Agnes A. Sieger, Editor
Dick Sieger, HTML Editor
CALENDAR
Oct. 9 Annual Exhibit, 12:00–8:00PM, CUH
Oct. 10 Annual Exhibit, 10:00AM–6:00 PM, CUH
Oct. 12 Membership Meeting, 7:30 PM, CUH
Oct. 16–17 The Mountaineers/PSMS field trip
Oct. 18 Board meeting, 7:30 PM, CUH
Oct. 19 Beginning ID class
Oct. 20 Intermediate ID class
Oct. 22 Spore Prints deadlineOct. 23–24 Fall Foray
Oct. 26 Beginning ID class
Oct. 27 Intermediate ID class
Oct. 28 Beginning ID class
Nov. 2 Beginning ID class
Nov. 3 Intermediate ID class
Nov. 4 Beginning ID class
BOARD NEWS Agnes Sieger
Jerry Wire has resigned. Jim Berlstein will replace him on theboard. Education Chair Lisa Bellefond has scheduled three sets ofclasses this fall—beginning ID, intermediate ID, andmicroscopy—and may schedule a lichen class this winter. ColinMeyer would like to add a search engine to the PSMS website, andperhaps a mailing list. Patrice Benson volunteered to help Colingive the site a facelift. Colin and Brian Luther have been editingthe database of mushroom labels. We still need a volunteer to chairticket sales for the annual exhibit. Patrice Benson reminded peopleto bring dried mushrooms for the cooking demo. A motion was carriedto grant life memberships to all charter members.
MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Tuesday, October 12, at 7:30 PM at the Center for UrbanHorticulture, 3501 NE 41st Street, Seattle
This month Taylor Lockwood, world traveler and mushroom“portrait photographer,” will present his famousmultimedia slide show “Treasures From The Kingdom ofFungi.”
Although he calls Monterey, California, home, Taylor spends much ofhis time travelling the globe, photographing fungi and presentinghis slide show to audiences from Siberia to Australia and manypoints in between.
The show keeps changing, as Taylor incorporates new and even morethrilling photographs. If you’ve seen it before, youwon’t want to miss the chance to wonder anew at the beautyand variety of mushrooms and other fungi. If you haven’t seenit yet, you’re in for a treat.
Would persons with last names beginning with the letter N–Tplease bring refreshments for the social hour?
Environmentally Active? DV Corey
Today’s world is increasingly crowded with humans, whilediminishing in other species of animals, plants, and fungi.Human-rendered land increases, while natural habitats decrease.Suburban sprawl and commuter development continue to spread theiroutstretched tentacles from Seattletopolis along the I-5 and I-90corridors, while our lumber companies continue to practice visuallyrepulsive and ecosystem devastating harvesting techniques. All thishas led to more and more reports from our members of seeing thedemise of favorite mushroom hunting areas full of fond memories andabundant harvests, some going back years, others going backdecades. This, as so many other things, brings to our attention theworldwide war being waged against Nature and raises in my mind thequestion of what I am doing as an individual and as a member ofvarious groups in this war.
We are collectively and individually faced with the need forformulating an environmental ethic, a model or guideline by whichwe conduct our business, our consumption, our entertainment, ourlifestyles. To my knowledge, PSMS has never adopted a statement ofresolution or commitment in this area, nor have we made it aparticular focus in our education or our interaction with otherorganizations. I suggest here that we rethink our position or lackof one as an organization, and consider how we might become moreoutspoken and effective advocates for our forests, our publiclands, and the wildlife, native plants, and fungi that theycontain. I realize that a manifesto, if you will, faces opposingdangers, either of being so timid as to be ethical pabulum or beingso outspoken as to alienate large numbers of our diverse society.My suggestion is to seek a middle ground, the aim not to be astatement that rests quietly in the secretary’s minutes orimpotently in the back pages of the roster, but rather a statementthat is a fermentation for ideas, discussion, practices, education,and projects that will help move us all toward a more activeadvocacy for the Washington State environment in general andmushroom habitat protection specifically.
The following is an off-the-cuff list of ideas to give you a moreconcrete notion of things we might pursue.
1. PSMS members who become aware of timely issues coming up forhearings, comment, or vote could make the rest of us aware throughan announcement at the membership meetings.
2. The PSMS website might make a page specifically oriented towardthis area, with a person or committee who would seek out reports,studies, events, votes, etc., of interest to be uploaded.
3. Spore Prints could occasionally run articles from otherpublications or societies that deal specifically with how othergroups are approaching this issue.
4. We might set aside one “field trip” a year toparticipate as a group in a project like trail building, aclean-up, or some other service activity.
