THE FUNGIFILE NEWSLETTER OF THE TRIANGLE AREA MUSHROOM CLUB Volume 1 Number 1 October 1982 Welcome to the first issue of the newsletter of the Triangle Area Mushroom Club. The purpose of this issue is to introduce ourselves to you and to announce our first official events, a foray to be held on October 9, and a meeting on Nov. Who are we? As an infant organization, we have many plans for the future, all of which depend on an interested and active membership. Our objective is to promote a general knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of mushrooms, especially in the Research Triangle area. We expect to do this through programs covering identification, ecology, photography , mycophagy, literature, as well as field trips. We welcome anyone with an interest in fungi, from complete beginners to advanced amateurs and professionals. The idea is to share our enthusiasm and to learn from and with one another. Dues have been set at $6.00 per individual and $8.00 per family annually. We estimate that this should be sufficient to cover costs of the newsletter, miscellaneous correspondence, postage, and meetings. The energy behind organizing the club has come from Bill Burk, Botany Librarian for the Biology Dept. (Coker Hall) at UNC-Chapel Hill, and Joan Zeller, a novice mushroomer with lots of interest and enthusiasm. We have had help from many people, and would especially like to thank the following: The North Carolina Botanical Garden which has graciously volunteered to sponsor our organization (particularly Dot Wilbur and Dr. C. Ritchie Bell) ; Wally Kaufman who is offering his hospitality for our first field trip; Alice Kirla of the Connecticut Valley Mycological Society, and Anna Gerenday of the New Jersey Mycological Society, who each offered much advice and encouragement. This is a good time to ask you to think about how you might contribute to the club. Do you have any experience in running a club, in bookkeeping, in writing or editing a newsletter? Can we call on you when necessary for advice in your particular area of expertise? Are you interested in being an officer? What do you hope to get out of being a member? Please let us know your interests and expect- ations, and if there is any way you would like to contribute. Remember, this will be your club. A membership application/questionnaire is enclosed with this newsletter Please mail it with your dues c/o P. 0. Box 2604, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, or bring it with you to the foray. Feel free to contact us at that address or phone (Bill in Chapel Hill between 6 & 10 pm: 942-6387; Joan in Durham between 5:30 & 10 pm: 383-7154) . 15. page 2 Saralyn Foray Mark, your calendars for a foray, the first to be sponsored by T.A.M.C., on October 9 in the Saralyn section of Pittsboro (see map). We will meet at 10:00 am, rain or shine, so dress accordingly. You need bring nothing but your enthusiasm, but the following are recommended: flat bottom basket, knife, wax paper, hand lens, insect repellent. After the walk, Wally Kaufman has offered us the use of his home for an informal get-together, so bring a bag lunch and beverage and crackers (to go with the crackers , we will cook up whatever edibles we find). Of course, if you prefer, you are free to take home whatever you collect. Greg Wright, mushroom sleuth from Southern California, will be the foray leader. Greg has been president of the Los Angeles Mycological Society and has combed the mountains, valleys, and fields of Southern California in search of the mushroom. This summer he has been studying the boletes in Gainesville, Florida. We are grateful that Greg has agreed to lead our club's first mushroom foray. Greg will first give a brief orientation on how to collect mushrooms, what features to look for to distinguish between genera, and what fungi we might expect to find. We will then break up into smaller groups each led by an experienced member who will help identify whatever we discover as we wander through the area. After an hour or so, we will all meet at Wally' s house where our specimens will be displayed and discussed, and we can eat our lunches and sample our morning's edible finds. The foray should be a good opportunity to learn about each other, as well as about this area's fall fungi. page 3 Mushroom Talk by John Bond Mushroom enthusiasts assembled at the