the fungifile Newsletter of theTriangle Area Mushroom Club P.O. 17061, Durham, North Carolina 27705 Volume 6 Number 1 January/February 1987 President: Jacques Poirier: 210 W. Lavender Ave. , Durham, NC 27704 477-5837 Secretary/Treasurer: Owen and Pat McConnell: 2808 Butner St. , Durham, NC 27704. . . 477-5178 Editor (ad interim): Bill Burk: 1122 Sourwood Dr., Chapel Hill, NC 27514 942-6387 Foray Chairs: Dianne Berg: Rt. 1, Box 122, Pittsboro, NC 27312 ... 933-9628 Mary Aycock: Rt. 2, Box 103, Warrenton, NC 27589 ... 257-1826 Program Coordinator: Tom Krakauer: Rt. 2, Box 377C, Bahama, NC 27503 471-9459 MARK Meetings YOUR CALENDAR January 12: Slide show. Jack Billman will show his slides of mushrooms. Meeting at 7:30 pm at the Gross Chemical Laboratory, Room 103, Duke Univers- ity. See map page 10. February 9: Annual business meeting and elections, plus a special slide show about truffles, truffle hunting and the North American Truf fling Society. Learn about those fungal black diamonds. Meeting at 7:30 pm at the Gross Chemical Laboratory, Room 103, Duke University. See map page 10. March (no day set yet): For the third consecutive year member Edmond Badham of Carolina Fungi, Inc. will demonstrate how to grow the edible Shiitake mushroom at home. Further details to be announced. April 13: A volunteer is needed to present a program on morels or other mycological topic. Please contact Bill Burk (942-6387) if you are interest- ed in helping with the April program. deCurrent Events January 3-January 19: Austria, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, and north Italy. TRUFFLING THROUGH EUROPE-ACT III (the gastronomic adventure of a life time). A truffle tour including truffle hunts, gourmet meals, special guest lectures, cooking demonstrations, mushroom specialties, fascinating truffle markets, special sightseeing programs, and scientific visits. Cost: $2,698.00 (leaving from New York). For further information contact Mr. Frank Pipal , i page 2 Educational Tours, Inc., 5935 South Pulaski Road, Chicago, IL 60629. (312)-767-0477 or 767-9076. April 17-May 6: New Zealand, Tasmania & Australia: DOWNUNDER MUSHROOM STUDY TOUR. "The program will focus on the wild mushroom flora of these countries including the identification of edible and poisonous species." Cost (leaving from Los Angeles, Calif.: $3,485.00 (plus $585.00 if single room is requested). For further information contact: Emanuel Salzman, c/o Fungophile, Inc., P.O. Box 5503, Denver, CO 80217. ( 303 ) -296-9359 . Dues are Due This is the last issue of The Fungit'i le you will receive if you have not yet paid your 1987 dues. If there is a red 87 on your mailing label, we have received your dues and you are on the mailing list. If there is no red 87 on your label, send your dues ($8.00 for individual memberships, $2.00 for each additional member at the same address, $7.00 for corresponding members) to club address on first page. See previous two newsletters for further information. November Meeting: Tasting and Toasting by Sam Baron The meeting of November 10 was graciously hosted by Jacques Poirier and his wife Marsha. Nineteen members turned out for this session of "tasting and toasting. " Just about everyone had partaken of dinner before the meeting convened, but it would have been wiser not to. For we were treated to an elegant array of some nine different mushroom dishes. At least one was made of wild mushrooms, Suillus rugosiceps , earlier collected and frozen, several of dried shiitake, others of "store-bought" mushrooms. Among the dishes were two kinds of stuffed mushrooms, a mushroom casserole, mushrooms baked in clam shells, a scrumptious mushroom dip, and shiitake in Burgundy butter sauce. Four of the cooks brought along their recipes, and others were_asked to do so for the next meeting. The food was more than pleasing both to the eye and the taste. It touched off an unusually animated discussion, in which almost everyone participated. The talk centered mainly on various aspects of mushroom cookery, one topic being the different ways to reconsti- tute dried mushrooms. The talk was hardly less satisfy- ing than the dishes, making this a notably successful get-together . A special treat--icing on the cake— was provided by Hilda Lewis, an artist friend of Marge Richter, who has recently become devoted to the depiction of fungi of all sorts. She displayed a dozen or so life-size drawings, some in color, which were magnificently executed, and elicited enthusiastic praise. Bill Burk reminded us of the ever-present need for volunteers to enable the club to carry on with its customary flair. Individuals wishing to help should contact Jacques or Bill. For the benefit of those who were not fortunate enough to attend, we pass along Janet Krakauer's recipe for a fine mushroom dip (see next page). The recipe is from Great Openings , a cookbook published by Center in the Square, Roanoke, VA, 1983. The recipe was originally issued in Orson K. Miller's Mushrooms of North America, published by Dutton, New York, 1973, and reprinted with permission for Great Open ings . page 3 Hot Mushroom Dip (from page 48 of Great Openings) 1 lb. fresh store-bought mushrooms 2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules 6 TBL. butter or margarine or 2 bouillon cubes dissolved 1 TBL. lemon juice 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 TBL. minced onion Salt and pepper to taste 1 lb. carton sour cream 2 TBL. soft butter or margarine 2 TBL. flour Chop mushrooms quite fine and saute in pan with butter and lemon juice. Let simmer 10 minutes. Add onions, sour cream, bouillon granules, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes more. Make a paste of remaining butter and flour. Add to hot mixture and stir until thickened. Serve hot, in fondue pot or chafing dish, with chips, crackers, or fresh vegetables. 30 minutes preparation time. Note: Fresh morels, when in season, can be substituted for the store-bought mushrooms . December Meeting Annual Pot luck Dinner by Sam Baron On December 8, we enjoyed a potluck dinner at the home of Jacques and Marsha Poirier. We owe a hearty thanks to the Poiriers for having hosted two consecutive meetings, both of them eating affairs, with warmth and graciousness . Some sixteen people turned out, bearing with them an array of delicious food, and beverages to match. There was stuffed cabbage, mushroom biscuits and mushroom dumplings, fruit salad and vegetable salads, deviled eggs, fruit, homemade bread, pie and cakes, wine and soft drinks. Enough to make those who did not attend wring their hands and vow to be on hand for the next potluck. The affair featured lots of good conversation, both along the lines of getting better acquainted with fellow-members and on mushroom topics. Various people compared notes on what has been happening (if anything) to the logs we "seeded" last March or before. Some also told of their efforts to replicate, sometimes successfully, sometimes less so, one or another of the delicious mushroom dishes presented at our last meeting. The evening was capped by a brief "night foray" led by Jacques. A keen observer of his neighborhood, he had spotted a variety of fungi growing on branches nearby. Flashlight in hand, he led those willing to venture into the cold on a tour of his findings. This may have been the first night mushroom foray ever. A pleasant surprise of the evening was news that one of our chapter members, Barb Beaman, will soon be wed to Mike McQuowan. Illustrations The illustrations for this issue of The Fungifile are from the book, Mushrooms for the million; a practical treatise on the cultivation of the most profitable outdoor crop known," by John Wright, 3rd edition, London, Horticultural Press, 1884. 104 pp. page 4 The Book Shelf The Edible Mushroom: a gourmet cook's guide, by Margaret Leibenstein . Illustrations by Monika Bittman. 1986. 205 pp. $14.95. New York, Fawcett Columbine (201 E. 50th Street, New York, NY 10022). Review by Jeffery S. Beam In the third edition (1748) of Hannah Glasse's classic, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, Glasse informs her readers mushrooms are to be grown on hot beds along with purslain and cucumber. If the least mycopha- gist of European countries were cultivating fungi in their kitchen gardens, imagine how enthusiastic housewives in Italy and France must have been! Food historian, Margaret Leibenstein' s book celebrates the variety, richness and distinction of the new cultivated "wild" mushrooms becoming available in American markets. Her book teems with tidbits of fungi cultivated in historical times. The Edible Mushroom is not a field guide for cooks. Descriptions and habitats are given for the fungi which are her subjects: morels; boletes; chanterelles; truffles; oyster, meadow and hedgehog mushrooms; hen and chicken-of -the-woods ; and the now familiar oriental varieties. Rather, her advice is to buy from a reputable market, and she arranges her guide seasonally with chapter introductions focusing on market "histories." Scientific names are given, however, as are common names in French, English, German, Italian, Polish and Japanese. Beautiful drawings enhance the descriptions, to complete the charm and usefulness of this handsome little book. Leibenstein' s recipes are a fine mixture of simple fare and complicated gourmet specialties. Most use fresh mushrooms, but a small chapter on dried mushrooms appears also. "Morel Soup", "Warm Sausage Salad with Chanter- elles", "Chanterelles and Chicken Livers with Polenta", "Huevos Rancheros con Hongos" (using hedgehog fungi), "Chicken-of -the-woods Chicken Salad", "Mushrooms (porcini) Braised in Olive Oil", and "Geza's (shiitake) Goulash" are among those featured. Printed below, a vegetarian dish using dried boletes, "Grandma's Dumplings." The chapter on buying, preparing and preserving fungi is not as thorough, nor as extensive, as Jane Grigson's The Mushroom Feast or Joe Czarnecki's Book of Mushroom Cooking. I question, especially, her general statement concerning the ease of freezing all types of wild mushrooms. I would trust Grigson's and Czarnecki's more exhaustive, tried-and-true , particularized suggestions. An unusual supplement, a list of mail order sources, completes and suitably ends this guide aimed at the gourmet who gathers fungi among the stalls and aisles of markets and grocery stores across America. But the interesting, workable recipes, the delightful format, and the invaluable mail order list, make this a title the field-gatherer cook will also want to include in his or her library. "Grandma's Dumplings (from pages 172-173 of The Edible Mushroom) Dried boletes were a staple in my grandmother's kitchen, so it seems only natural that I should offer this adaptation of her famous mushroom dump- lings. These dumplings are particularly delicious served with a sauce made from mushroom soaking liquid. page 5 Serves 4 to 6 3 tablespoons rendered chicken fat at room temperature* 1/2 ounce dried boletes, reconstituted and chopped fine 1 teaspoon grated onion 6 eggs, separated 1 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 cup, coarse, dried bread crumbs 1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the fat in a small nonstick skillet, add the mushrooms and onion, and cook over moderate heat 3 minutes, stirring. Remove vegetables to a bowl and let them cool completely. Discard the fat remaining in the pan. 2. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Set aside. 3. Using an electric mixer, beat the yolks until they are a pale yellow (about 7 to 12 minutes). Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper and mix thoroughly. Gently fold this mixture into the beaten egg whites. Then fold in the bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time. Refrigerate for 1 hour. 4. Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a rapid boil. While the water is coming to a boil, wet your hands and form the chilled batter into 12 equal balls. Drop the balls into the boiling water, reduce the heat, cover, and cook the dumplings slowly for about 30 minutes. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon, drain, and serve, either plain or with the sauce." ♦[editor's note: This recipe unfortunately does not tell the reader what to do with the other two tablespoons of fat. The reviewer suggests the fat should be added to the water in which your dumplings will be cooked. However, we haven't tried adding the fat, but a club member did make the recipe without using it, and the dumplings came out. We strongly suggest adding the fat.] "THE SAUCE (Makes about 3/4 cup) 1 cup mushroom soaking liquid 1 1/2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour Salt and pepper to taste 1. Heat the mushroom soaking liquid in a small saucepan (if you do not have 1 cup of liquid, make up the difference with canned beef bouillon or dry red wine). Set aside and keep warm. 2. Melt the butter in a small nonstick saucepan over low heat. Sprinkle the butter with the flour and stir to blend completely. Slowly add the liquid, stirring continuously, until well blended. Raise the heat to moderate and cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper, pour over the dumplings and serve. " MUSHROOM CULTURE. — ADVERTISEMENTS. CTTTBTJSH'S BTOSHR00M SPAWN (MILL-TRACK). PRICE 6s. PER BUSHEL ; 1s. EXTRA PER BUSHEL FOR PACKAGE. page 6 Correspondence: Joan Zeller in Rochester. New York (On October 24, 1986, Joan wrote a letter to TAMC members. TAMC's last newsletter had been produced just before receiving Joan's letter which is now reproduced below for everyone to read. ) Dear TAMC Friends: Hello from the not yet frozen North! You remember all that rain we didn't get in the South this year? Well -- it's all up here! This has been one of the wettest and best mushroom years that people remember. Mushrooms are slacking off a bit now, either because it's getting cooler, or because the mycelia are all "fruited out," but the rains are still coming. I've been on several forays in the month I've been here. The finds that stand out in my mind are Tr icholoma terreum, Suillus granulatus, S, amer icanus , Agar icus arvensis (someone brought some wonderful soup made from this to a foray, heated it on his Coleman stove -- just the thing for a chilly morning) , and Lepiota r achodes (my taste discovery of the season -- very hearty flavor that could convince me to start cooking mushrooms). My most exciting discovery up here is the deadly Amanita phalloides, since I've been reading about it for years but have never seen it in person. The mushroom is quite handsome, with a cap ranging in color from olive-brown to fairly pale, and a prominent annulus and volva. It is common in Europe, but although periodic reports have appeared in the American literature through the years, subsequent microscopic studies on the available dried specimens have revealed only other Amanita species, such as A. virosa and A. brunnescen s . Speculation is that A. phalloides was introduced to this country as mycorrhizal stowaways with plantings of imported European trees, especially during the CCC projects of the thirties. It was not until 1967, in Maryland, that the first authenticated report of A. phal loides was made in the eastern United States. Authenticated fruitings have been discovered in Virginia, and a single unconfirmed specimen found in South Carolina, but no other reports have come from the southeastern United States, including North Carolina. The mushroom has been found in the Rochester area for the last fifteen years, and its spread from site to site throughout the area has been closely monitored, notably by Leo