MUSHROOM | THE JOURNAL OF WILD MUSHROOMINGHOMEMUSHROOM IDENTIFICATIONMUSHROOMS AND PEOPLEMUSHROOM BIOLOGY AND TAXONOMY Mushroom the Journal is providing our most recent issue as a pdf for free download for those of you who can’t get out to the woods. This issue covers North American morel species, an expedition to Venezuela, using fungi to color wood, and a host of spectacular images. Click here to download sample issue. LEARNING ABOUT MUSHROOMS Learning and Collecting Mushrooms. The best way to learn about mushrooms is to collect with an experienced mushroom hunter, and educate yourself using reliable references. Traditionally, the standard reference has been a field guide (or several field guides), but more and more material is becoming available now on the web. COOKING WILD MUSHROOMS Chop two or three cloves of garlic and a small onion per frying pan full of oysters. Heat the oil (3 to 4 tablespoons) till a drop of water sizzles in it, then add the onion, cook till translucent, and add about 1/2 tsp. of ground cumin and stir. Now, you can add the

oysters

MUSHROOM CLUBS

Mushroom clubs offer fellowship and instruction, helping mushroomers of all levels learn their local mushrooms. Most clubs host regular walks during the mushroom season, publish a newsletter, and have sit-down meetings with presentations on fungal topics. Other common club activities and events include an annual weekend foray and/or

mushroom fair.

XAMANITA MUSCARIA EDIBILITY Further Reflections on Amanita muscaria as an Edible Species by Debbie Viess. Over twenty five years ago, a tiny perfect grisette seduced me into the world of mushrooms. Barely three inches tall, it glowed pearly gray and grew from the middle of my favorite Bay Area hiking

trail.

GILL SPACING

Gill spacing can be a useful character in determining a mushroom's identity, but it does have the drawback that we don't have a term for "normal", or "average". The gill spacing shown here, for instance, is probably the most usual that you will see (also in store-bought mushrooms, for example); it is considered crowded, or close. Back to

top

EFFUSED-REFLEXED

Effused-reflexed is a term used to describe a mushroom on a vertical surface that is partially resupinate and partially pileate, as in the picture.The pileate portion of an effused-reflexed fruiting body is necessarily sessile.The part that's sticking out is sometimes called the reflexed portion, and the resupinate part is sometimes called the effused portion; I just call them (unless I forget DECURRENT - MUSHROOM Subdecurrent gills run parallel to the cap for most of their length, then the edge suddenly bends down the stem just before it gets there. This attachment is #4 in the diagram. It is the last type of attachment on which there is general agreement. The rest of them are the way I use the terms in this website, and are quite reasonable, but it will be easy for you to find people who disagree with me. QUESTION 10: ARE PUFFBALLS GOOD TO EAT? To test this, slice the fruiting body in half from top to bottom. Amanitas and some other mushrooms emerge from the ground enclosed in a white cottony "egg" that looks a bit like a puffball.But when you cut it in half, you will see the cap and stem of the baby mushroom inside (bottom left in the picture). If the cap and stem are white (as in the destroying angels), they are not as easy to see!

GLUCOSAMINE

chitin Terms discussed: acetylglucosamine (pl. acetylglucosamines), chitosan, glucan (pl. glucans), glucoaminoglycan (pl. glucoaminoglycans), glucosamine (pl. glucosamines) In the wild world where multi-cellular creatures first began to evolve, plants were the first to break away from the herd and start to become something

distinct.

MUSHROOM | THE JOURNAL OF WILD MUSHROOMINGHOMEMUSHROOM IDENTIFICATIONMUSHROOMS AND PEOPLEMUSHROOM BIOLOGY AND TAXONOMY Mushroom the Journal is providing our most recent issue as a pdf for free download for those of you who can’t get out to the woods. This issue covers North American morel species, an expedition to Venezuela, using fungi to color wood, and a host of spectacular images. Click here to download sample issue. LEARNING ABOUT MUSHROOMS Learning and Collecting Mushrooms. The best way to learn about mushrooms is to collect with an experienced mushroom hunter, and educate yourself using reliable references. Traditionally, the standard reference has been a field guide (or several field guides), but more and more material is becoming available now on the web. COOKING WILD MUSHROOMS Chop two or three cloves of garlic and a small onion per frying pan full of oysters. Heat the oil (3 to 4 tablespoons) till a drop of water sizzles in it, then add the onion, cook till translucent, and add about 1/2 tsp. of ground cumin and stir. Now, you can add the

oysters

MUSHROOM CLUBS

Mushroom clubs offer fellowship and instruction, helping mushroomers of all levels learn their local mushrooms. Most clubs host regular walks during the mushroom season, publish a newsletter, and have sit-down meetings with presentations on fungal topics. Other common club activities and events include an annual weekend foray and/or

mushroom fair.