North Carolina Botanical Garden on September 13th for a captivating talk/slide show on common edible and poisonous mushrooms. The guest speaker was Dr. John Bond of Appalachian State University. John's enthusiasm and interest in the fungi was evident as he discussed the important characteristics of 35 species of mushrooms, including many puffballs. Attendees were provided with a checklist of the scientific and common names of the species covered in the talk, and after the presentation John showed us some specimens that he had collected in Boone. For those interested mycophiles John mentioned that perhaps our club might consider a mycological excursion to Boone in the spring for hunting morels. The full lecture room at the Botanical Garden attested that the Triangle area naturalists are anxious to know more about our mushroom biota. John's talk was a serendipitous event for getting our club going. Thank you, John, for the enlightening, enjoyable, and lively talk. Mushroom of the Month This fall, mushroom hunting in the Triangle area has been thwarted because of scanty rainfalls. Yet, if one is observant enough, dozens of autumn species can be discovered. A particularly showy species now appearing in clusters on tree trunks, especially oak, is Omphalotus olearius, commonly called the Jack-o'-lantern fungus. This colorful species with large (3-5 in. broad, or broader) orange-yellow caps is well known because of its bio luminescent nature. In a dark room one can observe the soft greenish light emitted from the gills of young specimens. A spectacular clump of this species is growing on a well-rotted tree stump not far from the Biological Sciences Research Center on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. This mushroom causes poisonings in people and should not be eaten. For further information and color illustrations on this species one can refer to: pp. 134-135 of A.H. Smith & N.S. Weber's The Mushroom Hunter's Field Guide , Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1980; and, pp. 121-122 of O.K. Miller Jr.'s Mushrooms of North America, New York: Dutton, 1979. First T.A.M.C. Meeting The first meeting of the T.A.M.C. will be held November 15th in room 215 of Coker Hall (directly west of the Bell Tower) on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus at 7:00 pm. Park in the lot behind Coker Hall and enter the middle, rear door. A T.A.M.C. member will be at this door to direct you. Following a brief business meeting Bill Burk will describe and review the available mushroom field guides. We are investigating the possibility of ordering books at discount for members, and will discuss our findings at that time. Refreshments will be served. Please try to attend. MARK YOUR CALENDER: OCTOBER 9 SARALYN FORAY NOVEMBER 15 MEETING From: TRIANGLE AREA MUSHROOM CLUB c/o P. 0. Box 2604 Chapel Hill, NC 27514 £•539. z« WE FUNGIFILE Newsletter of the Tricngle Area Mushroom Gib P.O. Box 2604, Chcpel Hill, N.C. 27514 VoluiE 1 Ninter 2 Novenber-Decenter 1982 Mark Your Calendar T.A.M.C. meetings will be held on the second Monday of each month. November 15: (note third Monday) Business meeting followed by discussion of mushroom field guides. Orders will be taken for books at discount (see page 5). Meeting at 7:00 pm in Room 215, Coker Hall, UNC-CH (see map). December 13: Pot-luck dinner (bring a dish to share) and talk, Introduction to mushrooming: ethnomycology , look-alikes, and collecting edibles, presented by Willie Koch, Professor of Biology, UNC-CH, and a vibrant and entertaining speaker. Meeting at 7:00 pm at the home of Leila Dillon, 104 Virginia Drive, Chapel Hill, 929-4002 (see map). January 10: Slide show on mushrooms by George Pyne, local architect and member of the Eno River Association. He leads Spring Wildflower Walks for the Association and comes highly recommended as a photographer and speaker. Meeting at 7:00 pm at the North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill. For more information, call Bill in Chapel Hill, 942-6387; or Joan in Durham,. 