J. Tanghe, scientific advisor to the Rochester Area Mycological Association. Several new locations were discov- ered this season, and we will never know if recent fruitings are direct descendants of mycorrhizal associates planted 50 years ago, or if they were spread indirectly from spores of those mushrooms carried by the wind (or by boots of mushroom collectors). Incidentally, the large numbers of Amanita species we find in the Piedmont don't seem to be as common here. The only Aman it as I've seen here, other than Am phalloides, are A, muscar ia, A. citrina, and A. rubescens . And speaking of poisonous mushrooms, I've been trying to think of a way to thank all of you for your going-away-present to me. Poisonous Mushrooms of the Northern United States and Canada is a beautiful book, and every time I open it to check out an Amanita phalloides or Galerina autumnal is, I'll think of you all. I am still overwhelmed when I think of everyone's kindness and generosity in contributing to it. I'd like to thank Bill and the rest of you for the gift, the wonderful picnic, and all your good thoughts. I'll miss all of you! Love, Joan page 7 TRIANGLE AREA MUSHROOM 1 ^>o^> CLUB BATTLE PARK, CHAPEL HILL, MAY 18 Agar i cus si 1 vi col a Cantharel 1 us minor (Tanoderma curtisii Cycoperdon perlatum Pluteus cervinus Psathyrel 1 a sp- a emetica IV. Russul FT kr ombhol z i i Tr i chol omop si s" pi atyphyl 1 a BATTLE PARK , CHAPEL HILL, AUBUST 9 Amanita AT dauci pes go~Ie?el lus Boletus bet ul a TFosti i Bondarzewia beTkeleyi Cantharellus"~cinnabar"inus Ganoderma curtisii Lactar i us sp Marasmi us" siccus PI eur otus ostr eatus Russul a~e"meti ca Trichaptum biTormis Tricholomopsis platyphylla Tylopilus felTeus BATTLE PARK, CHAPEL HILL, AUGUST 24 Amani ta bi spor i gera AT brunnescens ? ~ AT coker i A", dauci pes A", f lavocorTia AT qemmata AT i naurata AT panther i~na ? AT rubescens AT sp . A", umbonata B~oletellus betul a Bol etus bi col or B. frostii BT mi ni ato-ol i yaceus BT pi edmontensi s BT reti pes C*antharel 1 us cibarius Z~. ci nnabaFTnus C". odoratus" Clavaria formosa type Clayulina crisTata Corti naFTus sp. Geastrum sp. Hyqrophorus coni cus Lactar i us chrysorheus LT subpl i nthoqal ui" LT vazooensi s Cecci num qr i seum ? LycoperTon perTatum Marasmius siccus Oudemansi el 1 a radicata Pul ver obol etus raven"eTii Russula emetica RT rosacea FT. 50. 5ui y us qr anul atus Tylopilus indecisus L plumbeo-viol aciTTs BATTLE PARK, CHAPEL HILL, AUGUST 31 Amani ta abrupta AT bi spor l gera A", brunnescens AT ceci 1 i ae AT ci tri na A", coker i AT f 1 avoconi a AT i 1 avor ubescens A", f ul va AT qemmata AT pol ypyrami s AT r ayenelTT AT rubescenT AT spr eta AT umbonata AT vagi nata" Srmi 1 1 ar i el 1 a tabescens Boletellus betula Boletusaunoporus ? BT bicolor B~. I rosti i B~. qri seus BT mini ato-ol i vaceus BT or n at i pes BT pallid ui~ B~. pi edmonTensi s B". speci osus W. subvel uFTpes Cantharel 1 us ci nnabar i nus C. I ater i tiTTs CI ayar i a ver mi cul ar i s CIitocyb~e qibba" C. sp. Cbpr i nus atr amentar i us Corti na"f""i us al bovi ol aTeus C. ql aucopus Craterellus fallax Entoloma murraii GanoderiTa curtisii GyroppruT casTaneus Helvella crispa Hyqrophorus cantharel lus H. coni cus F. mi ni atus Caccaria laccata LactarilTs chrysorheus LT indigo LT vol emus C vazooensi s recci num rugosi ceps LT scabrum Teotia lubrica Lvcoperdon umBrinum Hut i nus el egans Oaphalotus illUdens Oudemansi el 1 a radicata Pseudocolus fusiformiT Pul ver obol etus retipeT Russula aerugFnea R~^ br evi pes R*. cl arof 1 a"va R~. compactT RT emeti ca R~. f raq i 1 i s FT. kr ombhoTz i i FT. lutea FT. rosacea RT vi rescens Sarcodon fennicus S~^ f umosus 5"trobi 1 omyces conf usus 5^ f 1 occopus ?uillus hirtellus S~. punctipes T"r emel I odendr on sp . Tr i chol omop si s~pl aty- " phyl 1 a Tyl opi I us f el I eus Xer ocomuT i 1 1 udens SARALYN, PITTSBORO, SEPTEMBER 6 Al batr el 1 us ovi nus Amanita c o~k~e r 1 A~! 1 1 avocon i a A-, parci vol vata A", polypyramis A~. r ubescens A~. umbon at a A", vagi nat a Armi 1 1 ar i el 1 a mel 1 ea A~~! tabescens Bo 1 e t e 1 1 u s betula Boletus peckii Cantharellus cibarius ITi tubae-f or mi s C"l a v a r l a vermi cul ar i 5 C. z ol 1 i nqer i CI ayul i na cristata Craterellus fallax Entoloma murraii F i s t u 1 i~n~a h e p a t i c a Humar i a hemi sphaer i ca Hydnum i mbr i catum Hyqrophorus cantharellus H. coni cus FT. puniceus flypomyces Laccar i a Tact i f 1 uorum ochr opur pur ea chrysor leus C~! indigo L~. peckii ? L~. yaz ooensi s Ceccinum scabrum Lenz i tes betul i na Lepi ota~cepaesti pes Lycoperdon pyriforme C umbr i nu'm Bar asmi el 1 us al buscorti ci s Marasmius siccus Mycena haematopus Naematol proa fascicular e_ Oudemansi el I a radicata Pleurotus dryinus W. ostreatus Pul ver obol etus aur i porus my P~! curti siT" we ffamaria subbotrytis Russul a 1 1 ava an R~~! virescens Sarcoscypha coccinea ffl S~! occi denfal i s jlTt e r e u m sp . n Str obi 1 omyces f 1 occopus Suillus sal nioni col or Tr emel Todendr on pallidum Trichaptum b i For fl> l s Ty 1 op i 1 us b al 1 oui i T. Fel 1 eus r. plumbeo-violaceus UMSTEAD STATE PARK, RALEIGH, Amanita ch 1 or i nosma Boletus' sp . EH subvel uti pes Canthar el 1 us cibarius Cortinarius al bovi ol aceus atropur pur ea ? SEPTEMBER 21 Fi stul i na hepati ca Lactar i QT chrysorFeus U~. indigo Cecci num scabrum Lycoperd~on sp . Oudemansi el 1 a r adi cata Pul verobol etus aur i porus Russula emetica Strobi 1 omyces conf usus S~! f 1 occopus 5u i 1 1 u s hirtellus Tylopilus felleus ** The species list for the foray at Kerr Lake, on August 17, was previously issued in The Fungi file, volume 5, number 5, 1986, and is not reproduced in this listing. page 9 IN MEMORIAM Two mycological giants whose contributions to the world of mycology are rivalled by few others have passed away within the span of a week. It is only fitting that this page be dedicated to Dr. John N. Couch and Dr. Alexander H. Smith. Their love and devotion for mycology live on through their students, through people who were fortunate enough to have known them, and through their writings. Our thoughts and condolences are extended to the Couch and Smith families. JOHN N. COUCH John N. Couch's outstanding accomplish- ments as a mycologist, teacher, scholar, and leader at the Department of Botany, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill spanned into six decades. Originally enrolled as a premedical student at Trinity College (presently Duke University), Couch transferred in 1917 to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to satisfy his remaining course requirements. But at Chapel Hill he came under the influence of the dynamic mycologist, William C. Coker, and decided on a career in botany. Professor Couch discovered the mode of sexual reproduc- tion called heterothallism in the water mold, Dictyuchus . the topic of his dissertation. In 1922, Dr. Couch was appointed an instructor in botany at the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill and as Kenan Professor of Botany in 1945, in due recognition of his accomplish- ments in mycological research and teaching. His papers number nearly five score, and his books three: The Genus Septobasidium (fungi that have an intricate partnership with scale insects); The Gasteromycetes of the Eastern United States and Canada, (co- authored with William C. Coker); and The Genus Coelomomyces . (co-edited with Charles E. Bland). In the summer of 1967, Couch technically retired. However, his studies on the genus Coelomomyces continued to recent years. Dr. Couch was born in Prince Edward County, Virginia, on October 12, 1896. He was one of seven children. Since his father was a Baptist minister, the family moved several times when the elder Couch was assigned to different pastorates. In 1914, John Couch graduated from Durham ( NC ) High School. Dr. Couch married Else D. Ruprecht. Their son John Philip is a professor of romance languages at the University of North Carolina- Greensboro, and their daughter Sally Louise lives in Chapel Hill. ALEXANDER H. SMITH Dr. Alexander H. Smith will be remembered as one of the foremost agaricologists of the twentieth century. Few groups of the fleshy fungi escaped Dr. Smith's scrutiny, research and study. His published contribu- tions to mycology include scores of monographic articles and books on many taxa of fungi: Gasteromycetes, Lactarius , Mvcena. Rhizopogon. Psathvrella . Suillus . Hygrophorus . Hebeloma. Cortinarius . Crepidotus . Galerina. and Pholiota . Most mushroom hunters own or have used at least one of his popular mushroom field guides published by the University of Michigan Press. Qrros^ Che*n. Lab ~buk& Uftressth] CRoorr\ iD3j> J +J page 10 Triangle Area Mushroom Club Box 17061 Durham, NC 27705 YJ.c.&a IS YOUR LABEL CORRECT? Achlya, water mold artist unknown the fungible Newsletter of the Triangle Area Mushroom Club P.O. 17061, Durham, North Carolina 27705 Volume 6 Number March/April 1987 President: Jacques Poirier: 210 W. Lavender Ave., Durham, NC 27704 477-5837 Secretary/Treasurer: Owen and Pat McConnell: 2808 Butner St., Durham, NC 27704. . . 477-5178 Editor: Bill Burk: 1122 Sourwood Dr., Chapel Hill, NC 27514 942-6387 Foray Chairs: Positions are unfilled Program Coordinator: Position is unfilled MARK YOUR CALENDAR Meetings March 14: (note this is a Saturday). In a repeat of the past two years' successful meetings, member Edmond Badham of Carolina Fungi, Inc., will demonstrate how to grow the edible shiitake mushroom at home. The demonstration will include procedures for inoculating- logs, a description of proper growing conditions, how to induce mushroom production, as well as potential pitfalls. A limited number of logs and a larger amount of shiitake spawn will be available at cost to those who wish to take home mushroom producing logs that they have started. You may bring your own logs which Edmond suggests to be about 6" diameter, 3 feet long, white oak logs, cut within the past 2 weeks to 1 month, and we will provide spawn and equipment. Meeting at 9:00 am to 12 pm at the North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill. See map page 20. This will be an outdoor meeting so dress appropriately. (In case of rain we will meet indoors.) Call Edmond Badham in Greensboro at 379-1884 or Bill Burk in Chapel Hill at 942-6387 for further information. For a new technique on inoculating logs with shiitake spawn see article on pages 18-19 of this newsletter. April 13: Conidiogenesis of forest litter fungi. Barry Katz, local mycologist and founder of Mycosearch Inc., will talk on the formation of conidia (asexual spores) of forest litter fungi. Slides of the beautiful, artistic conidia will be shown. Learn about these microscopic marvels! Meeting 7:30 pm in Room 215, Coker Hall, UNC-Chapel Hill. See map page 20. May 11: Mushrooms, Russia, and history, presented by TAMC member, Sam Baron, Alumni Distinguished Professor Emeritus at UNC-CH. Meeting 7:30 pm in Room 215, Coker Hall, UNC-Chapel Hill. See map page 20. page 12 Forays: TAMC needs at least two people willing to setup and coordinate the upcoming season's forays. Any interested individual should contact one of the officers listed on the masthead of the newsletter. April 18: Annual morel foray. Meet at the Texaco Station parking lot at the corner of Estes Drive and 15-501 ByPass in Chapel Hill (next to University Mall), at 10:00 am. For further information contact either Jacques Poirier in Durham (477-5837) or Bill Burk in Chapel Hill (942- 6387) . deCurrent Events April 17-May 6: New Zealand, Tasmania & Australia: DOWNUNDER MUSHROOM STUDY TOUR. "The program will focus on the wild mushroom flora of these countries including the identification of edible and poisonous species." Cost (leaving from Los Angeles, Calif.: $3,485.00 (plus $585.00 if single room is requested). For further information contact: Emanuel Salzman, c/o Fungophile, Inc., P. 0. Box 5503, Denver, CO 80217. ( 303 ) -296-9359 . July 16-19"- Gulf port, University of Mississippi. Annual meeting of the North American Mycological Association. Further information to be announced . July 20-31: Highlands Biological Station, Highlands, NC. HIGHER FUNGI OF THE BLUE RIDGE. A two-week course on the higher fungi, taught by Ron Petersen, botany professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The learning experience will include: field trips to the magnificent forests of the area, lab work, and lectures. Enrollment is limited to ten people. For further information contact Dr. Richard Bruce, P.O. Drawer 580, Highlands, NC 28741 (704-526-2602) or Ron Petersen, Botany Dept., University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37916 (615-974-2256). Joint Mushroom Club Foray/Gathering: Bill Roody of the Ohio Mycological Society has provided an initial thought on the possibility of a joint mushroom foray/gathering of the Ohio Mycological Society, Asheville Mushroom Club and the Triangle Area Mushroom Club. The three clubs could meet at a facility large enough to accommodate all interested individuals in the latter part of August or beginning of September. The Ohio club would provide programming, including slide shows. TAMC also might present a program. Such a joint mycological venture would offer TAMC members a chance to meet (and compare and share mushroom knowledge) with fellow mushroom enthusiasts. Let one of the TAMC officers know if you might be interested in such a tri-club event. January Meeting: Piedmont Mushrooms; a Slide Show, by Jack Billman by Sam Baron The January meeting was held on the 12th in the elegant Gross Chemical Laboratory Building on the Duke University campus, with approximately fifteen people attending. President Jacques Poirier elected to defer business items until February, when our annual business meeting is held. The program for the evening was a slide show presented by Jack Billman, an electrical engineer whose mushroom activity is obviously a very serious page 13 hobby. Jack presented some 135 slides, all made by himself (though often in the company of his wife, JoAnna), and most of which he had identified. He remarked jocularly that no one could leave the room until all the unknowns had been identified. The slides had been made mostly in the Piedmont area of North Carolina, but there was a sprinkling of others from Tennessee, Virginia, Florida, West Virginia, etc. The presentation featured large groups of certain genera, like Amanita , Boletus , Russula , and Lactarius , but many different types were shown, from puff balls through stinkhorns to corals. He included a couple of especially noteworthy specimens: Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca- -which is the only species in this genus; and Psilocybe cubensis , a hallucinogenic much sought by folks out for a cheap high. The slides were accompanied by informative comments on habitats, distinctive features, incidence, edibility, keys used, and so forth. The audience was appropriately appreciative of this fine program, and was not surprised to hear that Jack's slides had been recognized by the North American Mycological Association for their excellent quality. Following the presentation, refreshments were served by our ever faithful Marys (Aycock and Beall), while those in attendance enjoyed a social mixer. February Meeting: Annual Business Meeting & Slide Show on Truffles and the North American Truf fling Society. by Sam Baron The February meeting was held on the 9th at the Gross Chemical Laboratory Building on the Duke University campus, with Jacques Poirier presiding. Eleven persons attended. This was the annual business meeting of our club, so the first item on the agenda was a report