XAMANITA MUSCARIA EDIBILITY Further Reflections on Amanita muscaria as an Edible Species by Debbie Viess. Over twenty five years ago, a tiny perfect grisette seduced me into the world of mushrooms. Barely three inches tall, it glowed pearly gray and grew from the middle of my favorite Bay Area hiking

trail.

GILL SPACING

Gill spacing can be a useful character in determining a mushroom's identity, but it does have the drawback that we don't have a term for "normal", or "average". The gill spacing shown here, for instance, is probably the most usual that you will see (also in store-bought mushrooms, for example); it is considered crowded, or close. Back to

top

EFFUSED-REFLEXED

Effused-reflexed is a term used to describe a mushroom on a vertical surface that is partially resupinate and partially pileate, as in the picture.The pileate portion of an effused-reflexed fruiting body is necessarily sessile.The part that's sticking out is sometimes called the reflexed portion, and the resupinate part is sometimes called the effused portion; I just call them (unless I forget DECURRENT - MUSHROOM Subdecurrent gills run parallel to the cap for most of their length, then the edge suddenly bends down the stem just before it gets there. This attachment is #4 in the diagram. It is the last type of attachment on which there is general agreement. The rest of them are the way I use the terms in this website, and are quite reasonable, but it will be easy for you to find people who disagree with me. QUESTION 10: ARE PUFFBALLS GOOD TO EAT? To test this, slice the fruiting body in half from top to bottom. Amanitas and some other mushrooms emerge from the ground enclosed in a white cottony "egg" that looks a bit like a puffball.But when you cut it in half, you will see the cap and stem of the baby mushroom inside (bottom left in the picture). If the cap and stem are white (as in the destroying angels), they are not as easy to see!

GLUCOSAMINE

chitin Terms discussed: acetylglucosamine (pl. acetylglucosamines), chitosan, glucan (pl. glucans), glucoaminoglycan (pl. glucoaminoglycans), glucosamine (pl. glucosamines) In the wild world where multi-cellular creatures first began to evolve, plants were the first to break away from the herd and start to become something

distinct.

MUSHROOM PROFILES

The mushrooms in the genus Amanita are famed for their beauty — and the fact that they are responsible for 95% of all mushroom-related fatalities. Knowing these is a must for the beginning collector. Detailed coverage, section by section. Echinodontium ballouii was

CONTRIBUTORS

Stephen Russell is the lead organizer for The Hoosier Mushroom Society, the mycological society for the State of Indiana. Their monthly events can be found at www.hoosiermushrooms.org. In the spring he helps to organize speakers and forays for The Morel Festival ( www.morelfestival.com) in Brown County , BOOTED AMANITAS: SUBSECTIONS GEMMATAE AND PANTHERINAE The European Amanita pantherina. Illustration from Giacomo Bresadola’s Iconographia mycologica (1927) There are two groups of booted Amanitas: the panthers and the gemmed Amanitas. The pantherinae and gemmatae have usually been treated as separate groups, built around the large, dark brown A. pantherina and the much smaller yellow

A. gemmata.

AMANITA: SECTION VALIDAE, THE FLAVOCONIOIDS Amanita flavoconia cap. Photo by Leon Shernoff. The default Amanita flavoconia has a deep orangey yellow cap, a sort of egg yolk color. The stem also has at least some yellow on it. The ring is small and collapses against the stalk, and turns brown in age. A mushroom matching the Amanita erythrocephala concept, from the Rogerson Foray

in

PARTIAL VEILS

The partial veil is a membrane that covers the spore-bearing surface of the mushroom while it is developing. In effect, this encloses the young spore-bearing surface in a small chamber where it’s easier for the mushroom to maintain the right humidity and temperature for the developing spore-bearing cells. LEPIOTA ACUTESQUAMOSA Lepiota acutesquamosa Key to Gilled Mushrooms Key This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills.The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find. QUESTION 10: ARE PUFFBALLS GOOD TO EAT? To test this, slice the fruiting body in half from top to bottom. Amanitas and some other mushrooms emerge from the ground enclosed in a white cottony "egg" that looks a bit like a puffball.But when you cut it in half, you will see the cap and stem of the baby mushroom inside (bottom left in the picture). If the cap and stem are white (as in the destroying angels), they are not as easy to see! ALEXANDER HANCHETT SMITH Back to Author Index Biography Home Page Selected publications Species Biography For many years the dean of american mycologists. He probably named more valid species than anyone except Lewis David von Schweinitz and Charles Horton Peck.He now has a biography on the website of the University of Michigan herbarium.

