BULLETIN OF THE PUGET SOUND MYCOLOGICALSOCIETY
Number 349, February 1999
Electronic Edition is published monthly, September through Juneby the
Puget Sound Mycological Society
Center for Urban Horticulture, Box 354115
University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195
(206) 522-6031
Agnes A. Sieger, Editor
Dick Sieger, HTML Editor
MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Tuesday, February 9, at 7:30 PM at the Center for UrbanHorticulture, 3501 NE 41st Street, Seattle
Our featured speaker this month is Paul Stamets, founder andowner of the pioneering mushroom cultivator, Fungi Perfecti. His topic is“Medicinal Mushrooms.”
Would persons with last names beginning with the lettersP–S please bring refreshments for the social hour?
Reminder: If you can donate dried or frozen mushrooms for theSurvivors’ Banquet March 13, please bring them to the Februarymeeting.
CALENDAR
Feb. 9 Membership meeting, 7:30 PM, CUH
Feb. 15 Board meeting, 7:30 PM, CUH Board Room
Feb. 16 Flower and Garden Show setup, 9 AM–12 PM
Feb. 17–21 Flower and Garden Showbooth
Feb. 19 Spore Prints deadline
Mar. 13 Survivors’ Banquet and Annual Meeting, EdmondsCommunity College
BOARD NEWS
The PSMS web site (http://www.psms.org) isprogressing nicely. Doug Ward reports that the site is being seenall over the world. Brandon Matheny reported that theBoletus study materials and work are also coming alongnicely. Joanne Young is working on getting The Mountaineers’Meany Lodge east of Snoqualmie Pass for the PSMS Spring Foray.Candidates were discussed for the Golden Mushroom award. LynneElwell reported on the progress of the election committee. She alsoreported that plans are coming along well for the PSMS booth at theFlower and Garden Show in February. The Survivors’ Banquetwill be at Edmonds Community College and will cost $25. Variousschemes were discussed for getting a laptop computer. IrwinKleinman has volunteered to be the site planner for PSMS fieldtrips. Tentative field trip sites were discussed.
ON THE SIGNIFICANCE AND PROBLEMS OF SPORE COLOR BrandonMatheny
Reliance on spore color alone—or any other singlecharacteristic—is no guarantee of reliable mushroomidentification, For accurate identification, a combination ofcharacteristics must be employed, and this is what makesidentification of many things a challenge. Since the advent ofrecent systematic methods that include more emphasis on anatomicaldetail, pale-spored groups and genera of mushrooms can now be foundin traditionally dark-spored families like the Crepidotaceae,
Crepidotus epibryus sensu Senn-Irlet, for example, afungus uncommon at PSMS mushroom forays but occurring in wetdepressions on sticks or herbaceous material, has been placedhistorically in five different genera largely owing to itspale-colored spores. This species is very likely Peck’sCrepidotus herbarum. Within the Cortinariaceae, pale-sporedgenera such as Hebelomina (affinities to Hebeloma)and Leucocortinarius (affinities to Cortinarius) canbe found in Europe. The genus Hygrophoropsis (H. aurantiaca does appear at PSMS mushroomforays) is a pale-spored genus that shares a close alliance withthe darker-spored genus Paxillus. Among the boletes, thegenus Gyroporous, very uncommon in Washington, is partlydistinguished by its pale-colored spore deposits in contrast to themore olive-brown spore prints of Boletus andSuillus.
Since I am studying the genus Inocybe, a collection ofmushrooms with much the aspect of an Inocybe was brought tomy attention at the PSMS exhibit this past November. Thecombination of overall stature, size, fimbriate gill edges, andmarginate bulb on the stipe all pointed to the genusInocybe. The collection, however, was a bit unusual in thatit had an overall pallid color and white gills at a late stage ofcap expansion.
Just as I encourage beginning mushroom collectors to make sporeprints of even the most obvious taxa, I tried to collect a sporeprint. Now, on occasion Inocybe, but more frequently in myexperience Clitocybe, may fail to yield a sufficient amountof spores to determine the color of the spore deposit.Unfortunately, this white Inocybe failed to produce anyspore print. However, upon examination of a piece of gill under themicroscope, I observed hyaline (clear), nodulose spores indicativeof spores devoid of dark pigments. Yet, the remaining microscopiccharacteristics clearly indicated the genus Inocybe.
How was this collection related to Inocybe then? Based ontraditional Friesian emphasis, it would not be an Inocybe onaccount of the hyaline spores, which certainly would have yielded apallid spore print at most. As I mentioned earlier, there areseveral pale-spored genera that have been segregated from theirdark-spored relatives. I thought about the genusLeucoinocybe created by Singer, but the type (Mycenalenta Maire) chosen to represent the genus was reconsidered (atleast by Singer in 1986) to be an odd Mycena. So,Leucoinocybe was out of the question
Could the collection merely be albinistic and not a new species,and certainly not a new genus, at all? I found several reportsdescribing pale-spored variants of otherwise brown-spored speciesof Inocybe and Tubaria. Presumably, in these variantsthe pathways leading to spore pigment, carpophore (fruit-body)color, and spore wall thickness (in Inocybe) are blocked.However, one species, I. rufolutea Favre, was described thathad colorless spores but a dark red-brown cap and pale yellow stem.Obviously, its fruit body did not undergo the presumed blockage ofpigment.