for the last fiscal year, which ended January 31, 1987, prepared by the treasurers, Owen and Pat McConnell. Owen reported that the beginning balance for the past year had been $425.06. Expenditures through the year ran to $714.48, while revenues came to $623.15, leaving a year-end balance of $333.73. The imbalance between income and expenditures was explained as a consequence of some decline in club membership. There were 71 members on February 1, 1986, and only 49 at the same date this year. However, members who have not renewed will be phoned, and it is anticipated that the number on the rolls will rise substantially . The next item of business was the election of officers for the present fiscal year. Jacques reported that the club's Board of Directors had nominated for another year of service those who last year filled the offices of President and Secretary-Treasurer, respectively, Jacques Poirier and Owen & Pat McConnell. No other nominations were made from the floor, and the Board's nominees were elected by acclamation. In some general discussions which followed, we learned that Mary Beall, who has faithfully provided beverages at our meetings for quite a while, will no longer be able to do so. It was suggested that a volunteer be solicited at each meeting to provide coffee and tea for the following meeting. The view was expressed that cookies need not accompany the beverages, but it was not universally agreed to. Bill Burk suggested that we might need to prune the list of groups to whom we send exchange copies of The Fungifile in order to reduce our expenses. Action is to be taken on this matter at the next meeting. Following the business meeting a program was presented on truffles. A set of slides produced by the North American Truf fling Society (NATS) was shown, and Jacques read an . accompanying text. NATS, which is centered in the northwestern U.S. , gathers information on truffles throughout the United States. Among many interesting things, we learned that truffles occur page 14 widely in this country (and even in the Chapel Hill area) as well as Europe. Truffles, which are underground mushroom fruits, are usually white or black, and have distinctive odors. All truffles seem to depend on a mycorrhisal association with higher plants, often pines, and the association is mutually beneficial. Small animals, notably the redbacked vole in the northwestern U.S. , dig up truffles for food, and such animals are important agents of distribution. Truffle hunters look for holes made by small animals, which serve as clues as to where one might find fruiting bodies. Pigs are used in Europe to detect truffles, but thus far NATS has had no success in training either pigs or dogs. An experienced hunter can smell certain truffles, and a three- or four-pronged garden rake is used for digging. Information on truffles found by NATS is carefully recorded in photographs and notes, making possible identification of species, habitats, range, etc. There are two large groups, the true truffles (members of the Ascomycetes) and the false truffles (members of the Basidiomycetes ) . Positive identification can be made only under the microscope. The most sought after truffles are species of the genus Tuber . Truffles are used as a spice or condiment in cooking. Most of us who have had any exposure to the truffle know it as an ingredient in elegant pate de foie gras . [Ed's, note: TAMC is very grateful for the loan of this truffle program from the North American Truf fling Society. For further information on NATS or on truffles, contact the North American Truffling Society, Inc. at P.O. Box 296, Corvallis, OR 97339. TAMC exchanges newsletters with NATS.] c+ , „ 1+ ff ++ , , iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiintwtnmimft Stan's Blewit Fettucini [Blewits ( Lepista nuda) have been plentiful this past December and January in the Triangle Area. Two large harvests of these mushrooms were given to various friends. Stanley G. Finch, a local gourmet, has created a dish over which his dinner guests raved. The recipe, copyrighted by Stanley G. Finch, is printed below for members to enjoy. Thanks to Stan for sharing his recipe with TAMC. Ed's, note] 4 dinner size portions or 6 appetizers 1 ) IT grated orange zest 1/2 c grated imported parmesan 1/4 c finely chopped fresh parsley Mix zest, parsley and parmesan and set aside. 2) 3c blewits sliced 1/4" 3 T minced shallots 1/2 t salt Fresh ground black pepper to taste (the more the better) 1 T butter 2 T walnut oil Saute blewits and shallots in butter and oil over high heat until liquid evaporates. Stir constantly. Salt and pepper while stirring. 3) 1 lb good quality imported fettucini pasta 2 T walnut oil Cook pasta. Drain. Toss with walnut oil. 4) Toss mushroom mixture into warm pasta, with parmesan mixture. Divide onto plates Sprinkle page 15 BEATRIX POTTER'S FUNGAL WORLD by Jeffery Beam . . .Long hours were spent with her eye to Bertram's microscope, drawing the spores of mould with their thread-like growth, or in museums leaning with sketch book and pencil over the fossil cases. Even more absorbing. .. were the bewildering funguses to be found every summer holiday, whether they went to Scotland or the Lakes. . .Soon we hear "I have been drawing funguses very hard; I think some day they will be put in a book. " The idea of a book of fungus seriously took hold of her. . .if only some expert could be found to write about them, she, with her natura- list's patience and crystal eyesight, her pure joy in the work and her leisured life which ached to be employed could provide a gallery of fungus portraits as curious as a collection of strange gems. She set herself ambitiously to work, with great patience searching for specimens, drawing and painting, dissecting, comparing varieties and certifying details at the museum. . .the work went on at intervals for several years; the folios of exquisite water-colours filled and multiplied ... But there were moments, as the months went by, when she reflected that no expert had yet come forward with enthusiasm, no mycologist welcomed her as his chosen illustrator. . . Thus Margaret Lane describes Beatrix Potter, creator of Peter Rabbit and so many other childhood friends, as she pursued another world of fantastic creatures, the fungi. This description from Lane's biography, The Tale of Beatrix Potter, brings home the great tragedy of Potter's genius as a naturalist. In another time, another place, Potter would have been recog- nized for what she was, not just a talented artist, whose well-trained eye could capture Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and her laundry to perfection in picture and word, but a scientist and biologist, whose sex and natural reticence contributed to her obscurity. Potter's uncle, Sir Henry Roscoe, the distinguished chemist, took Potter to Kew. The botanical experts at the Garden were skeptical. The Director "glanced at the drawings, appeared to be surprised at what he saw, and conversed with Uncle Harry about politics. 'He did not address me again, which I mention not with resentment, for I was getting dreadfully tired, but I had once or twice an amusing feeling of being regarded as young. ' " Despite these drawbacks, Potter amassed hundreds of fungi drawings and paintings. This past October I was lucky enough to visit her Lake Country farm, Hill Top, near Sawrey, Hawkshead, Westmoreland, England where I had hoped to see her watercolors. Unfortunately, for preservation reasons, they had just been removed to the Tate Gallery in London where I had recently been (although they were not on exhibit yet). Another time. But I did purchase for Bill Burk a number of postcards of Potter's fungi which he might be willing to show to the curious. The text on the postcards implies that a collection of the fungal art is held at the Armitt Library in Ambleside, Cumbria, England, so next time I will try there. A wonderful book, W.P.K. Findlay's Ways ids and Woodland Fungi, published by Potter's publisher, Frederick Warne & Co, Ltd. in 1967, was inspired by Potter's paintings and includes twenty-two of them. Apparently another Warne ' s book, The Art of Beatrix Potter, also includes some reproductions of fungi. Potter's contribution to mycology does not rest solely on these illustra- tions. She also conducted quite serious research on the germination of the spores in Agaricineae. At the age of thirty she submitted a paper to page 16 the Linnean Society of London. The Paper was read at the meeting of April 1, 1897, but was never published. She withdrew it from publication because she wished to bring her research to a more advanced stage. In the latter part of 1897 she prepared many highly magnified studies of spore develop- ment. Her ideas about the propagation of the spores of molds, and about lichens being dual organisms were proven correct by a German scientist. Soon after these achievements and disappointments, Potter began her animal drawings and stories in earnest. Perhaps if we had known Potter the biologist, we might never have known the delightful, life-affirming and entertaining characters of her children's tales. We are fortunate, however, that her scientific work was not lost. Without it, we would have missed her lovely watercolors, her discoveries in spore germination and in lichen duality, and Findlay's book. Potter's fungal art is delicate and refined, but despite the Kew Director's opinion that her paintings lack the detail necessary for scientific usefulness, one look at them reveals the eye of a professional . Beatrix Potter's gift to England and the world goes beyond art and literature. In later years she was to become a farmer of some renown for her Herdwick breed of sheep, and subsequently, President of the Herdwick Sheepbreeders Association. She accumulated fourteen farms and 4,000 acres of land in the Lake District which she left to the National Trust. The Trust now owns eighty-five hill farms, with a total of 22,000 Herdwicks. Without Potter's insistence in preserving this countryside, the world might never have known the land which inspired Wordsworth, Shelley, Keats, and Byron. Nor should we have the pleasure of experiencing the home of Jemima Puddleduck and Tabitha Twitchet. A countryside where Potter was "overtaken with funguses. . .in crowds, exasperating to leave. . . , " where ". . .among the moss. . ." she took them " . . . up carefully with (her) old cheese-knife. . ." and observed "...There is extreme complacency in finding a totally new species for the first time." The Bookshelf Hi Id and Exotic Mushroom Cultivation in North America; a growers' and gourmets' guide to the new edible species , by Geraldine C. Kaye . 2d edition. Cambridge, Mass. 02138, Farlow Reference Library and Herbarium of Cryptogamic Botany, Harvard University (20 Divinity Avenue), 1986. 59 p. $6.00 & 75c postage. Review by Bill Burk Supplies of the first edition of this popular book were quickly exhausted and the second edition, which is twice as big as the first, is most welcomed. This directory leads the interested individual to every important aspect of mushroom cultivation occurring in North America. The basic format of the book retains many of the original categories, but with new, updated, and expanded coverage. The major sections of the book include: 1) an inclusive bibliography, covering general and scientific works, page 17 practical treatments of various mushrooms: Lent inns edodes, Pleurotus species, Valvar iel la volvacea, Flammulina velut i pes , Agar icus spec ies , Horchella species, Tuber, wild species in commerce; and periodicals. Two new entries are cookbooks and "something different" (information on the Mushroom Electronic Bulletin Board Service offered by Mushroompeople in California ) . 2) mycological associations and institutions, including descriptions & addresses of 5 mycological associations, 5 cultivation research centers, 7 growers' trade associations, and 4 amateur cultivation groups. 3) mushroom related businesses and organizations, alphabetically arranged. This section has been greatly expanded, comprising over a third of the book. For each entry one can determine the range of goods, mushrooms and services that are offered (such as spawn, research conducted, courses given, scholarships, catalogs, species grown or sold, publications, supplies, brands, cultures ...). As might be expected the author states that Neogen Corporation's patent for growing morels represents "the most exciting new development in mushroom cultivation in many years!" 4) tables of scientific names with equivalent common names and tables of common names with corresponding scientific names. 5) eleven subject indexes lead the reader to every bit of information that this fact-packed book contains. A bonanza of information on mushroom cultivation in North America, this book will more than satisfy one's information needs and is unequivocally recommended. Peterson Field Guide to Mushrooms, by Kent H. McKnight & Vera McKnight. Boston, MA 02108, Houghton Mifflin Co. (Two Park Street), 1987. hardcover $19.95; paperback $13 . 95 . Houghton Mifflin provides the following information on this new mushroom book, expected to hit the market by the first week of March 1987. This guide, "the product of fifteen years of work by two distinguished mycologists, ... includes information on approximately 1000 species of mushrooms. Over 500 species are described in extensive detail; 450 of these are illustrated in beautiful color paintings by Vera McKnight, and fifty- nine in black and white drawings. The paintings reveal subtleties of color, shape, and physical detail that are rarely visible in the photographs used to illustrate most mushroom guides." TAMC's newsletter editor has just received from the publisher a sampling of the 48 plates and text. As with other Peterson field guides the plates use arrows on the illustrations and italics in the text to point out unique characteristics to help with species identifications. Discount Available. Houghton Mifflin will allow a 40% discount on their new mushroom book if TAMC submits a collective order of at least 10 copies. If you are interested in ordering a hardcover copy which retails for $19.95, please send a check for $12.67 ($11.67 for book, $1.00 for postage/handling) to: Owen and Pat McConnell, 2808 Butner St., Durham, NC 27704. Make check payable to TAMC. Please note that the postage and handling charge is not for shipment to individual addresses, but to TAMC. In order to reduce any inconveniences in distributing copies members are asked to pick up their book(s) at a TAMC meeting or make other special arrangements for pickup. Copies will not be mailed or hand carried to members. page 18 Home Shiitake An Easy, Inexpensive Cultivation Method By Van T. Cotter and Tim Flynn Neither traditional shiitake growing methods nor shiitake kits are well suited for growing shiitake mushrooms (Lentinus edodes) on a small scale for home use. Traditional methods use labor-intensive inoculation methods and large logs which are cumbersome for home use. Shiitake kits are very expensive. We have found a convenient, inexpensive method for growing shiitake which is ideally suited for small scale home production. Our method differs from traditional cultivation primarily in the inoculation step and in using short rather than long oak logs. In March, 1984, we inoculated short oak logs on the ends with shiitake sawdust spawn and covered the ends with aluminum foil. White oak (Quercus alba) and chestnut oak (Quercus prinus) logs were used. Starting in October, seven months later, we harvested good quantities of shiitake from both types of logs. The