to removing maggots from themushroom. Yes, the insects, and even squirrels, enjoythis mushroom as much as people. By cleaning themushrooms and removing all intruders you don’t givethe “wildlife” time to eat more of your harvest. Thisdoes, however, give your harvest the look of paperleaves and sticks rather than mushrooms.
Whether you clean on site or at home, it is impor-tant to know where the insects are most likely to be.You can’t assume that because it is a young mushroomit will be clean. There have been times when a maturespecies was clean and a young specimen just beside itwas full of insects. The first step is to cut off the stalk.The maggots generally travel up the stalk to freedom atthe top of the cap. Often the path will be along thecentre of the stalk. Cut the stalk horizontally to checkinfestation. If the damage is along the center, you canoften remove the center portion, leaving the majority ofthe stalk to enjoy. If you get the idea that the stalk is atreasured part of the mushroom, you are right! With thecap, often the infestations are limited to the spongypores on the underside of the cap and marginally thecap itself. Cleaning off the spongy layer will often besufficient to prepare the cap for cooking. The center ofthe cap can be infested while the outside edges areclean. You need to check all the parts carefully if youdon’t want a high protein content in your dish.
This variety of mushroom can be dried or cookedand then frozen. The dried mushrooms are easy to useand can later be crushed to a powder. If frozen in an icecube tray, the mushrooms are ready to use and don’tneed rehydrating. The choice is personal, but mostpeople agree that the best way, as with all wild mush-rooms, is to eat them fresh.
Loretta Puckrin is a member of the Edmonton MycologicalSociety—our host club for this year’s Annual NAMA Foray.This article was reprinted with permission.
North American Mycological Association336 Lenox AvenueOakland, CA 94610-4675