INOPERCULATE

Some fungi produce their sexual spores in long, sausage-shaped sacs called asci.These fungus are called ascomycetes and are placed in the phylum Ascomycota. There are usually eight spores to an ascus.This is achieved by the ascus generating four sex cells by the normal process of meiosis, and then each of those four cells splitting.There are some asci, though, that produce many more spores QUESTION 5: IF A SILVER SPOON (OR AN ONION) TURNS BLACK IN NONE OF THESE TESTS WORKS - - AT ALL! First of all, I don't know of ANY mushroom that will turn silver black - - in fact, I don't know of any food whatsoever that will turn silver black. The two groups of mushrooms that cause 90% of the fatalities in USA (Amanita virosa and Amanita phalloides) will not turn silver black, and they also can be peeled.They have a pleasant (not bitter, not burning MUSHROOM | THE JOURNAL OF WILD MUSHROOMINGHOMEMUSHROOM IDENTIFICATIONMUSHROOMS AND PEOPLEMUSHROOM BIOLOGY AND TAXONOMY Mushroom the Journal is providing our most recent issue as a pdf for free download for those of you who can’t get out to the woods. This issue covers North American morel species, an expedition to Venezuela, using fungi to color wood, and a host of spectacular images. Click here to download sample issue. LEARNING ABOUT MUSHROOMS Learning and Collecting Mushrooms. The best way to learn about mushrooms is to collect with an experienced mushroom hunter, and educate yourself using reliable references. Traditionally, the standard reference has been a field guide (or several field guides), but more and more material is becoming available now on the web. COOKING WILD MUSHROOMS Chop two or three cloves of garlic and a small onion per frying pan full of oysters. Heat the oil (3 to 4 tablespoons) till a drop of water sizzles in it, then add the onion, cook till translucent, and add about 1/2 tsp. of ground cumin and stir. Now, you can add the

oysters

WHAT IS A MUSHROOM MADE OF? The main body of a fungus is composed of a mass of what look like fine threads or roots, called hyphae. They are usually just a single cell thick. If the fungus is eating a log, these threads will penetrate throughout the wood, secreting digestive enzymes that dissolve components of the wood that the fungus then absorbs and feeds on.

MUSHROOM CLUBS

Mushroom clubs offer fellowship and instruction, helping mushroomers of all levels learn their local mushrooms. Most clubs host regular walks during the mushroom season, publish a newsletter, and have sit-down meetings with presentations on fungal topics. Other common club activities and events include an annual weekend foray and/or

mushroom fair.

BOOTED AMANITAS: SUBSECTIONS GEMMATAE AND PANTHERINAE The European Amanita pantherina. Illustration from Giacomo Bresadola’s Iconographia mycologica (1927) There are two groups of booted Amanitas: the panthers and the gemmed Amanitas. The pantherinae and gemmatae have usually been treated as separate groups, built around the large, dark brown A. pantherina and the much smaller yellow

A. gemmata.

BOLBITIUS COPROPHILUS Bolbitius coprophilus Key to Gilled Mushrooms Key This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills.The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.

GILL SPACING

Gill spacing can be a useful character in determining a mushroom's identity, but it does have the drawback that we don't have a term for "normal", or "average". The gill spacing shown here, for instance, is probably the most usual that you will see (also in store-bought mushrooms, for example); it is considered crowded, or close. Back to

top

SPONGIFORMA SQUAREPANTSII In fact, conservative estimates suggest that roughly 19 out of 20 fungi still need names (Hawksworth 2001). The new Spongiforma: S. squarepantsii, a new species described recently from material collected in Borneo. Photo by Tom Bruns. Part of the reason that many remain unnamed is that they are often hard to see and they may exhibit

very subtle

ESTHER AMELIA DICK

Esther Amelia Dick (1909 - 1985) Back to Author Index Biography Selected publications Species Biography An authority on American Boletes, she studied with Walter Henry Snell, co-authored many publications with him, and eventually marrried him. Selected

Publications

MUSHROOM | THE JOURNAL OF WILD MUSHROOMINGHOMEMUSHROOM IDENTIFICATIONMUSHROOMS AND PEOPLEMUSHROOM BIOLOGY AND TAXONOMY Mushroom the Journal is providing our most recent issue as a pdf for free download for those of you who can’t get out to the woods. This issue covers North American morel species, an expedition to Venezuela, using fungi to color wood, and a host of spectacular images. Click here to download sample issue. LEARNING ABOUT MUSHROOMS Learning and Collecting Mushrooms. The best way to learn about mushrooms is to collect with an experienced mushroom hunter, and educate yourself using reliable references. Traditionally, the standard reference has been a field guide (or several field guides), but more and more material is becoming available now on the web. COOKING WILD MUSHROOMS Chop two or three cloves of garlic and a small onion per frying pan full of oysters. Heat the oil (3 to 4 tablespoons) till a drop of water sizzles in it, then add the onion, cook till translucent, and add about 1/2 tsp. of ground cumin and stir. Now, you can add the

oysters

WHAT IS A MUSHROOM MADE OF? The main body of a fungus is composed of a mass of what look like fine threads or roots, called hyphae. They are usually just a single cell thick. If the fungus is eating a log, these threads will penetrate throughout the wood, secreting digestive enzymes that dissolve components of the wood that the fungus then absorbs and feeds on.

MUSHROOM CLUBS

Mushroom clubs offer fellowship and instruction, helping mushroomers of all levels learn their local mushrooms. Most clubs host regular walks during the mushroom season, publish a newsletter, and have sit-down meetings with presentations on fungal topics. Other common club activities and events include an annual weekend foray and/or

mushroom fair.