logs produced mushrooms indoors all winter long, are producing well in 1986 and should produce for another year or two. Our timetable below is based on the climate of the mid-Atlantic states and should be adjusted according to the climate of your region. For example, logs should be cut sometime after the first hard frost but well before spring bud break. Inoculation can be done anytime in the spring when frequent hard frosts are no longer expected. The Timetable — November - February, cut oak logs and stack them for curing. Early in March, order the spawn. Later in March, inoculate the logs and stack them densely for the laying period. October, soak the logs to induce fruiting, then loosely stack in a high humidity area. Step 1, Obtaining the Logs and Spawn Oak logs are preferable but shiitake will grow on many different kinds of logs. We have found white and chestnut oak to be excellent but pin oak (Quercus palustris) to be poor. Other angiosperm trees such as maples, alders and birches will work, but yields will be lower and log life shorter. Logs should be cut from living trees during the winter and stacked loosely outdoors for aging. Logs can be any convenient length (they'll be cut again before inoculation) and should be 2 to 5 inches in diameter. The bark and the wood must be sound, without decayed areas. During aging, the logs should be exposed to air movement (light winds). The logs should be aged for at least four weeks. Good quality shiitake sawdust or grain spawn should be obtained from a reputable supplier. (Wood plug spawn is not suitable with our method.) Spawn should be used soon after you obtain it. If the spawn is not used immediately, store it in a refrigerator. Step 2, Inoculating the Logs The aged logs are cut into 16 to 20 inch lengths, providing fresh end surfaces for inoculation. Shiitake sawdust spawn is spread 3-16ths of an inch thick on the freshly cut log ends, which are then covered with a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil crimped around the log end. This style of end inoculation uses about the same amount of spawn as would drilling and filling holes in a log of the same size. (Our inoculation method is adapted from San Antonio and Hanners' description in their "Spawn Disk Inoculation of Logs to Produce Mushrooms," HortScience 18: 708 - 710, 1983. It differs from the San Antonio and Hanners' method in that it omits the spawn disk step, which we found unnecessary.) Step 3, the Laying Period (Colonization of the Wood) The logs are densely stacked (see picture 1) outdoors in a shaded area exposed to rain. There should be air circulation but the logs should not be exposed to wind. Elevating them above the soil on cement blocks is helpful, and protects them from termites. After several weeks the shiitake mycelium will densely cover the end of the log (see picture 2) and will be invading the wood. During the laying period the mycelium colonizes the Mushroom, the Journal page 19 Picture 2 Mycelium covering end of log .wood, which is the food base for the shiitake fungus. The aluminum foil cover is left on during this entire laying period. An alternative laying method is to keep the logs buried in dry sawdust (see Shiitake News, Vol. 1, No. 1, from the Southeastern Minnesota Forest Resource Center, Box 156A, Lanesboro, Minn. 55949; there are two articles in this issue on the laying or incubation period). Step 4, The Fruiting Period The convenience of short logs manifests itself at this stage because they fit easily into a basement sink or tub. The aluminum foil end covers are removed and discarded, and then the logs are soaked in cool water for two to three days, using some kind of weight to keep them submerged. After soaking, the logs are loosely cross-stacked in a high humidity area with diffuse light. This can be indoors or out. A clear plastic tent works well, and humidity can be maintained inside the tent by keeping wet rags under the logs. If young mushrooms form but fail to develop, the humidity probably is too low and should be increased. If green mold develops on the bark of the logs, humidity is too high and aeration should be increased. Mushrooms should form within two weeks of soaking (see picture 3). The first crop forms on the log ends; later crops will come from all along the logs. Mushrooms should be picked after the partial veil has broken but before the cap has fully expanded. By staggering the soaking of your logs, you can obtain continuous production for your kitchen. A log can be resoaked about every two to three months. Shiitake mycelium in a log will survive temperatures well below freezing, so logs can be left outdoors over winter in most states. But we suggest keeping some indoors and forcing them by soaking so you can enjoy fresh shiitake all winter long. We hope you will find home shiitake cultivation convenient enough to give it a place alongside the tomatoes and squash in your garden. The method we have described here is just one of many possible methods; let your imagination devise modifications of it to suit your own particular situation. The goal, of course, is to have the pleasure and satisfaction of fresh home-grown shiitake. Van T. Cotter and Tim Flynn are graduate students with Dr. O.K. Miller, Jr., at the Department of Biology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va. 24061. This article has been reprinted from Mushroom, the Journal, volume 4, issue 13, pp. 35-36, 1986, with the kind permission of the authors, Van T. Cotter & Tim Flynn, and the journal's editor, Don H. Coombs. "Subscriptions to Mushroom, the Journal (four issues a year) are $12.00, from Box 3156, University Station, Moscow, ID 83843." page 20 u * MARCH /¥ Meeiin v. 9 loom- iSaoopi UNC-COKER.HALL R0OIA X\5 r. APRIL )3 a.t\dL MAY II Meetings 7:30 sr ^ COKER 15-SOI to D^rKam HALL tv»»*J3* a CJ Co**' Hah 111 IT* Triangle Area Mushroom Club Box 17061 Durham, NC 27705 PtliCe Cotier\ NORTH CAROLINA COLLECTIONS WILSON LIBRARY 024-A UNC-CH CAMPUS IS YOUR LABEL CORRECT? the funoin e Newsletter of the Triangle Area Mushroom Club P.O. 17061, Durham, North Carolina 27705 Volume 6 Number 3 May /June i y o i President: Jacques Poirier: 210 W. Lavender Ave., Durham, NC 27704 477-5637 Owen and Pat McConnell: 2808 Butner St., Durham, NC 27704 . . . 477-5178 Bill Burk: 1122 Sourwood Dr., Chapel Hill, NC 27514 942-6367 Roy Borchardt and Eve Taylor: 116 Parthenia Dr., Durham, NC . 27705 / . . 363-3364 Program Coordinator: Position is unfilled TABLE OF CONTENTS FORAYS p. 21 Secretary /Treasurer : Editor : Foray Chairs MOREL FORAY p. 22 de CURRENT EVENTS p. 22-23 POISON OAK p. 24 MR . , AP . , MAY MEETINGS p. 24-26 EDIBILITY OF MUSHROOMS 'p. 26 LACTARII OF N. 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"The University of California, Berkeley, Wellness Letter , a newsletter published in association with the School of Public Health, reports in the June, 1986 issue that mushrooms offer a significant amount of some vitamins and minerals. 'Raw, fresh mushrooms contain no sodium or fat, minimal calories, and no cholesterol. A 3 1/2 ounce portion (about 1-1/2 cups raw1 of Agaricus bisporus , the common cultivated mushroom sold in supermarKets , supplies about 10% of the daily iron requirement and 25% of the niacin for an adult, but only 25 calories. Drained, canned mushrooms are less nutritious. The vitamins and minerals may be lost in processing or may seep out into the cooking liquids. Try to use the liquid in some part of your meal. ' The article goes on to advise shoppers on buying and storing mushrooms as well as eating them. The article also mentions shiitake mushrooms with the comment that they have slightly more calories but fewer minerals than Agaricus bisporus . In the following issue, July, 1986, the newsletter contained a caution. 5 ... raw - not cooked-mushrooms contain naturally occurring substances called hydrazines, some of which have been known to cause cancer in animals. Since our last issue went to press, scientific evidence has come to light showing that raw mushrooms can cause cancer in mice. ' Describing a study involving feeding common raw mushrooms ( Agaricus bisporus ) to laboratory rats, the article stated that 'raw mushrooms could indeed cause cancer in mice, and therefore humans would be well advised to avoid eating mushrooms raw. Many hydrazines are highly volatile, and according to their studies, most can be destroyed by cooking, including the most harmful types. Drying has a similar effect. It is therefore preferable to eat mushrooms in soups, stews, or as a cooked side dish or garnish. Most people don't eat large quantities of raw mushrooms. In any case, the amount of hydrazines contained in a serving of raw mushrooms is apparently small. Practically all plant foods contain natural substances that protect the plants against predators. Some of these have been shown to have adverse effects on animals, a few on humans. Hydrazines are among this group. In light of these findings, if you eat mushrooms often, it is probably prudent to eat them cooked, not raw.'" FORAY OWE 13- DUKE FOREST C/OA.M.) page 40 I llustrations The illustrations for this issue of The Fungi fi ie are from Jacob Christian Schaeffer's 'Fungorum qui in Bavaria et Palatinatu circa Ratisbonam, Nascuntur Icones Nativis Coloribus Expressae. 2d edition. Ratisbonae, 1772, 4 voiumes , except for two illustrations (on the masthead and on page 31, lower left) which are from James Bolton's 'An History of Fungusses Growing about Halifax," London, 1788, volume 1. The bold lettering for Lactar ius on the top of page 27 is from L.R. Hesier & A.H. Smith's "North American Species of Lactarius , Ann Arbor, 1979. Acknowledgments A special note of thanks is given to Carl Rich for producing mailing labels and for the 1987 TAMC Membership List. Another thank you is extended to Owen McConnell for his mycological opus on Lactarius . Triangle Area Mushroom Club Box 17061 Durham, NC 27705 IS YOUR LABEL CORRECT? (98 the ftjngifile Newsletter of The Triangle Area Mushroom Club P.O. 17061, Durham, North Carolina 27705 Volume 6 Number 4 July/August 1987 President: Jacques Poirier: 210 W. Lavender Ave., Durham, NC 27704 477-5837 Secretary/Treasurer: Owen and Pat McConnell: 2808 Butner St., Durham, NC 27704 . . . 477-5178 Editor: Bill Burk: 1122 Sourwood Dr., Chapel Hill, NC 27514 942-6387 Foray Chairs: Roy Borchardt and Eve Taylor: 116 Parthenia Dr., Durham, NC 27705. . . 383-3364 Program Coordinator: Position is unfilled TABLE OF CONTENTS Forays p. 41-42 Species List p. 46 DeCurrent Events .... p. 42-43 TAMC Spotlight p. 47 Book Review p. 44-45 Map to Kerr Dam & Reservoir. . p. 48 — Joint Foray Registration Form p. 49 M AFtKI Meetings YOUR CALENDAR Meetings will not be held during the summer, but will resume in September. Forays :■ July 26: Kerr Dam and Reservoir, Virginia. Trail guide and naturalist: Gordon Erickson with the mycological assistance of accompanying TAMC members. (Gordon is currently a naturalist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Boydton, Virginia.) For the convenience of TAMC members there will be two locations for carpooling: 1) Texaco Station (corner of the 15- 501 By-Pass and Estes Drive, Chapel Hill, which is at the southeast corner of University Mall); 2) Edison Johnson Recreation Center on Murray Avenue, Durham (1 block from the NC Museum of Life and Science: take Duke St./Roxboro exit off of 1-85 near Northgate Shopping Center & go north; turn right onto Murray Ave. at second light). Departure from either location will be 10:30 am. For those who would like to drive directly meet at the Liberty Hill Trail which is a right-hand turn just before you approach the dam if you are travelling from North Carolina. (See map page 48 j People may want to bring their lunches. The foray begins at 1:00 pm. For further information contact Bill Burk: 942-6387. page 42 August- 8: Battle Park. Guest mycologist: David Arora who will be visiting in North Carolina for two weeks. David is the author of Mushrooms Demystif ied , a mycological tome of 959 pages, now in its second edition. To celebrate this special occasion each person can bring his/her own lunch and beverage and perhaps a side treat (such as a watermelon, chips, salad, etc. > to share with others. (Directions to Battle Park: from 15-501 By-Pass in Chapel Hill, take 54 W {Raleigh Rd. ), and turn right at first light onto Country Club Rd. , pass Forest Theater on right, then turn right on Boundary St. , park in small picnic area parking lot on right, behind Forest Theater) The foray begins at 10:00 am. For further information contact Bill Burk: 942-6387 . August 22: Maxabel Acres in Person County or The DiBonna Property. Foray leader: Jacques Poirier. Meet at 10:00 am at the Edison Johnson Recreation Center (directions to the Edison Center are given under the July 26 foray, above). For further information contact Jacques Poirier: 477-5837. September 4-6: Asheville, NC . TAMC, Asheville & Ohio Joint Foray. For details see under deCurrent Events. Volunteers Needed As with any club TAMC's success depends in large part on the input, assistance and vigor of each member. With the season of monthly programs fast approaching the club still needs a program coordinator without whom there will not be any programs! Also, it is not too soon for each member to be thinking about the possibility of serving as an officer or in another volunteer role . " ""Several of the current officers have kindly served for two consecutive years and will likely step down when the new year arrives. In order to sustain itself the club needs willing members to serve TAMC and its various activities. Please let one of the present officers know if you would like to volunteer in any way possible. Thanks. de Current Events July 20-31: Highlands Biological Station, Highlands, NC . HIGHER FUNGI OF THE BLUE RIDGE. A two-week course on the higher fungi, taught by Ron Petersen, botany professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The learning experience will include: field trips to the magnificent forests of the area, lab work, and lectures. Enrollment is limited to ten people. For further information contact Dr. Richard Bruce, P.O. Drawer 580, Highlands, NC 28741 (704-526-2602) or Ron Petersen, Botany Dept., University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37916 (615-974-2256). August 5-17: Alaska: ALASKA MUSHROOM STUDY TOUR. Participants "will visit and foray in a variety of climactic zones with a diversity of mushroom flora: the Alaska interior—Fairbanks and Denali National Park, south- central Aiaska--the Kenai Peninsula, and the panhandle-- Juneau and Sitka." Cost (leaving from Fairbanks, Alaska): $2,385.00 (plus $585.00 for single room). For further information contact: Emanuel Salzman, c/o Fungophile, Inc., P.O. Box 5503, Denver, CO 80217. ( 303 ) -296-9359 . page 43 August 20-23: Paul Smith's College, Paul Smith's, New York: 12TH ANNUAL NORTHEASTERN MYCOLOGICAL FORAY . Activities will include: foray field trips to the Adirondack Mountains, wild mushroom cookery program and lakeside barbecue, book sales, craft sales, instructive displays of collected fungi, and social gatherings. Deadline for applying is -July 15 i. late registrants will be required to pay $20.00 ). Cost: varies according to accommodations and meal plan desired. For further information contact: Northeastern Mycological Foray, Mr. Mrs. James Kronick, P. 0. Box 533, Merrick, NY 11566. ( 516 ) -867-0826 . August 27-30: Telluride, Colorado: WILD MUSHROOMS/TELLURIDE . "The Telluride Mushroom Conference is designed for persons interested in expanding their knowledge of edible, poisonous and psychoactive wild mushrooms. Major consideration will be given to the cultivation of diverse mushroom species, emphasizing practical principles and techniques." Registration (includes meals and admission to conference programs): $145.00. For further information contact: Fungophile, Inc. , P. 0. Box 5503, Denver, CO 80217. ( 303 ) -296-9359 . September 4-6: Theresa Rey of the Asheville Mushroom Club has provided us with further information on the JOINT MUSHROOM CLUB FORAY /GATHERING : "Labor Day Regional Foray. A joint foray between the Ohio Mushroom Society, Triangle Area Mushroom Club, and our [i.e., Asheville Mushroom Club] is in the planning stage. We've decided on Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4-6, so keep that weekend open! Fri . night will start things off with several short programs, and a coffee and dessert social. Sat. morning will see forays to different areas, with free time in the afternoon to scrutinize the collections. Sat. night will be full of programs, and a wine and cheese social. Sun. will again be filled with forays, programs; and workshops, ending with a program open to the public. There will be a $5.00 registration fee to help with all the extra costs involved. We plan to have this foray information in both The Mushroom Journal and The Mycophile, so there is the possibility we'll have quite a crowd. We've already arranged to have Bill Roody, a naturalist from W[est] V[irginia] who specializes in the study of boletes , to give a program. Theresa Rey will have just completed 2 weeks of study with Ron Petersen at the Highlands Biological Station, so we can look forward to an up-to-date program from her! Dan Lazar has also offered to do a program, and lots of other potential speakers are being approached." For further information contact: Susan Mitchell, 51 Kentwood Lane, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768. ( 704 ) -884-4749 . We will try to car pool to Asheville. Also there may be a preforay stop at the Berg's mountain home. The next newsletter will provide further details. ****See Registration form on page 49.