383-7154 (or call 684-6610 after 4:30 pm and leave a message on the recorder; she will return your call the next day, or as soon as possible). Dues Notice This is the last issue of the FUNGIFILE you will receive if you have not yet paid your dues. Although non-members are welcome to attend our programs and forays, we regret that we can no longer send the newsletter unless we have received your dues. So if you would like to continue to receive the FUNGIFILE, with mushroom feature as well as news of upcoming events, please mail your dues promptly. Still only $6.00 ($8.00 family). Send to: Triangle Area Mushroom Club, P.O. Box 2604, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514. Mycophagy An overwhelming majority of people returning the application/questionnaire named mycophagy as an interest. With this in mind, this issue of the FUNGIFILE is dedicated to mycophagy - the art of collecting and cooking edible mushrooms. (Also, look for related ongoing features and recipes in future issues.) page 2 Identify Each Mushroom There are many old wives' tales associated with collecting edible mushrooms. Edibility is supposedly indicated by whether or not silver is darkened in the cooking water, the peelability of the cap, whether the fungus smells or tastes good, is growing on wood, is eaten by animals. Although within specific groups, such as boletes and puffballs, certain rules can be used to eliminate poisonous species, there are unfortunately no simple rules for determining edibility that can be applied to all mushrooms. The safest and smartest way to stay healthy is to identify each mushroom. Precautions to Observe When Eating Wild Mushrooms 1) Make absolutely certain the mushroom is safe. If there is any doubt at all as to its identity or edibility, don j t eat it. This is the primary rule of mycophagy . 2) Identify each individual that you pick. Similar looking species often grow side by side. 3) The first time you try a particular mushroom, eat only a small amount. Even edible mushrooms are known to cause idiosyncratic reactions in individuals. If a particular species makes you sick, you won't feel any better knowing that 98% of the population can eat it with no ill effects. 4) For the same reason, don't mix different mushrooms the first time you eat them. You'll want to know which one it was that caused your reaction. 5) It is always a good idea to save (in the refrigerator) one or two samples of whatever you prepare, in case a positive identification must be made later. 6) Check your mushrooms for insects. Although the insects will not harm you, aesthetically it is a matter of personal preference whether or not to use infested specimens. If you object to the extra protein, it is possible merely to cut off the bad portion, although sometimes insects can impart an unpleasant taste to the whole mushroom. 7) Avoid mushrooms in any state of decay. Many cases of "mushroom" poisoning are actually attribut- able to bacterial "food" poisoning. 8) Refrain from drinking alcohol with and after eating Coprinus atramentarius and Clitocybe clavipes ♦ Although the effective time interval seems to vary from one individual to another, Antabuse-like symptoms are often noted. Morchella angusticeps is also reported not to mix well with alcohol. 9) Don't eat mushrooms gathered near busy highways. Vegetation, including mushrooms , from these areas have been found to contain high levels of lead and other toxic metals. 10) Many edible mushrooms are indigestible when raw. Therefore, it is safest to cook all edible wild mushrooms. 3Z Flavors and Textures of Mushrooms by Greg Wright Imagine going through life eating no vegetable other than peas. That would be quite a limitation. Yet many people go through life eating no mushroom other than Agaricus bisporus (or perhaps, occasionally, one of several species tradition- ally cultivated in the Orient). To the hunter of wild mushrooms, such a mushroom restriction is as unacceptable as eating only peas. The variety of flavors and textures offered by wild mushrooms is remarkable. In the course of sampling about 1,500 species, I've recorded 77 different flavors and 46 different textures of the sauteed mushrooms. page 3 Most familiar is what might be called the "typical mushroom" flavor of the cultivated Agaricus bisporus ; I prefer the term "Agaricus" flavor because it occurs in all Agaricus species but not in many other mushrooms. This is not to say that all Agaricus species taste alike: the arvensis-silvicola group has an almond component, the silvaticus red-staining group has a briney or pungent quality, and the poisonous (to. many people) placomyces group has a phenolic (Lysol antiseptic) taste. Only