BOOTED AMANITAS: SUBSECTIONS GEMMATAE AND PANTHERINAE The European Amanita pantherina. Illustration from Giacomo Bresadola’s Iconographia mycologica (1927) There are two groups of booted Amanitas: the panthers and the gemmed Amanitas. The pantherinae and gemmatae have usually been treated as separate groups, built around the large, dark brown A. pantherina and the much smaller yellow

A. gemmata.

BOLBITIUS COPROPHILUS Bolbitius coprophilus Key to Gilled Mushrooms Key This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills.The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.

GILL SPACING

Gill spacing can be a useful character in determining a mushroom's identity, but it does have the drawback that we don't have a term for "normal", or "average". The gill spacing shown here, for instance, is probably the most usual that you will see (also in store-bought mushrooms, for example); it is considered crowded, or close. Back to

top

SPONGIFORMA SQUAREPANTSII In fact, conservative estimates suggest that roughly 19 out of 20 fungi still need names (Hawksworth 2001). The new Spongiforma: S. squarepantsii, a new species described recently from material collected in Borneo. Photo by Tom Bruns. Part of the reason that many remain unnamed is that they are often hard to see and they may exhibit

very subtle

ESTHER AMELIA DICK

Esther Amelia Dick (1909 - 1985) Back to Author Index Biography Selected publications Species Biography An authority on American Boletes, she studied with Walter Henry Snell, co-authored many publications with him, and eventually marrried him. Selected

Publications

WHAT IS A MUSHROOM MADE OF? The main body of a fungus is composed of a mass of what look like fine threads or roots, called hyphae. They are usually just a single cell thick. If the fungus is eating a log, these threads will penetrate throughout the wood, secreting digestive enzymes that dissolve components of the wood that the fungus then absorbs and feeds on. BOOTED AMANITAS: SUBSECTIONS GEMMATAE AND PANTHERINAE The European Amanita pantherina. Illustration from Giacomo Bresadola’s Iconographia mycologica (1927) There are two groups of booted Amanitas: the panthers and the gemmed Amanitas. The pantherinae and gemmatae have usually been treated as separate groups, built around the large, dark brown A. pantherina and the much smaller yellow

A. gemmata.

SPONGIFORMA SQUAREPANTSII Shakespeare was making the point that names don’t matter, but in the case of Spongiforma squarepantsii, he was clearly wrong.Although the name does seem to describe the fungus well (particularly, as you can see, after help from Photoshop), it could have been given a wide variety of other descriptive names. PRESERVING MUSHROOMS Freezing is the other preservation method that comes naturally to most of us. The main point here is that all mushrooms should be sautéed (or parboiled, or briefly cooked in some other way) before being frozen. Otherwise, unless you really, really flash freeze (and unfreeze) them, they usually liquefy upon thawing – a most unpleasant experience.

PARTIAL VEILS

The partial veil is a membrane that covers the spore-bearing surface of the mushroom while it is developing. In effect, this encloses the young spore-bearing surface in a small chamber where it’s easier for the mushroom to maintain the right humidity and temperature for the developing spore-bearing cells.

AMANITA MUSCARIA

Amanita muscaria has a long history of use in Siberia in shamanistic practice, and in the rest of Europe and Russia as part of a fly-extermination system: bits of the mushroom are crushed and put in a saucer of milk. Flies are attracted to the chemicals evaporating from the milk and drink it; they are stupefied by other mushroom chemicals, fall into the milk, and drown. BOLBITIUS COPROPHILUS Bolbitius coprophilus Key to Gilled Mushrooms Key This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills.The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.

PHOLIOTA SPUMOSA

Pholiota spumosa Key to Gilled Mushrooms Key This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills.The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that

you find.

PLUTEUS FLAVOFULIGINEUS Pluteus flavofuligineus. This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills. The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.

GILL ATTACHMENT

Subdecurrent gills run parallel to the cap for most of their length, then the edge suddenly bends down the stem just before it gets there. This attachment is #4 in the diagram. It is the last type of attachment on which there is general agreement. The rest of them are the way I use the terms in this website, and are quite reasonable, but it will be easy for you to find people who disagree with me. MUSHROOM | THE JOURNAL OF WILD MUSHROOMINGHOMEMUSHROOM IDENTIFICATIONMUSHROOMS AND PEOPLEMUSHROOM BIOLOGY AND TAXONOMY Mushroom the Journal is providing our most recent issue as a pdf for free download for those of you who can’t get out to the woods. This issue covers North American morel species, an expedition to Venezuela, using fungi to color wood, and a host of spectacular images. Click here to download sample issue. LEARNING ABOUT MUSHROOMS Learning and Collecting Mushrooms. The best way to learn about mushrooms is to collect with an experienced mushroom hunter, and educate yourself using reliable references. Traditionally, the standard reference has been a field guide (or several field guides), but more and more material is becoming available now on the web. COOKING WILD MUSHROOMS Chop two or three cloves of garlic and a small onion per frying pan full of oysters. Heat the oil (3 to 4 tablespoons) till a drop of water sizzles in it, then add the onion, cook till translucent, and add about 1/2 tsp. of ground cumin and stir. Now, you can add the

oysters

WHAT IS A MUSHROOM MADE OF? The main body of a fungus is composed of a mass of what look like fine threads or roots, called hyphae. They are usually just a single cell thick. If the fungus is eating a log, these threads will penetrate throughout the wood, secreting digestive enzymes that dissolve components of the wood that the fungus then absorbs and feeds on.