**** page 44 The Book Shelf A Peterson Field Guide to Mushrooms, North America, by Kent H. McKnight and Vera B. McKnight. 1987. (The Peterson Field Guide Series, 34 j 429 pp. & 48 plates. $19.95 (hardcover, retail), $13.95 (paperback, retail). Houghton Mifflin Co. (2 Park Street, Boston, MA 02108). Review by Owen L. McConnell they have This guide features and illustrates 510 species of mushrooms found in the continental U.S. and Canada. In addition 500 or more species are dis- cussed, but not illustrated because of their similarity to the illustrated species. The authors claim that the book identifies all the most common and important North American mushrooms. However, they recognize that no comprehensive inventory of North American fungi has been undertaken and that mycologists do not know how many mushrooms occur within this area. Therefore, the representative- ness of the sample illustrated is open bo question. It appears to me that eastern species may be overly represented relative to western ones, but that's an advantage if one lives in North Carolina, tried to include the most common and important Because mushrooms, the majority of those illustrated have already appeared in previous field guides, which is fine for the beginner, but limits the value for the more advanced amateurs. Nevertheless, this book is of value to the more advanced student for several reasons. First, some mushroom groups have received better ""coverage than in other guides, including additional species. For example, 31 Amanita species are illustrated, including 11 from the Lepidella section. Thirty-six boletes are depicted. The treatment of morels is especially fine. Second, the advanced student can benefit from the detailed descriptions and technical data concerning species given in the text. Especially useful are the distinctions among look-alike species. Probably the most outstanding and valuable feature of this guide is the use made of paintings and drawings, rather than photographs, to illustrate the species. About 450 species are illustrated in color and about 50 more in black-and-white. They appear on 48 plates which are organized, in keeping with the text, into 3 parts: Part I- non-gilled mushrooms (14 plates), Part II- gilled fungi (28 plates), and Part III- puff balls and related mushrooms (6 plates, all but one in black-and-white). These plates, made by Vera McKnight, are of excellent quality, reliable color (unlike some photographs ) , and sometimes show internal characteristics or staining reactions not easily revealed by photographs. There are no keys; the preliminary identification of species is by visual gestalt and key diagnostic characters indicated by arrows on the plates. These key features are briefly described on the page opposite the plates i necessary because it is not always clear what the arrows refer to). But up to 17 species are shown on a single plate, allowing one to compare the characteristics of related mushrooms, even their relative sizes, in a way photographs do not. Species are arranged on the plates by genus - an advantage for comparing the members of a genus but a problem in quickly page 45 locating a species if the genus is unknown. Also the index only lists species by genus. After finding the picture which most closely matches the mushroom in hand, one must read the detailed description (.found in a ! different section of the book) to rule out, or in, similar species and make a positive identification. When the verbal description of look-alike species are adequate, they can sharpen one's discriminative abilities, but when they are absent or insufficient, they can lead to errors in identification. For example, the text about Boletus piperatus makes no mention of the similar Boletus rubinellus . For the most part, however, the text is more thorough and gives more discriminative data about similar species than is found in other field guides. (This information is important because the species are grouped only by genus on the plates, a disadvantage for comparing visually similar species belonging to different genera j . The most serious disadvantage of this guide in my opinion are the primary emphasis on common names and a format which makes utilization of scientific names difficult. Their being few common names for mushrooms in the English language, the authors sometimes translate the scientific name, sometimes borrow folk names from other European languages, and often create the common names. Most of the common names will be unfamiliar to users of the guide The authors state that the common names are merely recommendations; however, they are imposed in a rather forceful way upon the reader's attention. To ;find the Latinized name, one must first read the common name on the plate, ! then locate this common name again on the opposite page where it appears in | dark capital letters. Next to it will be the scientific name in small letters, seeming to hide among the bold print of the common names and the : descriptions of mushroom characteristics like a trembling ( because : italicized) rabbit in a leafy thicket. Consequently, it is likely that the iuser will at least incidentally memorize an additional terminology that may be of little communicative value. On the credit side, the authors do seem to have tried to select common names that call attention to definitive features of the~mushrooms . Overall, this guide appears to be one of the best available. The final 'results justify the 15 years gestation involved in producing it. In addition to the featured species, the guide contains a 26-page introduction and 28 pages in the back devoted to cooking and recipes. Inside the front ! cover are illustrations of- mushroom characteristics and inside the back are j those of the major groups of fungi. All in all, this guide is worth the cost ! page 46 SPECIES LIST SPRING AND EARLY SUMMER 1987 April 13: Chapel Hill Daedaliopsis conf ragosa Entoloma strictius Lycogala epidendrum Morchella angusticeps M . esculenta Stereum ostrea Urnula craterium June 13: Duke Forest ( along New Hope Creek near Hollow Rock Store)** Amanita f lavorubescens A. sp. A . vaginata A . volvata Boletus bicolor B . subglabripes B . subvelutipes Cantharellus sp. ( cibarius or minor ) Clavulina cristata Fomes f omentarius Fuligo septica Leccinum scabrum July 11: Battle Park, Chapel Hill Amanita cokeri A . ravenelii A . rhopalopus A . sp . Boletellus betula Boletus miniato-olivaceus B. sp. Cantharellus cibarius L . subglabripes Mycorrhaphium adustum Pluteus cervinus Russula crustosa R. silvicola R. sp. (pink & cream cap, white gills ) R. sp. (brown cap; Schizophyllum commune Stereum ostrea Strobilomyces t'loccopus Tylopilus alboater T. ballouii C . cinnabarinus C . minor Ganoderma curtisi i Lactarius piperatus L. volemus Marasmius sp . Phylloporus rhodoxanthus Russula sp. (white; R. sp. (pink-rose cap, stem white with pink tint ) **"The June 13 Foray in Duke Forest" by Jacques Poirier The forayers dri raindrops drizzled experienced 5 felt had been only one kept up by foray flowers, Agna Cal knowledge of wild b turtle, we began t Creek on the loop t zzled in to the starting point nearly as slowly as the down. Among the eventual 10 forayers, the more that nothing of mycological note would be found. There rainy day in the past two weeks. Initially, interest was leader Owen McConnell's knowledge of trees and wild ingaert's supporting knowledge, and Patsy McConnell's ird songs. Then, after we found a few fungi and a o find more fungi at lower elevations closer to New Hope rail. Proximity to the creek was the key. page 47 Edmond Badham For the past, three years TAMC members have been treated with lessons on I how to cultivate the shiitake mushroom presented by Edmond Badham at the North Carolina Botanical Garden. A two-page article, "His Business Is Mushrooming; Edmond Badham is cultivating a friendly image of fungi, by Dennis Whittington, appeared in Triangle Business , June 1-June 6, 1987 issue, pp. 25-26. Edmond' s college education has taken him to the University of North Carolina's Dept. of Botany, and then to North Carolina State University where he earned his Bachelor's degree. After working for a year as a county extension agent in Columbus County,- NC, Edmond began his graduate studies, first at the University of Tennessee under the direction jof the well-known mycologist, Ron Petersen, then to the City University of New York where he earned his doctoral degree in biology. Unable to land a job as a mycologist, Edmond "decided he would have to find a way to put his knowledge about fungi and mushrooms together in some sort of money-making enterprise," and he finally started his own company, Carolina Fungi, Inc. If you see a truck in the Triangle Area with SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS in big letters on its side, it is probably Edmond' s. His shiitake mushrooms carry the Carolina Fungi, Inc. label. Kerry Givens Once again Kerry has a feature article in Wildlife in North Carolina (vol. 51, no. 6, 1987), on pages 22-27. Accompanied by spectacular color photographs that Kerry took and anecdotal text, "Marvelous Moths" is as enjoyable as his other nature articles. Who else would lurk outside at 5:00 am in front of a-^laundromat in pursuit of moths? Kerry's adventures are the readers' enjoyment. Let's still hope for an article on North Carolina fungi . Owen McConnell The Mycophile , newsletter of the North American Mycological Association, has featured Owen's article on Suillus in its July-August 1987 issue. The article first appeared in The Fungifile, vol. 5, no. 6, p. 59-62, Nov. /Dec. 1986. SgJaedula : Friday evening begins the foray with programs starting at 7:30 followed by a dessert social at the Nature Center. Saturday morning we'll meet at the Nature Center at 9:30 before dividing up into foray groups. Long and short forays are scheduled. Evening programs will begin at 7:30 and will be followed by a wine and cheese social. Sunday morning we'll again meet at the Nature Center at 9:30. The foray will conclude with a review of the collection at 3:00. Ashe vi lie Area Attractions: Biltmore House and Gardens, Blue Ridge Parkway, Mineral Museums, Carl Sandburg's Home, Cherokee Indian Reservation, U.N.C.A. Botanical Gardens, Thomas Wolf's Home, Linville Gorge and Palls, Whitewater rafting, and hiking/camping/mushrooming in the Pisgah, Cherokee, and Nantahala National Forests. cut Jaer a Name: I will be attending: Address: Phone : ( h- Fee: $5.00 includes programs and snacks per person, children free Make check payable to: Asheville Mushroom Club Send to: Susan Mitchell 51 Kentwood Lane Pisgah Forest, N.C 28768 Fri. night Sat. Sat. night Sun. I require accommodation information on: Bed and Breakfast Motel Hotel Cabin Campground- tent C amp ground- R. V. page 50 The illustrations for this issue of The Fungifile are from J. H. Leveille' Iconographie des Champignons de Paulet. r --is: J.B. Bailliere, 1855. Triangle Area Mushroom Club Box 17061 Durham, NC 27705 IS YOUR LABEL CORRECT? f98 ne Newsletter of the Triangle Area Mushroom Club P.O. 17061, Durham, North Carolina 27705 Volume 6 Number 5 September/October 1987 President Secretary /Treasurer : Jacques Poirier: 210 W. Lavender Ave., Durham, NC 27704 „ 477-5837 Owen and Pat McConnell: 2808 Butner St., Durham, NC 27704. . .477-5178 Editor: Bill Burk: 1122 Sourwood Dr., Chapel Hill, NC 27514 942-6387 Foray Chairs: Roy Borchardt and Eve Taylor: 116 Parthenia Dr., Durham, NC 27705. . . 