the campestris group has an unadorned Agaricus flavor. " ~~ Many mushrooms when cooked have flavors suggestive of different kinds of meat. Laetiporus sulphureus , Chicken-of-the-Woods (or Sulphur Shelf) and Lyophyllum decastes, the Fried Chicken Mushroom, taste like their namesakes. Even better, in my opinion, is Rozites caperata, the Gypsy, which tastes like turkey. The tooth fungus, Dentinum repandum, tastes like pork, Amanitas in the section Lepidella (the solitaria-chlorinosma group-not recommended for beginners) often taste like lamb, Russula paludosa is suggestive of ham, and Polyporus frondosus , Hen-of-the Woods, reminds me of roast beef. Vegetables are well represented by mushroom flavors. Stropharia and Pholiotas sometimes taste like string beans or peas. Amanita brunnescens (edible but formerly confused with Amanita phalloides , the Death Cap) has both the flavor and texture of asparagus, Amanita pachycolea of the West Coast suggests Brussels sprouts, Pluteus cervinus , the Deer Mushroom, tastes like radish, the slimy Limacella glioderma tastes like cucumber, the false truffle, Rhizopogon rubes cens , resembles a potato in both taste and appearance, Pholiota squarrosa and several Mar as mi i and Collybias taste like garlic, stinkhorns (the eggs are preferred) have a mild onion flavor, chanterelles and Amanita caesarea have a squash-like flavor, and many boletes have both the flavor and texture of eggplant. Among the many other mushroom flavors, some are appealing — the pepperiness of Clitocybe (Lepista) subconnexus , the fish flavor of Suillus brevipes , and the licorice flavor of Cortinarius violaceus — and some are not — the bitterness of Naematoloma f asciculare, the caustic bite of many Russulas and Lactarii, and the rank flavor of Psilocybe and Panaeolus (these latter are sometimes eaten, but not for flavor!). I think the most surprising flavor I ever encountered was in a Lactarius which was at least close to L_. fuliginellus : it tasted like lime (the fruit). The appeal of a food can have as much to do with its texture as with its flavor. The tender, smooth, meaty texture of Agaricus bisporus is a big part of its desirability. Wild species of Agaricus may either be soft (A. campestris) or firmer (A. bitorquis=A. rodmani) . Boletes and puf fballs are known for their sponginess while polypores are known for their toughness. Chanterelles are wonderfully smooth and moist, Lepiota procera and several other Lepiotas are dry and bread-like, Lyophyllum decastes, Armillariella mellea (Honey Mushroom) and Pluteus cervinus are cartilaginous (akin to lettuce or celery) , some Hygrophorus species are waxy, Russula and Lactarius are usually coarse, and coral mushrooms are often crunchy. Descriptions of flavor and texture are subjective, and mushrooms like the highly prized morel almost defy description, so the best way to learn about the flavors and textures of wild mushrooms is to try them yourself. You'll never run out of new eating experiences. My voice Becomes the wind; Mushroom hunting. Shiki 19th century page 4 First TAMC Foray Samples Old and New Piedmont Forest Fungi text by Wally Kaufman Despite a dry September some 32 people gathered and identified over 72 species of fungi in Chatham County on October 9. All the specimens were collected in an hour and a half long foray. The night before the foray light rain had dampened the forest floor but that had been the only moisture since a one day, soaking rain almost two weeks earlier. Forayers collected in two groups. One group covered a small creek valley with several springs and beginning in small patches of apparently virgin beech forest. They also searched rocky hillsides with clay soils and typical oak-hickory second growth forest with dogwood and sourwood understory. A second group also began in a small creek valley but later combed an area of old pastures and fields, now grown up in pine and small hardwood thickets. As a whole the foray covered areas which represent the dominant forest varieties in the Piedmont section today. The most common habitat not included was river floodplain with alluvial soils and bottomland hardwoods. Greg Wright, peripatetic mushroom hunter and identifier extraordinaire, from the Los Angeles area, served as the foray leader. Before the collecting began, Greg explained to club members the different types of mushrooms and how to collect them. The following list of species is based on Greg's identifications: Agaricus silvaticus ^!??