Unlike fruit flies, where F1 and F2 generations can be bred totest the occurrence and frequency of certain traits, Inocybedoes not lend itself to such genetic experimentation at this time.Thus conclusions regarding the autonomy of pale-spored variantsremain speculative. But I. rufolutea (and thiscollection should be re-examined) suggests that albinism may not bean accurate interpretation of the reason for its pale-sporedcondition. In any case, white-spored variants of severalInocybe have been reported previously from Europe, Alaska,Michigan, and Oregon (I. cystidiosa (A. H. Smith)Singer).
For those interested in references on the subject, I can provideyou with them upon request at matheny@u.washington.edu.
1997 SURVIVORS’ BANQUET Steven Bell
All of you who attended the Survivors’ Banquet in 1997 knowwhat a fabulous dining experience we shared. This year, Chef AndyJuhl and the capable staff and students of the Culinary ArtsProgram will again amaze us with their gourmet skills. Dinnerwill be served in the dining facilities of Edmonds CommunityCollege.
Save the date: Saturday, March 13. Doors will open at 6:30 PM,and dinner will be served at 7:30. Cost is $25 per person. You maybring your own wine, and glassware will be provided. Entree choicesare meat or an exotic vegetarian lasagne.
The evening’s program will include announcements of newofficers and the presentation of the “Golden MushroomAward” for outstanding service to PSMS.
Registration Information
Members of PSMS may sign up at the February membership meetingor send your registration and payment to Bernice Velategui. See theprinted edition of Spore Prints for details.
Mushroom Donations Needed
Dried or frozen mushrooms are needed for the banquet. Pleasebring any extra boletes, morels, chanterelles, matsutake, or oystermushrooms to the February meeting for transformation into exoticculinary delights.
A CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM DENNY Dick Sieger
PSMS life member Denny Bowman, who lives in Phuket, Thailand,added interest to our holidays once again.
Last year, knowing that I like to grow coprophilous fungi,he sent a package containing fresh dung from Thai elephants,buffaloes, and geckoes. He later told us that he was furtivelywrapping a collection of the elephant dung on a lonely road and wasinterrupted when a truck full of his neighbors suddenly appeared.They watched him curiously but made no comment.
This year another package arrived. It contained a beautiful ThaiChristmas card, a bottle of “Essence of Chicken with Cordyceps,”two video cassette tapes, and an audio tape.
Ignoring the mold on the tapes, we tried playing them but sawonly broken distorted edges of a picture with no image and heardwhat seemed to be voices played at the wrong speed. The audio tapesentertained us with low-fi Art Garfunkel songs. Puzzled, wee-mailed Denny asking what was on the tapes and found out that anaccompanying message about them never reached us.
“First off,” Denny exhorted, “let me suggestthat you DO NOT play any of the tapes you have received. They cameyour direction for other reasons, fungi ID! If your player ends updestroyed, let me know. There is a general difficulty with tapeshere in the tropics, a fungus attacks them and renders themunusable. The garbage cans outside VDO shops are literally full offungus loaded tapes, or so I hear. Now you have two, and a cassettetape as well. Yikes, I may owe you a boom box aswell!”
I replied, “Not to worry Denny, playing the tapes did noharm—the fungi survived! (And our electronic equipment is ok,too.)”
BRYCE KENDRICK’S WEB SITE DickSieger
Dr. Bryce Kendrick is the author of The Fifth Kingdom, whichis widely used as a mycology textbook, is a valuable addition to amushroom hobbyist’s library, and can be found in the PSMSlibrary. Dr. Kendrick maintains a remarkable web site whichincludes an illustrated companion to The Fifth Kingdom. Visit it athttp://www.pacificcoast.net/~mycolog/index.htmland you’ll find an abundance of beautiful photographs of fungiand their microscopic features. You won’t need to have hisbook on hand because the subjects are presented clearly andcompletely with illustrated text. The site is so rich withinformation that you may want to load a page and disconnect yourmodem while you peruse it. Check out the picture of naked asci andthe graphic animation of ascospore ejaculation.