MUSHROOM CLUBS

Mushroom clubs offer fellowship and instruction, helping mushroomers of all levels learn their local mushrooms. Most clubs host regular walks during the mushroom season, publish a newsletter, and have sit-down meetings with presentations on fungal topics. Other common club activities and events include an annual weekend foray and/or

mushroom fair.

BOOTED AMANITAS: SUBSECTIONS GEMMATAE AND PANTHERINAE The European Amanita pantherina. Illustration from Giacomo Bresadola’s Iconographia mycologica (1927) There are two groups of booted Amanitas: the panthers and the gemmed Amanitas. The pantherinae and gemmatae have usually been treated as separate groups, built around the large, dark brown A. pantherina and the much smaller yellow

A. gemmata.

BOLBITIUS COPROPHILUS Bolbitius coprophilus Key to Gilled Mushrooms Key This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills.The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.

GILL SPACING

Gill spacing can be a useful character in determining a mushroom's identity, but it does have the drawback that we don't have a term for "normal", or "average". The gill spacing shown here, for instance, is probably the most usual that you will see (also in store-bought mushrooms, for example); it is considered crowded, or close. Back to

top

SPONGIFORMA SQUAREPANTSII In fact, conservative estimates suggest that roughly 19 out of 20 fungi still need names (Hawksworth 2001). The new Spongiforma: S. squarepantsii, a new species described recently from material collected in Borneo. Photo by Tom Bruns. Part of the reason that many remain unnamed is that they are often hard to see and they may exhibit

very subtle

ESTHER AMELIA DICK

Esther Amelia Dick (1909 - 1985) Back to Author Index Biography Selected publications Species Biography An authority on American Boletes, she studied with Walter Henry Snell, co-authored many publications with him, and eventually marrried him. Selected

Publications

MUSHROOM | THE JOURNAL OF WILD MUSHROOMINGHOMEMUSHROOM IDENTIFICATIONMUSHROOMS AND PEOPLEMUSHROOM BIOLOGY AND TAXONOMY Mushroom the Journal is providing our most recent issue as a pdf for free download for those of you who can’t get out to the woods. This issue covers North American morel species, an expedition to Venezuela, using fungi to color wood, and a host of spectacular images. Click here to download sample issue. LEARNING ABOUT MUSHROOMS Learning and Collecting Mushrooms. The best way to learn about mushrooms is to collect with an experienced mushroom hunter, and educate yourself using reliable references. Traditionally, the standard reference has been a field guide (or several field guides), but more and more material is becoming available now on the web. COOKING WILD MUSHROOMS Chop two or three cloves of garlic and a small onion per frying pan full of oysters. Heat the oil (3 to 4 tablespoons) till a drop of water sizzles in it, then add the onion, cook till translucent, and add about 1/2 tsp. of ground cumin and stir. Now, you can add the

oysters

WHAT IS A MUSHROOM MADE OF? The main body of a fungus is composed of a mass of what look like fine threads or roots, called hyphae. They are usually just a single cell thick. If the fungus is eating a log, these threads will penetrate throughout the wood, secreting digestive enzymes that dissolve components of the wood that the fungus then absorbs and feeds on.

MUSHROOM CLUBS

Mushroom clubs offer fellowship and instruction, helping mushroomers of all levels learn their local mushrooms. Most clubs host regular walks during the mushroom season, publish a newsletter, and have sit-down meetings with presentations on fungal topics. Other common club activities and events include an annual weekend foray and/or

mushroom fair.

BOOTED AMANITAS: SUBSECTIONS GEMMATAE AND PANTHERINAE The European Amanita pantherina. Illustration from Giacomo Bresadola’s Iconographia mycologica (1927) There are two groups of booted Amanitas: the panthers and the gemmed Amanitas. The pantherinae and gemmatae have usually been treated as separate groups, built around the large, dark brown A. pantherina and the much smaller yellow

A. gemmata.

BOLBITIUS COPROPHILUS Bolbitius coprophilus Key to Gilled Mushrooms Key This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills.The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.