>v '■^t^iim A . s p . Agrocybe sp . Amanita citrina A . farinosa A . muscaria A . ravenelii A . virosa Armillariella mellea Auricularia auricula Boletellus russellii Boletus pallidus Cantharellus cinnabarinus Chroogomphus rutilus Clavaria sp . Collybia butyracea C_. macula ta Copr inus a tramentarius Cortinarius spp . Crinipellis zona ta Dentinum repandum Geas trum sp . Hebeloma crustulini forme Helve 11a lacunosa Hericium erinaceus Hirschioporus pargamenus Hohenbuehelia peta loides Hygrophorus f lavescens H. russula H. tennesseensis (?) Hypomyces lac tif luorum Inocybe sp . Laccaria ochro purpurea Lactarius deliciosus L. griseus Lactarius imperceptus L. sp . L. zonarius Lycoperdon pyri forme Marasmius plica tulus M. strictipes Mycena galericula ta M, ma c u la ta My c or r ha phium adustum Naematoloma fasiculare Ompha lotus olearius Oudemansiella radicata Phylloporus rhodoxanthus Phyllotopsis nidulans Pleurocybella porrigens Pluteus cervinus P . granularis P . sp . Polyporus radicatus Psathyrella rugocepha la P. sp. Pulveroboletus aurif lammeus Rhodocybe mundula (?) Russula brevipes R. sp. R . virescens Sc leroderma areola turn Scutellinia scutella ta Stereum sp . Stropharia coronilla S_. hardii Suillus cothurnatus S. hirtellus Tricholoma resplendens T . se junc turn T . sulphurescens T. sulphureum bb & gw page 5 Field Guides Many club members have asked about the field guides that they should have for identifying and learning about the mushroom biota of our area. There are many guides, both domestic and foreign, and each has something unique to offer. The following list is provided to introduce the beginner to the mushroom literature. To keep the interested mushroom hunters and bibliophiles alert to new titles, reviews and discussions of new books will be included in future issues of this newsletter. Arora , David. Mushrooms demystified; a comprehensive guide to the fleshy fungi of the Central California Coast. Berkeley, Calif., Ten Speed Press, 1979. 668p. ISBN 0-89815-009-4 ($11.95 paper); ISBN 0-89815-010-8 ($18.95 cloth), (discount info not yet available*) This comprehensive guide includes full descriptions of over 440 species with many illustrated by black-and-white photos. There is a center section of 16 pages of color plates. Although this is a regional guide for central California, many species occur in other areas of the United States, including this area of N.C. Especially useful for beginners is a glossary at the end of the book. David Arora 's witty, original style makes reading this book a delight. Lincoff, Gary. The Audubon Society field guide to North American mushrooms. New York, A .A . Knopf, 1981. 926 p. ISBN 0-394-51992-2 ($12.50 soft cover). (discount price $10.23*) This guide begins with 732 color photos. As with other Audubon guides, there is a thumb tab guide on the margin of each left-hand plate sorting the species by shape, and color. Look-alikes are compared. Following the plates are the species descriptions. The book is convenient for carrying in the field and covers a large number of species. A good guide for beginners. Marteka,. Vincent . Mushrooms: wild and edible. A seasonal guide to the most easily recognized mushrooms. New York, W.W. Norton, 1980. 290 p. ISBN 0-393-01356-1 ($19-95 cloth), (discount price $16.80*) This book provides an interesting introduction to mushrooms. Included are back- ground information amain section that describes commonly encountered mushrooms arranged by season found, and a section on mushrooms for eating (recipes, preservation, growing). A bibliography, arranged by subject, and appendices (a listing of U.S. mycological societies, mushrooms by mail, and vendors of supplies) conclude the book. Color photo- graphs of 30 species are bound in the middle of the book. An excellent reading book and and field guide for beginners. Miller , Orson K. , Jr. Mushrooms of North America. Paperback edition. New York, E.P. Dutton, 1979. 