The Shaggy Mane mushroom, Coprinuscomatus, was used in medieval times, when it was known asthe ink horn fungus. The ink part of its name refers to the factthat when the mushroom deliquesces, or auto-digests itself todisperse its spores, it produces a puddle of black, faintlyfishy-smelling ink. The horn part refers to the fact that animalhorns were used as inkwells. —The Arizona Fun-Gi, Winter1998
Web Site Recommendation: Taylor Lockwood’s pageof fantasy mushroom stamps at http://www.mcn.org/2/tfl/Stmpage.html
BACKYARD MUSHROOMS Nereide Ellis
Potomac Sporophore, Sept. 1998, The Mycological Association ofWashington
Growing shiitake mushrooms, Lentinus edodes,in the backyard, along with other summer garden crops,offers a suburban family a tasty treat during the summer.
Thirty hardwood logs, preferably oak, cut from living trees withbark intact, can provide a family with enough mushrooms for a meal,with some left over. The extra mushrooms can be dried and used inthe winter. For ease of inoculation use hard wood dowel plugs which have beencolonized by the shiitake mycelium. A hole is drilled into thelog that is a bit smaller than the plug, and the plug is thenhammered into the hole. In a 30-in. log, a row of five holes isdrilled in a zigzag fashion (as the diameter of the log increasesso does the number of rows). After inoculation, the logs are rackedfor a year or two, depending on the shiitake strain used forinoculation, to allow time for the mycelium to grow.
Mushrooms will normally appear in the spring and fall for bothcool weather and warm weather strains. To manage the time of growthfor the warm weather strain, the logs are irrigated or submergedovernight in water. They are then racked in such a way as to allowspace to harvest the mushrooms. After production the logs areallowed to rest from 4 to 10 weeks before the process isrepeated.
Growing oyster mushrooms, Pleurotus ostreatus, iseven simpler and quicker. A large plastic garbage bag, straw, andinoculum are all that is necessary for production. Damp straw thathas been soaked in hot water is layered in the bag with theinoculum. The bag is loosely closed and allowed to sit for a monthor so. One corner of the bottom of the bag is cut to allow excesswater to drain off. The oyster mycelium will colonize the straw andit will appear white. When primordia are seen, it is time to openthe bag. It may be necessary to mist the straw of developing oystermushrooms several times a day.
Slugs have proven to be the greatest hindrance to growingmushrooms in a suburban setting. Hand picking the slugs seems to bethe only environmentally friendly way to eliminate them. Alightweight cover is effective in stopping woodpeckers from alsodamaging the logs. There is not much to do about competing fungibut usually enough shiitakes will still grow on the logs.
Enjoy your mushrooms and remember it is very easy to growthem.
ELECTION
This year we are voting for a Vice-President, Secretary, andfive Trustees. Each family membership is entitled to two votes, andeach individual membership to one vote. Ballots are enclosed in theprinted edition of Spore Prints.
VICE PRESIDENT
Joanne Young
I think vice-president is the best job in PSMS. The VP gets to setup programs for the monthly meetings. It astonishes me how happilyspeakers agree to come and talk to us. If the next term is anythinglike the last, I will be very glad to have had your vote.
SECRETARY
Mary Beth Tyrholm
I went to the University of Oregon, Eugene, and worked as ajeweler/designer in Seattle for many years. I am now a courtreporter. I have met many wonderful people through PSMS, and assecretary I would love to contribute in any small way to thevitality of the mushroom society.
TRUSTEE
Brandon Matheny
I am a graduate student at the UW studying Inocybe. I haveserved on the PSMS board, was PSMS Education Chair for 2 years, andserved as Microscopy Chair at the PSMS Exhibit. Fiscally, I wouldlike to invest in additional educational tools, upgrade equipment,and maintain and cultivate our library.
John Floberg
I am finishing up graduate school this year in field science and amlooking forward to becoming more active in PSMS. I would like toform partnerships between PSMS and the Orien-teering Club so we canmake it back to our cars easier and with the native Plant Societyso we can learn about plants that are symbiotic with fungi.
Jerry Wire
I joined PSMS 3 years ago and would like to became more involved.Retired for 10 years, my past volunteer activities include anofficer of various trade and technical organizations, a communityclub, and a fly fishing club and a trustee of an acute carehospital. If elected I look forward to helping all I can withPSMS.
Jim Berlstein
An alternate trustee for the past year, I have enjoyed the thrilland excitement of board meetings and am now ready to take up theyoke of elected office. My interests in photography, toxicology,and levity continue unabated. I promise not to let excessivelyjargonistic verbiage obfuscate the ramifications of myrhetoric.
Fran Ikeda
Born and raised in the Midwest, I learned there was such a thing asmatsutake from my husband many years ago and joined PSMS in 1992 tolearn about other mushrooms. I have been a board member in the pastand would like to continue in that position.
Colin Meyer
I joined PSMS at the last Wild Mushroom Show. The knowledge andexcitement for mycology shared by PSMS members is contagious; mylong time curiosity of mushrooms has become a serious hobby. Iwould like to expand access to and encourage use of information,especially via the internet.
Patrice Benson
A member of the Society since 1976, my experience as president, 3terms as trustee, and 9 years as Mycophagy Chair has provided mewith rich experiences and wonderful friendships.