GILL SPACING

Gill spacing can be a useful character in determining a mushroom's identity, but it does have the drawback that we don't have a term for "normal", or "average". The gill spacing shown here, for instance, is probably the most usual that you will see (also in store-bought mushrooms, for example); it is considered crowded, or close. Back to

top

SPONGIFORMA SQUAREPANTSII In fact, conservative estimates suggest that roughly 19 out of 20 fungi still need names (Hawksworth 2001). The new Spongiforma: S. squarepantsii, a new species described recently from material collected in Borneo. Photo by Tom Bruns. Part of the reason that many remain unnamed is that they are often hard to see and they may exhibit

very subtle

ESTHER AMELIA DICK

Esther Amelia Dick (1909 - 1985) Back to Author Index Biography Selected publications Species Biography An authority on American Boletes, she studied with Walter Henry Snell, co-authored many publications with him, and eventually marrried him. Selected

Publications

WHAT IS A MUSHROOM MADE OF? The main body of a fungus is composed of a mass of what look like fine threads or roots, called hyphae. They are usually just a single cell thick. If the fungus is eating a log, these threads will penetrate throughout the wood, secreting digestive enzymes that dissolve components of the wood that the fungus then absorbs and feeds on. BOOTED AMANITAS: SUBSECTIONS GEMMATAE AND PANTHERINAE The European Amanita pantherina. Illustration from Giacomo Bresadola’s Iconographia mycologica (1927) There are two groups of booted Amanitas: the panthers and the gemmed Amanitas. The pantherinae and gemmatae have usually been treated as separate groups, built around the large, dark brown A. pantherina and the much smaller yellow

A. gemmata.

SPONGIFORMA SQUAREPANTSII Shakespeare was making the point that names don’t matter, but in the case of Spongiforma squarepantsii, he was clearly wrong.Although the name does seem to describe the fungus well (particularly, as you can see, after help from Photoshop), it could have been given a wide variety of other descriptive names. PRESERVING MUSHROOMS Freezing is the other preservation method that comes naturally to most of us. The main point here is that all mushrooms should be sautéed (or parboiled, or briefly cooked in some other way) before being frozen. Otherwise, unless you really, really flash freeze (and unfreeze) them, they usually liquefy upon thawing – a most unpleasant experience.

PARTIAL VEILS

The partial veil is a membrane that covers the spore-bearing surface of the mushroom while it is developing. In effect, this encloses the young spore-bearing surface in a small chamber where it’s easier for the mushroom to maintain the right humidity and temperature for the developing spore-bearing cells.

AMANITA MUSCARIA

Amanita muscaria has a long history of use in Siberia in shamanistic practice, and in the rest of Europe and Russia as part of a fly-extermination system: bits of the mushroom are crushed and put in a saucer of milk. Flies are attracted to the chemicals evaporating from the milk and drink it; they are stupefied by other mushroom chemicals, fall into the milk, and drown. BOLBITIUS COPROPHILUS Bolbitius coprophilus Key to Gilled Mushrooms Key This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills.The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.

PHOLIOTA SPUMOSA

Pholiota spumosa Key to Gilled Mushrooms Key This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills.The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that

you find.

PLUTEUS FLAVOFULIGINEUS Pluteus flavofuligineus. This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills. The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.

GILL ATTACHMENT

Subdecurrent gills run parallel to the cap for most of their length, then the edge suddenly bends down the stem just before it gets there. This attachment is #4 in the diagram. It is the last type of attachment on which there is general agreement. The rest of them are the way I use the terms in this website, and are quite reasonable, but it will be easy for you to find people who disagree with me. MUSHROOM | THE JOURNAL OF WILD MUSHROOMINGHOMEMUSHROOM IDENTIFICATIONMUSHROOMS AND PEOPLEMUSHROOM BIOLOGY AND TAXONOMY Mushroom the Journal is providing our most recent issue as a pdf for free download for those of you who can’t get out to the woods. This issue covers North American morel species, an expedition to Venezuela, using fungi to color wood, and a host of spectacular images. Click here to download sample issue. LEARNING ABOUT MUSHROOMS Learning and Collecting Mushrooms. The best way to learn about mushrooms is to collect with an experienced mushroom hunter, and educate yourself using reliable references. Traditionally, the standard reference has been a field guide (or several field guides), but more and more material is becoming available now on the web. COOKING WILD MUSHROOMS Chop two or three cloves of garlic and a small onion per frying pan full of oysters. Heat the oil (3 to 4 tablespoons) till a drop of water sizzles in it, then add the onion, cook till translucent, and add about 1/2 tsp. of ground cumin and stir. Now, you can add the

oysters

WHAT IS A MUSHROOM MADE OF? The main body of a fungus is composed of a mass of what look like fine threads or roots, called hyphae. They are usually just a single cell thick. If the fungus is eating a log, these threads will penetrate throughout the wood, secreting digestive enzymes that dissolve components of the wood that the fungus then absorbs and feeds on.

MUSHROOM CLUBS

Mushroom clubs offer fellowship and instruction, helping mushroomers of all levels learn their local mushrooms. Most clubs host regular walks during the mushroom season, publish a newsletter, and have sit-down meetings with presentations on fungal topics. Other common club activities and events include an annual weekend foray and/or

mushroom fair.