383-3364 Program Coordinator: Position is unfilled TABLE OF CONTENTS Meetings p Forays p deCurrent Events pp Previous Forays pp. 51 52 52-54 54-55 Arora Rouses Boletes pp. 55-56 Appalachian Fungi Course p. 59 TAMC Spotlight p. 59 The Book Shelf p. 60 TAMC Book Collection p. 60 Funoptic Keys pp. 61- Volunteers Needed The Triangle Area Mushroom Club is strong in numbers, but weak in volunteers. At the time that this newsletter was prepared no one had volunteered to help organize TAMC's monthly programs. In order to insure a continuous slate of programs for our members a program chairperson is needed. Please contact one of the TAMC officers if you would like to serve as the program coordinator. m<=»rk your c*=%i_E:iN4r>*=*re Meetings September 14: Jack Billman will show his slides of mushrooms. Meet at 7:30 pm in Room 215, Coker Hall, UNC-Chapel Hill campus. See map on page 58. Also bring any mushrooms found to the meeting. October 5 (Please note that the meeting is the first Monday of the month because the 12th is Columbus Day): Funoptic Keys. Share in the joys and fun in creating fungal keys, inspired by the genius of David Arora. For further information you must attend the meeting. Also the article on pages 61-62 of this issue of The Fungifile may further fan your passion for learning about these keys. Meet at 7:30 pm in Room 215, Coker Hall, UNC-Chapel Hill campus. See map on page 58. page 52 / Foraya August, 29: Kerr Dam and Reservoir, Virginia. Trail guide and naturalist: Gordon Erickson with the mycological assistance of accompanying TAMC members. We will car pool from the Edison Johnson Recreation Center on Murray Avenue, Durham (1 block from the NC Museum of Life and Science: take Duke St./Roxboro exit off 1-85 near Northgate Shopping Center & go north; turn right onto Murray Ave. at second light). Departure will be 1:00 pm. For those who would like to drive directly meet at the Liberty Hill Trail which is a right-hand turn just before you approach the dam if you are travelling from North Carolina. If you should need a map for directions, please contact Bill Burk (942-6387). The foray begins at 3:00 pm. September 26: Duke Forest. Foray leader: Rytas Vilgalys, professor of mycology in the Botany Department of Duke University. This will be a joint foray with TAMC members and students of Rytas ' s mycology course. Bring your lunch & beverage and a dish to share. Meet at the Phillips 66 Station on Old Erwin Road, Durham, at 10:00 am. See map on page 58. October 10: Wally Kaufamn will guide our group through the woodland of Saralyn, Chatham County and everyone will take part in identifying mushrooms that are found. Bring your lunch & beverage and a dish to share. Depart from the Texaco Station (corner of the 15-501 By-Pass and Estes Drive, Chapel Hill, which is at the southeast corner of University Mall) at 10:00 am. For those who want to drive directly to Wally' s place take 15-501 South to Pittsboro, go over the Haw River, take a right on Chatham Children's Corner, go 1 1/2 miles until you come to mail boxes on the left and a gravel road on the right, take the gravel road on the right, and follow TAMC signs. See map on page 58. deCurrent Events August 27-30: Telluride, Colorado: WILD MUSHROOMS /TELLURI DE . "The Telluride Mushroom Conference is designed for persons interested in expanding their knowledge of edible, poisonous and psychoactive wild mushrooms. Major consideration will be given to the cultivation of diverse mushroom species, emphasizing practical principles and techniques." Registration (includes meals and admission to conference programs): $145.00. For further information contact: Fungophile, Inc., P. 0. Box 5503, Denver, CO 80217. ( 303 ) -296-9359 . September 2-4: Pisgah National Forest, Yancey County: PRE-ASHEVILLE FORAY IN THE LAND OF DIANNE AND DOUG BERG. Dianne and Doug have graciously opened their summer house to TAMC members. Dianne writes: "Join the Berg's in Yancey County in the Pisgah National Forest for Wednesday through Friday before the Asheville Foray. The house has three bedrooms (one with Doug and Dianne' s name on the door), a sleeper sofa in the living room, two bathrooms, kitchen, screen porch suitable for bodies in sleeping bags, and room for tents around the house and on the other side of Neal ' s Creek. Doug and Dianne will try to leave early on Wednesday which means they will probably make it up there by 2 pm. Dianne will travel to Asheville Saturday morning (about a one-hour drive) and return Sunday evening. Doug will be in residence throughout, probably wading around in the South Toe River or one of any various and sundry creeks with a fly rod in his hand. Call Carl Rich at 467-7826 to coordinate food or just bring some and come anyway. Carl will bring his grill so hamburgers, etc. will do well. There is a Harris-Teeter [grocery] store in Marion at the Lady Marion Plaza. page 53 Directions: 1-40 to Marion. 226 through Marion to stoplight just past Lady Marion Plaza. Left onto US 70 then right onto US 80 (Lake Tahoma Rd. ) • At this point you are about 15 miles from your destination but they are 15 miles you will remember driving. Cross Buck Creek Gap at its intersection with the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is also the continental divide so you may roll your windows down and spit and see whether it flows east or west (optional). After you pass through the metropolis of Busick, take the first left turn onto the South Toe River Road (Forest Service Road 472). The Berg's house is the third on the right past Neal's Creek. It's grey with white trim, a flat roof and the aforementioned screen porch." (See map on page 57.) For further information call Dianne Berg at 933-9628 (home); 542-5132 or 542-3020 (work). September 4-6: Theresa Rey of the Asheville Mushroom Club has provided us with further information on the JOINT MUSHROOM CLUB FORAY/GATHERING: "Labor Day Regional Foray. A joint foray between the Ohio Mushroom Society, Triangle Area Mushroom Club, and our [i.e., Asheville Mushroom Club] is in the planning stage. We've decided on Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4-6, so keep that weekend open! Fri . night will start things off with several short programs, and a coffee and dessert social. Sat. morning will see forays to different areas, with free time in the afternoon to scrutinize the collections. Sat. night will be full of programs, and a wine and cheese social. Sun. will again be filled with forays, programs, and workshops, ending with a program open to the public. There will be a $5.00 registration fee to help with all the extra costs involved. We plan to have this foray information in both The Mushroom Journal and The Mycophile. so there is the possibility we'll have quite a crowd. We've already arranged to have Bill Roody, a naturalist from W[est] V[irginia] who specializes in the study of boletes, to give a program. Theresa Rey will have just completed 2 weeks of study with Ron Petersen at the Highlands Biological Station, so we can look forward to an up-to-date program from her! Dan Lazar has also offered to do a program, and lots of other potential speakers are being approached. " For further information contact: Susan Mitchell, 51 Kentwood Lane, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768. ( 704 ) -884-4749 . We will try to car pool to Asheville. Special Note: Appalachian Village Campground, 3 miles outside of Asheville, still has campsites available for Labor Day weekend at $9.00 a night. Phone ( 704 ) -645-5847 . September 15: Chapel Hill: Totten Center, North Carolina Botanical Garden: INTRODUCTION TO MUSHROOMS. A slide/tape program developed by Dr. Willie Koch. A brief introduction to mushrooms by Dianne Berg will precede the program which will include: mushrooms of this area, descriptions of the ethnobotanical uses of mushrooms, look-alikes, and edible species. Bill Burk will answer any questions after the program. Bring mushroom specimens if available. Program period: 7:30 - 9:00 pm. Advanced registration required. Cost: Non-members of the Garden: $4.00; Garden members: $3.00. (See map on page 57.) September 25-27: Episcopal Conference Center, Ivoryton, CT : COMA ... CLARK T. ROGERSON FORAY. "The Episcopal Conference Center is spread over 650 acres of mixed deciduous woodlands. Nearby are several State parks and page 54 forests which provide ... a variety of collecting habitats. ... We will also have an optional all day foray with a bag lunch provided. Only 45 people can be accommodated so make your plans now and register early. After August 14 registration will be open to members of all mushroom clubs. The final date for registration will be Friday, September 4." Registration, including 3 meals on Saturday, breakfast & lunch on Sunday, lodging and all activities: $75.00. For further information contact: Mrs. Gordon Fox, 54 Elm Place, New Canaan, CT 06840. December 6-20: The Holy Land: MUSHROOM STUDY TOUR OF THE HOLY LAND. Tour includes: "at least seven major forays in the forests of the Upper and Lower Galilee, along the slopes of Mt. Herman and in the wooded areas near Jerusalem. Exchange seminars on the edible and poisonous mushrooms of this area, mushroom displays of [the] collections, identification workshops, and the cooking and tasting of the good edibles will be a regular part of [the] itinerary. . . . visit the cities of Haifa, Jerusalem, and Tel-Aviv and some of the major historical and religious sites sacred to Moslems, Christians, and Jews. ... time will be provided ... for sight-seeing and other leisure activities. Individual post-trip extensions to holy places during Christmas week can be arranged, as can tours of the Negev Desert and scuba diving in the Red Sea." Cost: not given. For further information contact Emanuel Salzman, c/o Fungophile, Inc., P. 0. Box 5503, Denver, CO 80217. ( 303 ) -296-9359 . Kerr Lake Foray On Sunday, July 26, five mushroom enthusiasts joined Gordon Erickson, Park Interpreter at the John H. Kerr Dam & Reservoir for a walk on the Liberty Hill Nature Trail. Prolonged, excessive, and scorching weather continued into the day of the foray. Needless to say, the search for gilled fungi was virtually fruitless, except for a depauperate Pluteus cervinus that was found at the end of the trail's loop. Jacques Poirier was the proud discoverer of the mushroom and his words: "Hey folks, a real, live mushroom," rang triumphant to the disbelieving and weary foragers. Other fungi (non-gilled) found included: Aleurodiscus oakesii . Fomitopsis pinicola . Irpex lacteus . Lycogala epidendrum. Polyporus varius , and Schizophyllum commune . After the foray attendees joined Gordon for a visit of the park's nature center which was air conditioned, much to the relief of everyone. In its small quarters the nature center displayed a variety of live animals, including snakes and a rabbit, a dried fungus collection (labelled) and other natural history attractions. Last year TAMC's fruitful foray at the Liberty Hill Trail was shortened because of heavy rains. We thank Gordon for taking time in organizing the foray. It was very encouraging to learn of the continuing upkeep and excellent management of the Liberty Hill Trail, a spot TAMC should remember for future forays. Battle Park Foray Led br David Arora Not since Greg Wright led a mycological field trip in 1982, has the Triangle Area Mushroom Club enjoyed the encompassing expertise of a mushroom identifier extraordinaire. Our guest, David Arora, requires little introduction: author of Mushrooms Demystified, now in its second, enlarged, revised & updated edition, peripatetic "pilz" hunter, and witty and entertaining naturalist. David guided our group through Battle Park, Chapel Hill on August 8 in the all too frequent adversity of our continuing drought. Once on the park's paths the 24 fungus sleuths dispersed into smaller groups, attempting, however, to keep in the view of David who page 55 educated us on the identities of several mushrooms . Qmphalina stromboides was one of the most commonly occurring species found, yet none of the North American mushroom field guides includes this fungus which makes its home in the Southeast. At least David had one opportunity to use his photographic skills on a mushroom. Boletus curtisii also piqued David's fungal curiosity . At the conclusion of the walk almost everyone remained to share a lunch period at the picnic area. Topics of discussion varied from figs to fungi until David began describing and identifying the fungi that were arranged on the sorting table. Special salvos are extended to David for sharing his encyclopedic knowledge of fungi and his spontaneous humor with TAMC members. (Incidentally, not only does David know just about every species he espies, but he can correctly spell the often cumbersome names for us aspiring students of mushrooms. Back in Santa Cruz David organizes an annual Fungus Fair which attracts the curious spectator from near and far. A possibility exists that David might organize a fungus fair in Raleigh if he decides to study the Carolina mushrooms next summer. May the rains reign and the spores supply a superfluous assortment of species in 1988!) Species spotted and collected in Battle Park include the following: Ganoderma lucidum Hebeloma sp. Marasmiellus sp. Marasmius rotula Qmphalina stromboides Pycnoporus cinnabar inus Schizophyllum commune Tylopilus plumbeoviolaceus Amanita marginata A. polypyramis (?) Armillariella tabescens Boletus curtisii Bondarzewia berkeleyi Cantharellus cinnabarinus Clitocybe sp. Clitopilus prunulus Galiella ruf a *=*RORf=* ROUSES BO I EE! "TEES WALLY' S WOODLAND WOWS 'EM Mushroom hunting in North Carolina was like clam digging in Colorado, I thought, and Tarheel ceps were like Rocky Mountain oysters. I'd been in the state for nearly a month, and was averaging about one bolete a week. With leaden feet and a heavy dose of skepticism, I agreed to accompany Bill [Burk] to Wally Kaufman's place. Our hunt began in sweltering heat with Wally allaying Bill's fears about copperhead snakes. "Oh, we haven't seen any around here in years." Ten minutes later Wally let out a yelp as he spied a copper-headed bolete which, to his surprise, slithered down a hole when he reached to pluck it. Later, Wally warned us away from a group of saplings where he mistook a hornet's nest for a giant Tylopilus . Soon, however, our luck picked up and our baskets were loaded down. First it was a pair of Boletus edulis . then a dozen Austroboletus betula in a beech forest, some brilliant yellow-orange Boletus aurif lammeus . and a rare Amanita pelioma distinguished by its blue-green volva. By time we had finished scouring Wally' s land, we had turned up over 50 species, including 35 boletes. I can now report to the fine folks back home that North Carolina does indeed have some beautiful boletes - more species in one day than we Calif ornians are likely to see in a year! Wally should be complimented on maintaining an excellent arena for boletes, and also for apparently removing all the Russulas from his land before we came (for the first time in my life, I didn't see one!). After the hunt, we relaxed on Wally' s lovely deck. The deck was cool and comfortable, mainly because it page 56 was being fanned constantly by more than a dozen hummingbirds attracted to his feeder. With that many hummingbirds, you hardly need air conditioning, and their humming is much more pleasant. It has been my observation that eastern mushroom hunters are much more determined to keep lists of mushrooms than westerners. So as not to leave you listless, I am hereby submitting a list of Boletes (and Selected Other Mushrooms) found at Wally's Woodland, as follows. BOLETES SELECTED OTHER MUSHROOMS Austroboletus betula Boletellus chry sent ero ides Boletus aurif lammeus B. auripes B . auriporus B. bicolor B. bicolor var. borealis B. curtisii B. edulis B. f rostii B. griseus B. illudens B. miniato-olivaceus B. pallidus B. piedmont ens is (?) B. pseudoseparans * B. retipes B . rubinellus B. sensibilis B. spp. (3) B. subtomentosus B . subvelutipes B. variipes B . vermiculosus B. viridif lavus Leccinum albellum Phylloporus rhodoxanthus Pulveroboletus ravenelii Tylopilus f errugineus T. indecisus T . plumbeoviolaceus T. sp. (1) T . tabacinus Agaricus placomyces A. cf . haemo r rho i dar i u s A. cf . semotus A. cf . silvicola Amanita brunnescens A. cokeri A. gemmata A. hemibaf a (caesarea) A. inaurata ( ceciliae ) A. marginata (?) A. pelioma A. polypyramis A. rubescens A. vaginata A. virosa Cantharellus cibarius C . cinnabar inus Qmphalina stromboides * B. pseudoseparans may, or may not, be distinguished from B. separans AiTT fA-x-ctieu- i/\»os 'R£-A$HEV1LL£ FOAM sapr. a.- V House. page 57 .