5. An exhibit could be developed for the Mushroom Show that teachesabout mycorrhizal association and habitat preservation.
6. The Board could adopt a resolution or a By Laws addition thatmore specifically addresses a proactive emphasis in habitat studyand preservation as one of our raison d’être.
I encourage all of us while out mushrooming this fall to thinkabout ways our society can become more involved in protectingWashington forest habitats that are still healthy and rebuildingareas that have been degraded, to discuss these with yourcompanions, and to talk to or write some of your ideas to the PSMSBoard, the website, or the Spore Prints editor.
Field trip report Brian Luther
With the magnificent Mountain looming right next door with itsglacial cap, the setting couldn’t have been better for ourfirst fall field trip . Even with very dry conditions, a number ofdifferent species were brought in for ID. Thanks to Doug andTheresa Ward for hosting and for bringing their two cute dogs,Bette and Taco, who entertained my daughter, Arnica, all day, sincethere were no other kids at the field trip. Ron Post took a groupof beginners out for a few hours and clearly got more exercise thanmushrooms, but they all seemed to have fun. Thanks to Lynn Catlin,Doug Ward, and Ron Post for helping with identification.Interesting species found included both Hypomyces lactifluorum andH. luteovirens (both superficial and colorful parasites ofRussula), Cortinarius camphoratus, and Agrocybe erebia, which wasabundant in a patch of grass near the shelter. Only a few smallchanterelle buttons were found, and not enough people wereinterested in staying for a potluck to make it worthwhile orgastronomically satisfying, but it was still great to get out inthe woods for the day.
OLD BOOKS FOR SALE Ron Meyers
Kaw Valley Mycological Society
The Kaw Valley Mycological Society has been donated some oldmushroom books, which are for sale to interested buyers.
McIlvaine’s One Thousand American Fungi, 1900, a signed copy,number 690 of 750 produced. (Internet prices range from$200–400.) The book is in good condition for that old a book.Unfortunately it has been in a library reference section at sometime and has library markings on the spine.
George Francis Atkinson’s Studies of American Fungi, 1900, ingood condition except tape added to hold the eight inner pages inposition. (Internet price $45–$85).
A 1928 Putnam’s Nature Field Book, William Thomas’Field Book of Common Gilled Mushrooms. Paper is old but book iscompletely intact. (Internet price $20–40).
Wild Mushrooms of the Central Midwest, 1971, by Ansel Stubbs.Excellent condition, dust jacket still in good condition.($12–17.50)
Common Fleshy Fungi by Clyde M. Christensen, paperback, secondprinting 1951. Cover discolored, but book is intact.($10–25)
The Observer’s Book of Common Fungi, E. M. Wakefield. Smallhardbound field guide with dust cover. ($12.50 only listing oninternet, but this book is better condition than the onedescribed.)
I have listed these prices as a guide to what the books are worth,not necessarily as the minimum price for which the club will sellthe book. But at least in the case of the McIlvaine, we will notlet it go at a ridiculously low price. If nobody makes a sufficientbid for it we will probably advertise it in a nationalpublication.
Bids on the books will be accepted until November 1. The highestbidder or, in case of a tie, the first bidder will be notified.There will be a small charge (just postage) for shipping.
If interested, e-mail pilott29@sunflower.com, telephone (785)842-9331, or write Ron Meyers, 2431 Atchison Ave, Lawrence, KS66047-2617.
MUSHROOM IDENTIFICATION CLASSES
Lisa Bellefond
Come learn the art, science, and joy of mushroom identification.Classes will be offered in October and November that will cater tovarious interest and skill levels. The classes will cost $30.
The Beginner ID Class will familiarize students with themacroscopic features of fungi, the use of dichotomous keys, andproper collection skills. The class will meet October 19, 26, 28and November 2 and 4. The text will be Mushrooms Demystified byDavid Aurora. The book will be available for purchase at the firstclass.
An Intermediate Level ID Class will focus on using dichotomous keysand an in-depth study of four fungi families. The class will meeton Wednesdays on October 20, 27 and November 3, 10, and 17. Thetext will be Mushrooms Demystified by David Aurora. The book willbe available for purchase at the first class.
A microscopy workshop, taught by Judy Roger, will be offered on themornings of November 13 and 14. The first morning will focus on thepreparation of slides and proper microscope handling. On the secondmorning, students will practice their new skills.
To register, please submit a check made out to the PSMS, a noteindicating which class you will be attending, AND a stamped,self-addressed envelope. These three items should be sent to
Lisa Bellefond (phone and address in the member's roster)
We regret to inform you of the passing of one of our chartermembers, Ilene Marckx, who died August 30 of this year. She will bemissed.