BOOTED AMANITAS: SUBSECTIONS GEMMATAE AND PANTHERINAE The European Amanita pantherina. Illustration from Giacomo Bresadola’s Iconographia mycologica (1927) There are two groups of booted Amanitas: the panthers and the gemmed Amanitas. The pantherinae and gemmatae have usually been treated as separate groups, built around the large, dark brown A. pantherina and the much smaller yellow

A. gemmata.

BOLBITIUS COPROPHILUS Bolbitius coprophilus Key to Gilled Mushrooms Key This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills.The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.

GILL SPACING

Gill spacing can be a useful character in determining a mushroom's identity, but it does have the drawback that we don't have a term for "normal", or "average". The gill spacing shown here, for instance, is probably the most usual that you will see (also in store-bought mushrooms, for example); it is considered crowded, or close. Back to

top

SPONGIFORMA SQUAREPANTSII In fact, conservative estimates suggest that roughly 19 out of 20 fungi still need names (Hawksworth 2001). The new Spongiforma: S. squarepantsii, a new species described recently from material collected in Borneo. Photo by Tom Bruns. Part of the reason that many remain unnamed is that they are often hard to see and they may exhibit

very subtle

ESTHER AMELIA DICK

Esther Amelia Dick (1909 - 1985) Back to Author Index Biography Selected publications Species Biography An authority on American Boletes, she studied with Walter Henry Snell, co-authored many publications with him, and eventually marrried him. Selected

Publications

MUSHROOM | THE JOURNAL OF WILD MUSHROOMINGHOMEMUSHROOM IDENTIFICATIONMUSHROOMS AND PEOPLEMUSHROOM BIOLOGY AND TAXONOMY Mushroom the Journal is providing our most recent issue as a pdf for free download for those of you who can’t get out to the woods. This issue covers North American morel species, an expedition to Venezuela, using fungi to color wood, and a host of spectacular images. Click here to download sample issue. LEARNING ABOUT MUSHROOMS Learning and Collecting Mushrooms. The best way to learn about mushrooms is to collect with an experienced mushroom hunter, and educate yourself using reliable references. Traditionally, the standard reference has been a field guide (or several field guides), but more and more material is becoming available now on the web. COOKING WILD MUSHROOMS Chop two or three cloves of garlic and a small onion per frying pan full of oysters. Heat the oil (3 to 4 tablespoons) till a drop of water sizzles in it, then add the onion, cook till translucent, and add about 1/2 tsp. of ground cumin and stir. Now, you can add the

oysters

WHAT IS A MUSHROOM MADE OF? The main body of a fungus is composed of a mass of what look like fine threads or roots, called hyphae. They are usually just a single cell thick. If the fungus is eating a log, these threads will penetrate throughout the wood, secreting digestive enzymes that dissolve components of the wood that the fungus then absorbs and feeds on.

MUSHROOM CLUBS

Mushroom clubs offer fellowship and instruction, helping mushroomers of all levels learn their local mushrooms. Most clubs host regular walks during the mushroom season, publish a newsletter, and have sit-down meetings with presentations on fungal topics. Other common club activities and events include an annual weekend foray and/or

mushroom fair.

BOOTED AMANITAS: SUBSECTIONS GEMMATAE AND PANTHERINAE The European Amanita pantherina. Illustration from Giacomo Bresadola’s Iconographia mycologica (1927) There are two groups of booted Amanitas: the panthers and the gemmed Amanitas. The pantherinae and gemmatae have usually been treated as separate groups, built around the large, dark brown A. pantherina and the much smaller yellow

A. gemmata.

BOLBITIUS COPROPHILUS Bolbitius coprophilus Key to Gilled Mushrooms Key This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills.The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.

GILL SPACING

Gill spacing can be a useful character in determining a mushroom's identity, but it does have the drawback that we don't have a term for "normal", or "average". The gill spacing shown here, for instance, is probably the most usual that you will see (also in store-bought mushrooms, for example); it is considered crowded, or close. Back to

top

SPONGIFORMA SQUAREPANTSII In fact, conservative estimates suggest that roughly 19 out of 20 fungi still need names (Hawksworth 2001). The new Spongiforma: S. squarepantsii, a new species described recently from material collected in Borneo. Photo by Tom Bruns. Part of the reason that many remain unnamed is that they are often hard to see and they may exhibit

very subtle

ESTHER AMELIA DICK

Esther Amelia Dick (1909 - 1985) Back to Author Index Biography Selected publications Species Biography An authority on American Boletes, she studied with Walter Henry Snell, co-authored many publications with him, and eventually marrried him. Selected