368 p. ISBN 0-525-47482-X ($11.50 flexicover). (discount price $10.24*) This modern and very popular field guide provides relatively easy-to-use keys to identify over 422 species. A short introductory chapter, including information on fungi, edibility and mushroom toxins, is followed by descriptions for four groupings of fungi. Color photographs face species descriptions in the text, but not all species are illus- trated. This book is well organized, its photographs superb, and the flexicover edition suitable for the backpack. An excellent, authoritative field guide for the beginner. Smith, Alexander H. & Nancy S. Weber. The mushroom hunter's field guide. All color & enlarged. Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Press, 1980. 316 p. ISBN 0-472-85610-3 ($14.95) (discount price $12.76*) An introductory section includes information on the mushroom, when and where to find mushrooms, distribution, collecting and identifying mushrooms. Keys, descriptions, and color photographs of 282 species of mushrooms and fungi form the body of the book. A glossary and selected bibliography conclude the text. An excellent field book for beginners to identify commonly encountered mushrooms. bb DISCOUNTS: We can offer these discount prices (postpaid) if we order 10 or more books. Any of these books would be useful additions to your library, whether you are a beginning or advanced mushroomer. They will be discussed in greater detail and displayed at the November 15 meeting. If you are interested in ordering, send your check, payable to T.A.M.C., so that we receive it by November 30. page 6 Mushroom of the Month: Pleurotus ostreatus Pleurotus (Greek: ostreatus (Latin: pleuron, a side; ous ostrea, oyster) an ear) The oyster mushroom has a smooth, white to brown cap (2-8" broad) which some equate to the shape of an oyster. Gills, white to off-white, descend the stalk which is very short, when present. This species is found growing on trunks and stumps of hardwoods in our area throughout the year, even in winter. This soft, fleshy fungus has a very pleasant odor and is eminently popular as an edible. Compared to other wild, edible mushrooms this species is relatively high in thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, phosphorous, sodium, and potassium, but lacking in ascorbic acid. The Japanese reportedly ascribe anticarcinogenic properties to the oyster mushroom, and for the Chinese it is an ingredient in a "tendon-easing powder." Pleurotus sapidus , a closely related species, is also edible. For color illustrations and more complete information on this species the reader is referred to Smith & Weber, p. 162-163; Miller, p. 100; and Lincoff, p. 7 for which bibliographical information is given elsewhere in this newsletter. The illustrations on this page were done by Stephen Helmer. Also see drawing of P. os trea tus by member Kerry Givens on the front page. bb Cooking Pleurotus ostreatus or P. sapidus by Odile Gould Preparation: Pleurotus is easy to clean, as no soil clings to it. However, some shiny dark beetles attack it almost as soon as it appears. Discard the tough foot and rinse caps briefly, checking for beetles and larvae. Cut into strips about 1 centimeter wide along the gills; tearing works well too. You will often have a lot of Pleurotus to prepare. Freezing precooked Pleurotus is quite satisfactory. Whether you plan to serve or freeze the mushrooms follow the basic cooking method. Above all, avoid high heat, aluminum pans and strong spicss Cooking: For about one quart of prepared Pleurotus use two tablespoons butter and one tablespoon oil: cook over medium heat, covered, for 20 minutes, shaking pan frequently to prevent sticking. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let cool and freeze, or serve: - with parsley, chives and a few drops of lemon, - with grated Swiss or Parmesan, - with meat drippings from roast beef or chicken, - with a bechamel sauce; broil to brown the top, - add a few thin strips of cooked ham, heavy cream, and serve over noodles with grated cheese. Did you know??? According to the May-June 1982 issue of the Ohio Spore Print the weight of mycelium under an acre of land has been estimated to be about a ton.' 5 \, ptcEMfiEU 15 MEETING 7 *V1 II— Tahe RIGHT 6 ^ folio,. D/m Drive to fh* rwW ^ -fafl? 15-so, d.uh dinner POT-LUCK The following people contributed to this issue of the FUNGIFILE: Bill Burk, Kerry Givens (drawings of Pleurotus and Coprinus comatus) , Odile Gould, Steven Helmer (drawings of Pleurotus) , Wally Kaufman, Greg Wright, and Joan Zeller. Many thanks to all. To everyone, Happy Holidays! TRIANGLE APJiA MUSHPvOOM CLUB P.O. BOX 2604 CHAPEL HILL, N.C. 27514