-70 SBPT. i&~ ^ : 00 pm • PR£REG>i$T4ftTI0A/ WWW page 59 How I Spent My Summer Vacation; Report on the "Fleshy Fungi of the Southern Appalachians" Course at the Highlands Biological Station by David Green I spent an enjoyable, but sometimes very intense two weeks in Highlands, North Carolina attending a course on mushrooms taught by Dr. Ron Petersen of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The course was designed for students with varying backgrounds in mycology and in biology in general. Many of the nine students knew quite a lot about mushrooms ; some knew quite a lot about biology. The time was divided between lectures (about 15%), collecting (35%) and lab work (50%). The course was loosely scheduled so that we could take advantage of widely scattered (over time and space) thunder showers when, or if, they occurred. It was considered a dry year and thus bad for collecting, but I still found fungi to be much more prevalent than what I was used to in the Triangle Area in July. As an example, ten people collected approximately 65 identifiable species in three hours . Identification was, in theory, to be done by keying to Friesian genera by macroscopic examination and then to species by microscopic characteristics such as spore size, shape and ornamentation and the configuration presence or absence of such characteristics as pleurocystidia, clamp connections, sphaerocysts and the like. In order to do this, a fair amount of microscopic technique was taught, including calibration, staining, and various sectioning techniques for slide preparation. (Platinum edged razor blades were deemed infinitely superior to stainless steel, and single edged blades were relegated to minor league status. The merits of elderberry [why elderberry?] pith were stressed. ) I learned to recognize (or convince myself that I recognized) many microscopic characteristics of various parts of mushrooms. I am not, unfortunately, going to be much more help than I ever was when it comes to standing around the picnic table identifying collections. I was pleased to see that the real experts, i.e. Dr. Petersen, his assistant, and the more advanced students, still picked up the mushrooms, looked, smelled, tasted, broke gills, etc. and knew what the genus and species were. This leads me to suspect that the microscopic aspects may be a way for academicians to convert an art to a science. I was sorry to hear that my favorite mushroom name, i.e. the one I most enjoy pronouncing, Oudemansiella radicata. has been changed to Xerula f urf uracea. Some other specifics that I learned are that what I thought was Ganoderma curtisii may be G. tsugae, that the Strobilomyces species probably can not be distinguished macroscopically , and that Amanita caesarea ( .iacksonii ) may in fact be A. hemibaf a. a species also occurring in the South Pacific. I can confirm that box turtles eat Russulas of the emetica group, as I watched a caged turtle gobble one up in its entirety in less than one minute. I considered this an amazing feat given the size of the turtle's mouth. In conclusion, I recommend the course to anyone who has the interest and the opportunity to take it. It was taught with unbounded enthusiasm and I think that everyone in the class left knowing more than they did two weeks earlier. Once again Kerry has demonstrated his prowess as photographer and nature writer with his article, "The Joy of Mushroom-Watching," in Modern Maturity, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 52-58, 1987. page 60 Tha Book Shalf Pearson, Lorentz C. The Mushroom Manual. Tops! Complete for College Class; Simple for You and Me. Happy Camp, CA 96039: Naturegraph Publishers (P.O. Box 1075), 1987. 224 pp. illustrated (mainly black & white line drawings). $14.95. The author states that "this book includes the common western species, in addition to the widely distributed cosmopolitan species also found in the East, making it valuable to both westerners and easterners. Edibility ratings, based on a variety of published sources, as well as on my own taste testing experience, are provided for each species." Chapters include: "what to look for," (21 pp.); "the foolproof four," (morels, puffballs, shaggy mane, sulfur polypore) (9 pp.); "the fatal five" (Amanita phalloides complex, Entoloma lividum complex, Galerina venenata complex, Amanita muscaria complex, Gyromitra esculenta) (20 pp.); "beyond the basic nine," (34 pp.); "mushroom identification keys," (71 pp.); and "mushroom families & genera," (32 pp.). A glossary and index conclude the book. Hurley, Jean. Mushrooms of the Northeastern Woods; a visual guide. North Conway, NH 03860: Birchfield Books (P.O. Box 1305), 1987. 128 pp. illustrated with 53 line drawings. $9.95 (postpaid) -- club discounts available This book, previously published as White Mountain Mushrooms . is intended "to help those who are just beginning the pursuit of mushrooming. Every species included can be found in New England and the surrounding states, and each is illustrated with a full-sized drawing. The guide has a simple, logical key for identifying mushrooms. It isn't necessary for the user to know any scientific lingo, but the book is packed with information that will turn a beginner into a confident intermediate mycologist. " Last year your Fungif ile editor announced that a collection of mushroom books were donated by Willie Koch to the cause of the Triangle Area Mushroom Club, (see The Fungif ile vol. 5, no. 6, page 64, 1986). To date no one has come forward to serve as keeper of the books. Your editor no longer wants to shuffle the boxes of books around his desk in an already crowded office. One proposal is that the books be given to the North Carolina Botanical Garden Library where people can use them during the Garden's hours of 8 am to 5 pra, Monday through Friday. Please let Bill Burk know of any other; possible proposals for the disposition of the book collection. This topic can be placed on the agenda of the .September meeting for discussion. page 61 Funoptic Keva: or how to make muahroom identif ications fun and instructive [Ed's, note: TAMC's October meeting will focus on funoptic keys to fungi. As most of our readers know, an identification key for fungi is a device for ascertaining the name of a fungus. Most field guides provide dichotomous keys for identifying fungi. David Arora provides reasons for using a Funoptic Key, but you need to attend the October meeting to share in the thrills of creating and using a funoptic key.] 1) Funoptic keys are user-friendly, like a game. Dichotomous keys can be antagonistic, inspiring lassitude instead of latitude. 2) Funoptic keys are much easier to revise, by punching a hole or plugging one up with tape. Dichotomous keys are extremely difficult to change without retyping the whole key. 3) Funoptic keys are good teaching devices; after you have chosen several appropriate cards, you have a list of identifying characteristics in your hand. Using dichotomous keys on the other hand, by the time one reaches a species one often forgets what characteristics got one there! Also, if the species keys out in the very beginning of the dichotomous key, you have accumulated only one or two pieces of information about it, rather than several . 4) Dichotomous keys are more mentally cumbersome; they resemble thickets, where you can't really see, as you crawl through them, which species are eliminated and which aren't, until you read the end; funoptic keys are like mushroom hunting in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico: they offer broad, even sweeping views of astonishing clarity. As you add character cards you are sure of, or subtract ones you're not sure of, you get to see which species get eliminated and which don't, the species become furniture, elements in an ever-changing landscape. 5) If you come to a choice in a dichotomous key which is unclear or too technical (since many users are beginners), it's difficult to follow both choices, especially if further ambiguities follow. In a funoptic key, you simply use the cards that you're most sure of, then you can casually experiment with cards that you're not sure of (e.g., veil persistent vs. veil evanescent) and see how that affects your choices. 6) Funoptic keys are much easier to make; they are also more fun. 7) Funoptic keys are natural; dichotomous keys are artificial, reducing nature to a series of either-or propositions. If half the species of Tvlopilus had either reticulate or non-reticulate stalks, reticulation wouldn't be much use in a dichotomous key. In a funoptic key, however, the character could still be used: just punch holes in both the reticulate and non-reticulate cards for those that can have either, and the cards will still serve to distinguish always-reticulate from never-reticulate. 8) Perhaps most important, funoptic keys encourage the user, the common citizen, to be active, not passive, to choose the most obvious and clear cut characters of a mushroom, whereas dichotomous keys are preplanned, already laid out with no regard for the condition of the mushroom or condition of the user. If one or more characters used early in a dichotomous key are obliterated by rain or age, the key can be useless. With a funoptic key, however, one can still get somewhere, at least narrowing the scope of possibilities without ever using an ambiguous character. page 62 In other words, dichotoraous keys are rigid . Funoptic keys are flexible . Dichotoraous keys require obedience . Funoptic keys offer free choice. Dichotomous keys apply pressure and force choices; dichotomous keys coerce . Dichotoraous keys are totalitarian. Funoptic keys are egalitarian. American. Against all of this, what are the advantages of dichotomous keys over funoptic keys? 1) Dichotomous keys are easier to duplicate or publish, i.e., less physically cumbersome but more mentally cumbersome. The illustrations in this issue of The Fungifile are from James Bolton's "An History of Fungusses, growing about Halifax." Huddersf ield , England, 1788- 1791. 4 volumes. (Some of the illustrations have been xerographically reduced in size for inclusion in this newsletter. ) Triangle Area Mushroom Club Box 17061 Durham, NC 27705 NORTH CAROLINA COLLECTIONS WILSON LIBRARY 024-A UNC-CH CAMPUS J IS YOUR LABEL CORRECT? fist the fungiffe Newsletter of theTriongle Area Mushroom Club P.O. 17061, Durham, North Carolina 27705 Volume 6 Number 6 November/December 1987 President: Jacques Poirier: 210 W. Lavender Ave., Durham, NC 27704 477-5837 Secretary /Treasurer : Owen and Pat McConnell: 2808 Butner St., Durham, NC 27704 . . . 477-5178 Editor: Bill Burk: 1122 Sourwood Dr., Chapel Hill, NC 27514 942-6387 Foray Chairs: Roy Borchardt and Eve Taylor: 116 Parthenia Dr., Durham, NC 27705. . . 383-3364 Program Coordinator: Position is unfilled TABLE OF CONTENTS A Visit to Joe's pp. 64-65 The Book Shelf p. 66 Volunteers Needed Genus Pulveroboletus . . . pp. 67-68 Species List 1987 pp. 69-70 TAMC Application Form . . pp. 71-72 Since your newsletter editor is stepping down from the responsibilities of preparing The Fungifile. a volunteer is needed for the immediate future. Also, a change of officers will soon take place and willing members are needed to serve as leaders of the club. Please contact one of the TAMC officers if you are interested in serving the club. M ^ FC K YOUR C^LEMD^R Meetings : November 16: Slide show of mycological miscellany and a discussion about the future of TAMC. Meet at 7:30 pm in Room 215, Coker Hall, UNC-Chapel Hill campus. See map page 66. December 14: Potluck dinner. (TAMC's annual Christmas meeting) Bring a dish to share. Meet at 7:30 pm at the home of Jacques and Marsha Poirier, 210 West Lavender Avenue, Durham, NC, phone 477-5837. See map page 71. deCurrent Events : December 3-5: Santa Rosa, California: SECOND WESTERN TRUFFLE CONGRESS. "The three-day conference, sponsored by Tristo/Truf f le Division, Geyser Peak Winery, and Louisiana-Pacific, will offer two days of page 64 scientific and culinary panel discussions about truffles and wild edible mushrooms and one day of guided truffle hunting in Louisiana- Pacific forest land. . . . Subjects . . . will center on the future of truffle hunting and harvesting in North America and the culinary uses of the recently discovered white Oregon truffle. Dr. James Trappe ... is organizing the scientific panels. Jerry Ann De Vecchio ... is coordinating the culinary panel. ... One of the features of the conference is a special five-course dinner featuring truffles at each course. Specially arranged by chef John Ash, the menu will offer both European and Oregon truf f les . "Cost : $65.00, each day; truffle hunt is $55.00; price for dinner has not been determined. Lunch is included in daily registration fee. "For a registration form and brochure detailing each day's events call or write: First Class Productions, 124 Alderbrook Drive, Santa Rosa, California 95405; (707) 525-9962." December 6-20: The Holy Land: MUSHROOM STUDY TOUR OF THE HOLY LAND . Tour includes: "at least seven major forays in the forests of the Upper and Lower Galilee, along the slopes of Mt . Herman and in the wooded areas near Jerusalem. Exchange seminars on the edible and poisonous mushrooms of this area, mushroom displays of [the] collections, identification workshops, and the cooking and tasting of the good edibles will be a regular part of [the] itinerary. ... visit the cities of Haifa, Jerusalem, and Tel-Aviv and some of the major historical and religious sites sacred to Moslems, Christians, and Jews. ... time will be provided ... for sight-seeing and other leisure activities. Individual post-trip extensions to holy places during Christmas week can be arranged, as can tours of the Negev Desert and scuba diving in the Red Sea." Cost: not given. For further information contact Emanuel Salzman, c/o Fungophile, Inc., P. 0. Box 5503, Denver, CO 80217. ( 303 ) -296-9359 . A Visit To Joe's by Barney Gould It's an event - a happening - a MUST DO (if at all possible) for almost every mycologist who loves to eat that which he hunts. Yes, I'm referring to the journey to Reading, Pa . , to go to the shrine of Mushroom Eaters- Joe's Restaurant. When you make your pilgrimage, never have Sunday be the day of your arrival in Reading. Or Monday either, for that matter. Joe's is closed on both those days and, unless you are an inveterate outlet mall shopper (Reading is the largest outlet center in the U.S. ) the extra day or two stay waiting anxiously for Joe's to open will add greatly to the cost of the ultimate mushroom eating experience. We learned that the hard way, since we got in to Reading on a Sunday afternoon this past August and going to Joe's was the sole reason for our going to Reading. But once the long anticipated Tuesday dining hour arrived, it was well worth every minute of the wait. As long as I've mentioned cost . let me get the subject of menu prices at Joe's out of the way quickly. It is a subject one should know about but not dwell on. The menu is set on a higher price plateau than any I've encountered in the Triangle area. We had just come from two days in New York City and found the offerings at Joe's on virtually the same level as the fine French restaurants in Manhattan. There! That's out of the way. (If the tab total at Joe's busts your budget to bits, simply amortize -- in your mental outlook -- the cost over a five year period and you'll find it low on a per diem basis. Well -- Let's go to the restaurant. (We've already phoned for a reserva- tion, a requirement as the capacity is just under 50 diners. ) The location; -- 7th and Laurel Streets -- is in the heart of Reading's older section. It is a working man's neighborhood where the present chef -owner-author-host Jack Czarnecki ' s grandfather Joe Czarnecki operated a tavern called "Joe's" page 65 early in this century. Joe's location has never changed, but the establish- ment surely has. You enter the sedately restored building to find a reception room having welcoming warmth. To your right is the one large dining room. Its walls are adorned with - what else? - paintings of some of the more beautiful mushroom species. A large crystal chandelier dominates the ceiling. You are pleased to note the space between tables since the service is from a flambe cart in the best European tradition. The tables are large, the accent is on comfort. As you read the menu, you note that all mushrooms used in the various dishes are listed by their common names. Fair and proper enough! We sipped our dry martinis as we looked the menu over. (Being an amateur , amateur mycologist, I can't tell you even the common name for the small whole parasol type mushroom that floated lazily in my drink - in lieu of an olive ! ) Many of the mushrooms used are garnered by way of forays in the forests surrounding Reading. Some come from other areas of North America and many are imported from Europe. Joe's kitchen stocks fresh mushrooms, dried mushrooms, and canned mushrooms. There are many species, all wild, and all of them are used in wonderful and innovative ways. The wine list embraces the finest that the better French and California wineries have to offer. Jack and his lovely wife, Heidi, make annual visits to the California wineries to keep up on the best selections and to get new menu ideas with a "California-cuisine" slant. We both skipped the appetizers -- an interesting selection was available -- and settled on the "Wild Mushroom Soup" for a starter course. I asked the waitress what the mushrooms in the soup were. "King Bolete," she said, as she artfully formed a mushroom cap and stem by pouring a stream of creme fraiche on the soup's surface. The soup was a puree -- medium brown in color -- and it was delectable. For an entree that evening we could have had wild bear steak garnished with chanterelles. But I settled for sweetbreads with a morel sauce (exquisite) and Millie had a very spicy stew of goose breast and beef with shiitakes swimming in the peppery sauce. It was one of Jack's specialties. But then, just about everything on the menu is. The sole exception to this is the dessert department. The completely mushroomless dessert section is the domain of Heidi Czarnecki and there is a sizeable selection of outstanding sweets. Millie and I both had the cheesecake. We both thought it was the most delicious we'd ever had! Superb! As we were having our coffee and dessert, we saw that Jack and Heidi were making their way from table to table. They came to ours and Jack autographed my copy of his great cookbook as Heidi graciously made sure that everything had been just right during this memorable evening. Yes it had-- Yes it had. page 66 The Book Shelf Lapuszynski, Victor. Taming the Wild Oyster Mushroom'- a proven step-by-step method to grow mushrooms at home. Evanston, IL 60201: Highlander Press (1108 Davis #104), 1987. 