Publications

WHAT IS A MUSHROOM MADE OF? The main body of a fungus is composed of a mass of what look like fine threads or roots, called hyphae. They are usually just a single cell thick. If the fungus is eating a log, these threads will penetrate throughout the wood, secreting digestive enzymes that dissolve components of the wood that the fungus then absorbs and feeds on. BOOTED AMANITAS: SUBSECTIONS GEMMATAE AND PANTHERINAE The European Amanita pantherina. Illustration from Giacomo Bresadola’s Iconographia mycologica (1927) There are two groups of booted Amanitas: the panthers and the gemmed Amanitas. The pantherinae and gemmatae have usually been treated as separate groups, built around the large, dark brown A. pantherina and the much smaller yellow

A. gemmata.

SPONGIFORMA SQUAREPANTSII Shakespeare was making the point that names don’t matter, but in the case of Spongiforma squarepantsii, he was clearly wrong.Although the name does seem to describe the fungus well (particularly, as you can see, after help from Photoshop), it could have been given a wide variety of other descriptive names. PRESERVING MUSHROOMS Freezing is the other preservation method that comes naturally to most of us. The main point here is that all mushrooms should be sautéed (or parboiled, or briefly cooked in some other way) before being frozen. Otherwise, unless you really, really flash freeze (and unfreeze) them, they usually liquefy upon thawing – a most unpleasant experience.

PARTIAL VEILS

The partial veil is a membrane that covers the spore-bearing surface of the mushroom while it is developing. In effect, this encloses the young spore-bearing surface in a small chamber where it’s easier for the mushroom to maintain the right humidity and temperature for the developing spore-bearing cells.

AMANITA MUSCARIA

Amanita muscaria has a long history of use in Siberia in shamanistic practice, and in the rest of Europe and Russia as part of a fly-extermination system: bits of the mushroom are crushed and put in a saucer of milk. Flies are attracted to the chemicals evaporating from the milk and drink it; they are stupefied by other mushroom chemicals, fall into the milk, and drown. BOLBITIUS COPROPHILUS Bolbitius coprophilus Key to Gilled Mushrooms Key This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills.The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.

PHOLIOTA SPUMOSA

Pholiota spumosa Key to Gilled Mushrooms Key This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills.The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that

you find.

PLUTEUS FLAVOFULIGINEUS Pluteus flavofuligineus. This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills. The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.

GILL ATTACHMENT

Subdecurrent gills run parallel to the cap for most of their length, then the edge suddenly bends down the stem just before it gets there. This attachment is #4 in the diagram. It is the last type of attachment on which there is general agreement. The rest of them are the way I use the terms in this website, and are quite reasonable, but it will be easy for you to find people who disagree with me. THE JOURNAL OF WILD MUSHROOMING

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* Booted Amanitas: Subsections Gemmatae and Pantherinae * Powdery Amanitas: Subsection Farinosae * Amanita: Section Phalloideae * Amanita: Validae, subsection Mappae * Amanita: Section Validae, the flavoconioids

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* A Real American Ivory-billed Woodpecker * Echinodontium ballouii – from eyeballs to DNA * Ballou, Man of Science! * Spongiforma squarepantsii * Mushrooms and People * Interviews and Biographies * _Phaeocollybia_ and beyond: an interview with Lorelei Norvell * Woman of Science – an interview with Cardy Raper * William Hosea Ballou, scoundrel and mycologist * Who’s In a Name? * Bondartsev and Berkeley

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* Mushroom Biology and Taxonomy * What is a mushroom made of? * How many mushrooms? * Deconstructing the Kingdoms * Ron Meyers’ Myco-etymological dictionary MAGAZINE HIGHLIGHT: _HUNTING BOLETES IN SARDINIA_

FREE DOWNLOAD

Mushroom the Journal is providing our most recent issue as a pdf for free download for those of you who can’t get out to the woods. This issue covers North American morel species, an expedition to Venezuela, using fungi to color wood, and a host of spectacular images. Click here to download sample issue

WEB DEPARTMENTS

Eastern _A. muscaria_ group. Photo by Pam Kaminski. MUSHROOM IDENTIFICATION

STARTING OUT

Collecting and learning about mushrooms The First Time We Saw Mushrooms THE IDENTIFICATION COURSE 1. The Species Concept

2. Universal Veils

3. Partial Veils

4. Spore color

MUSHROOM PROFILES

The genus _Amanita_

_Echinodontium ballouii_: a real American ivory-billed woodpecker _Spongiforma squarepantsii_ Half-free morels. Photo by John Denk. MUSHROOMS AND PEOPLE BIOGRAPHIES AND INTERVIEWS

Lorelei Norvell

Cardy Raper

W. H. Ballou

EATING MUSHROOMS

Edibility and poisoning Cooking Wild Mushrooms Preserving Wild Mushrooms _more species and recipes_ _Amanita regalis_, an obscure but severely poisonous mushroom

Mushroom Clubs

_Cortinarius_ gills. Photo by Craig Bennett

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MUSHROOM BIOLOGY AND TAXONOMY

FUNGAL FUNDAMENTALS

What is a mushroom made of? How many mushrooms are there? Deconstructing the Kingdoms Proudly powered by WordPress