48 pp. illustrated. $5.95 (to mushroom club members--be sure to mention your club membership), including postage. "The author has been a mushroom forager for many years and has studied fungus cultivation for the past four years. The new book is the practical result of those studies--a straightforward, clearly written and illustrated guide to taking mushrooms from the wild and cultivating them at home. The author explains how to obtain necessary supplies and materials and how to build fruiting setups. All this can be accomplished for a cost of less than $50 . 00 . " Bessette, Alan and Walter Sundberg. Mushrooms: a quick reference guide to mushrooms of North America. New York, NY (10022: Macmillan Publishing Company (Special Sales Dept., 866 Third Avenue), 1987. $12.95 (paperback); $24.95 (hardcover), plus $1.00 postage . "This text features color photographs depicting 253 species organized by shape and color. Species write-ups include description, habitat, range, season, size, edibility and spore color." (Information for the Macmillan book was taken from: The Mycophile, newsletter of the North American Mycological Association, volume 28, number 4 , page 5, 1987 . ) Korn , Larry. Raising American Truffles: you can grow these European delicacies in your own backyard. Rodale's Organic Gardening, volume 34, number 10, pp. 24-27, 1987. ********************************************************** UNC-CDKEFL HALL ROOtA 2-15 »<-••" NOM. /£ meeting 7. '30 +» Mil w»<~c,v> ^ is-soi to COKE* HALL ^Jjf C0h« Ml p u i « B«H To-" page 67 Genua Pulveroboletus : Sunflowers of the Bolete Family. by Owen McConnell The species of the genus Pulveroboletus can dazzle the eye and warm the heart with their brilliant yellow or yellow-orange, sun-like colors. The rare to uncommon occurrence of some of the most flamboyant species of this genus adds to the special thrill of discovering one. Following Rolf Singer's taxonomy (The Agaricales in Modern Taxonomy), I have found six species of Pulveroboleti in North Carolina. Presenting them in order of their frequency of occurrence from most common to rarest (based upon my records), they are Pulveroboletus auriporus/caespitosus . P. retipes , P. ravenelii . P . curtisi i . P. aurif lammeus . and P. hemichrysus . All the species have been observed in the piedmont of North Carolina, and all except P. hemichrysus have been collected in the mountains as well. All but P. curtisii and P. aurif lammeus occur in Florida and would be expected in the N.C. coastal plain, although I do not have records of collections from that region. Pulveroboletus hemichrysus . which occurs in the southeastern United States on the stumps and sawdust of southern pines, is probably most frequent in the coastal plain, but I have found it on four occasions at Butner in the piedmont in spite of its general rarity. The characteristics of the genus itself are rather variable and debatable. The most important features are the presence of a powdery yellow surface (or veil) or the presence of a viscid stipe surface or even a glutinous veil. The hymenophore is most frequently yellow but sometimes reddish orange. The spore print is brown with an olive shade. Taxonomists are still debating the concept of the genus and disagreements persist on the placement of some species, for example, P. auriporus , which some classify in the genus Boletus . Fortunately, because of their distinctive features, one can make a direct identification of the species without first determining genus. From a bird's eye view P. auriporus/caespitosus appears to be a relatively small, dull-brown, uninteresting mushroom. But when inverted, the contrast between the brown cap and stem and the persistently (even on drying) brilliant yellow tube mouths not only identifies the species, but also may evoke an emotional exclamatory remark. Two other species names may be synonymous with P. auriporus . Coker (1943) described P. viridif lavus with its bright greenish yellow tube surface as a distinct species, but Singer (1977) reduced this species to synonymy with P. auriporus after observing that the yellow tubes sometimes became greenish yellow on aging. Pulveroboletus caespitosus . a cespitose form with some subtle differences is also given separate species status by some taxonomists. Pulveroboletus auriporus/caespitosus is a common bolete under hardwoods. My fruiting dates for N.C. range from July 5 to Nov. 24. Pulveroboletus retipes . the next most common species, is a truly striking mushroom because of its fairly large size and the prominent ornamental reticulation on its bright yellow stalk. These boletes will stain one's hands yellow. As tempting as they appear to the mycophagist, they are bitter tasting. Pulveroboletus ornatipes . a bolete of more northern distribution, may be a synonym for P. retipes . but Alexander Smith (1971) maintains a distinction on the basis of some subtle variable characteristics including cap color. I have found £. retipes in N.C. from June 15 to September 21 under hardwoods (oak and beech) . Pulveroboletus ravenelii may be overlooked as it often occurs as a solitary yellow-capped mushroom in the dense shade of pines and hemlocks along with the more plentiful Suillus species. At first glance its form is somewhat similar to a Suillus . but the yellow cap and stem without resinous dots will distinguish it. It is a peculiar and beautiful species: when young the cap and stem are covered with a sulphur yellow powder from the remains of a universal veil and the tubes are shrouded by a yellow partial page 68 veil which remains for a time hanging on the margin of the cap. Pulveroboletus ravenelii is most abundant in the South, although it ranges to Canada, and it has fruited in N.C. from July 16 to August 28. Pulveroboletus curtisii was originally described from South Carolina but it has since been found as far north as Connecticut and west to Indiana. Its slimy or viscid bright lemon yellow cap and stalk and a white zone at the base of the stalk are definitive. I have found it from July 27 to November 4 in N.C, growing in pine or mixed woods, often solitary but on occasion in groups of up to six mushrooms. The pure yellow colors never cease to surprise me. Pulveroboletus aurif lammeus . the golden flame, is my favorite. Although of small size, the sun or flame-like orange yellow color of its cap and stem are indefinitely retained, even in drying. You may take its color with you because this mushroom will also stain the fingers yellow. Rarely found, it is usually encountered as a solitary individual. I have found it in deciduous or mixed woods in N.C. from July 23 to October 9, but most often after mid-August. Pulveroboletus hemichry sus was never found by Coker (1943) during his collecting, but he noted that Curtis had reported it in N.C. Although the rarest of the Pulverobolet i in frequency of occurrence, it often occurs in groups or cespitose clusters, unlike the solitary P. aurif lammeus . The four times I have seen it fruiting on pine chips used as mulch around the trees at John Umstead Hospital, Butner, N.C, it has been locally abundant. One of my collections is in the N.C. State herbarium. The fruiting dates of my observations have been from August 22 to September 17. In addition to its habit of growing on the stumps, roots, and sawdust of pines in cespitose fashion, it is characterized by its sulphur-yellow color (cap & stem), often with straw or buffy tints, yellow flesh which sometimes changes to blue, and yellow tubes which become reddish brown. Pulveroboletus sulphureus and P. hemi chrysus are synonyms according to Singer ( 1977), but a question remains as to whether P. lignicola , observed in more northern areas, is a different species. Pulveroboletus lignicola has a yellow-brown to rusty brown flocculence on the cap and stem and shows more change to blue when bruised. References Coker, W.C and A.H. Beers., The Boletaceae of North Carolina. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1943. Singer, R. The Boletineae of Florida. Germany: J. Cramer, 1977. . The Agaricales in Modern Taxonomy. 3rd ed . Vaduz, Liechtenstein: J. Cramer, 1975. Smith, A.H. and H.D. Thiers. The Boletes of Michigan. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1971. page 69 SPECIES LIST (LATE SUMMER THROUGH FALL), 1987 August 29: Kerr Dam and Rese Amanita rubescens A . sp . A. vaginata Boletus curtisii B. f raternus Clavicorona pyxidata Coprinus sp . Geastrum sp . Lactarius piperatus L. sp. ir, Virginia Lycoperdon echinatum L . sp. Marasmiellus albuscortici s Pleurocybel la porrigens Pluteus cervinus Russula aeruginea R. emetica Stereum complicatum Tylopilus alboater T. f elleus August 29: Maxabel Acres, Pe Auricularia auricula Clavaria kunzei CI itopi lus prunulus Cyathus str i atus Daedaleopsis conf ragosa Exidia glandulosa Favolus alveolar i s Galiella ruf a Irpex lacteus son County, NC** Lenzites betul ina Panellus stipticus Phellodon tomentosus Pulveroboletus auriporus Resupinatus appl icatus Schi zophy 1 lum commune Stereum complicatum S . ostrea Xerocomus roxanae ** August 22, 1987 Foray by David Green A pleasant but not overly productive foray took place on August 22, 1987, at Maxabel Acres, a wooded tract just north of the Durham/Person County line not far from Rougemont . The site was bounded by a gravel road on the west and allegedly extended to a creek on the east which the seven participants failed to reach after meandering at compass point for approximately two hours. The usual dry weather, last resort fungi, mostly lignicolous species, were found. One highlight was the discovery of Xerocomus roxanae . a species uncommon (but not unheard of) in this area. The identification was supported by an extensive illustrated guide to the boletes that Owen McConnell brought to the foray. An additional point of interest was the total absence of the common Russulas which are generally reliably present even when other fleshy fungi are absent. Among other expected (by me) but absent species were the large white Amanitas which often stand out in hot dry weather. Overall, it was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon and the location is worth a return visit in a wetter time period. page 70 September 26: Duke Forest, Old Erwin Road, Durham, NC Agari cus placomyces Amanita caesarea A . f lavoconia A . gemmata A. phalloides (?) A . rubescens A. sp. ( undescribed , gray base) A . vaginata Armi llaria tabescens Boletinellus ( Gyrodon )meruloides Boletus af finis B . edul is B . f raternus B . pecki i B . piedmont en si s B . separans B . vari ipes Bondarzewi a berkeley i Cantharel lus f al lax C . minor CI i tocybe odora C. sp. Coltricia cinnamoroea Cortir.arius sp . Gyroporus castaneus Hydnel lum sp . Hygrocybe sp . Hygrophorus conicus Inocybe f astigiata group Lactarius argil laceifolius L. chrysorheus group L . hygrophoroides L . indigo L . paradoxus L . sp . L . vel lereus L . volemus L . zonarius Lepi sta sp . Harasmius cohaerens M . rotula Mutinus elegans Oudemansiel la radicata Pleurotus ostreatus Polyporus elegans Psathyrella sp . Pseudocolus f usif ormis Pulveroboletus ravenel i i Ramaria sp . Russula ballouii R . betul ina R. emetica group R. laurocerasi group R . mariae R . virescens Sarcodon imbricatum Sarcoscypha occidental is St rob i lomyces conf usus S . f 1 occopus Stropharia hardi i Suillus brevipes S . hi rtel lus Tremel lodendron sp . Tricholomopsi s ruti lans Ty lopilus alboater T. ballouii T. f elleus T . plumbeoviolaceus October 10: Saralyn, Chatham County, NC (partial list) Amanita pel ioma Daedaleopsis conf ragosa Laccaria ochropurpurea Lactarius pseudodel iciosus var . paradox if ormis Harasmius f ulvof errugineus Naematoloma f asciculare Peziza vesciculosa Phol iota terrestri s Pleurotus ostreatus Polyporus badius Pulveroboletus aurif lammeus P . curtisii Sui 1 lus cothurnatus page 71 7-tf December l*f t Pot luck D\r\flBr) at the. home o£ f/Ws\\a. Poirucr Z/o W. Lavender Durham j NC . *f T?- 5S37. TRIANGLE AREA MUSHROOM CLUB 1988 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM Send form and dues to TAMC, Box 17061, Durham, NC 27705. Make check payable to TAMC. DUES: [ ] $8.00 Individual [ ] $7.00 Corresponding [ ] $2.00 Associate (One Associate membership should be obtained for each additional participating family member.) [ ] $12.00 North American Mycological Association (individual or family) Send separate check payable to NAMA. Name ( s ) Home address City State Zip Home phone Day phone Mailing address (Please use campus address whenever possible so that we can save on TAMC mailing costs. NAMA publications will be sent to your home address unless you specify otherwise.) page 72 Triangle Area Mushroom Club Box 17061 Durham, NC 27705 Holiday Greetings. IS YOUR LABEL CORRECT? TAMC depends on the willingness of its members to participate in all aspects of the club. Please indicate if you can help: do occasional errands or phoning provide host homes for meetings, or for out of town speakers or guests write newsletter articles do newsletter sketches present a meeting program (slide show, talk, lab, etc.) supply refreshments at meetings occasionally lead a foray serve as an officer or on a committee other Comments, suggestions: I hereby release the Triangle Area Mushroom Club and any officer or member there-of from any legal responsibility for injuries or accidents incurred during or as a result of any field trip, excursion, or meeting sponsored by the club. Applicant(s) signature ( s ) : date date