Spread of Death caps in Australia
Rada Rouse
BRISBANE, Sept. 5 AAP - Death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides)have poisoned at least eight people, two fatally, in the last tenyears in Australia, and there are concerns they may bespreading.
Seven patients were hospitalized in the Australian CapitalTerritory after eating the mushroom between 1988 and 1998,including a child. Out of three who developed severe liverproblems, one died. A previous death has been recorded in Victoria.Three of the Canberra patients were Laotians who had mistaken thedeath caps for the edible paddy straw mushroom.
Toxicologist Prof. Le Couteur from the Canberra Clinical School ofthe University of Sydney said the community, and particularlydoctors, should be aware of the potential toxicity of the deathcap. “To an untrained eye it can look similar to anothercommon mushroom found all over southeast Australia and it alsolooks a bit like a mushroom common in southeast Asia,” hesaid.
Prof. Le Couteur said it was believed death caps were imported toAustralia unwittingly in the 1920s when oak trees were brought into beautify the new national capital. “Although A. phalloidesis found primarily in association with oak trees, there is concernamong mycologists and toxicologists that it may develop the abilityto grow in association with other trees, particularly Australiannatives, and thereby spread dramatically,” Prof Le Couteurand colleagues said in an article in the Medical Journal ofAustralia.
In the United States A. phalloides have been spotted nestling underpine trees, in Africa they sprout under eucalyptus, and in Victoriathey have been found under birches. A botanist has now found adeath cap growing with a eucalyptus in Canberra, fuellingconcern.
Mushroom Varoom Jeff Barnard, 9/16/99
GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP)—Mike Amaranthus opened the glass doorof a refrigerator case and peeled back the top of a plasticcontainer to reveal a musty brown powder. “Two tablespoons ofthis powder contains more spores than there are people onearth,” he said. “You can imagine what you can do with50 pounds.”
Amaranthus and a handful of other entrepreneurs are selling thespores of mushrooms, puffballs, and truffles as an organic andhighly successful alternative to chemical fertilizers andpesticides. To make his point, Amaranthus’company, Mycorrhizal Applications Inc., offers testplants—roses, maple trees, and marigolds—grown with andwithout the fungi. Those inoculated with spores are bigger,leafier, and have more blooms.
“Most people relate fungi to moldy bread and itchy toes, but90% of the world’s plants form a beneficial relationship tofungi that we call mycorrhizae,” said Amaranthus, a soilscientist. Mycorrhizal relationships can be traced to the earliestfossils of land plants, leading scientists like Amaranthus totheorize that fungi helped ancient aquatic plants make the jump tothe hostile environment of dry land.
Amaranthus first ran across mycorrhizae in 1976, when he startedworking for the Siskiyou National Forest. Many foresters stillregarded the white and yellow strands they saw on tree roots aspathogens attacking the trees, but he found that they werebeneficial. The fungi attach to the roots of the plant and help ittake in moisture and nutrients through a network of tiny filamentscalled hyphae that spread through the soil, increasing the rootmass 10 to 10,000 times. Mycorrhizae help plants absorb essentialmicronutrients such as calcium, and can even help control pestslike root-feeding nematodes. The plants feed the fungi inreturn.
Through his doctoral work in forest ecology at Oregon StateUniversity and later work for the U.S. Forest Service’sPacific Northwest Research Station, Amaranthus helped unravel thesecret life of trees and mycorrhizal fungi. In 1997, he left thewoods to bring mycorrhizae to the marketplace. He ran through hisretirement savings getting started, but is now making a profit andemploying five people full time.
The spores come from mushrooms harvested from the wild as well asfrom cultivated areas around the world. Plants link up withspecific fungi, so Mycorrhizal Applications makes custom mixes forcommercial clients in a liquid, powder, or gel. The spores can bemixed with potting soil, dripped on through irrigation, sprayed onby crop-duster, or dropped in the soil at planting time.
Amaranthus won’t divulge financial information but says lastyear Mycorrhizal Applications sold enough spores to inoculate 200million plants. They are gearing up to produce enough for 1 billionplants.
Amaranthus’ business is small. Plant Health Care Inc., inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania., claims the title of industry leader,with annual revenue of $100 million four years after startup. Thecompany supplies beneficial bacteria as well as mycorrhizal sporesfor arborists, nurseries, landscapers, turf farms, golf courses,and fruit and vegetable growers. “We think that because ofregulation of soil fumigants as well as increasing regulation ofcertain classes of chemical pesticide, more and more growers arebecoming open to and interested in the below-ground ecology of theplant,” said President Wayne Wall.
Mount Angel hops grower John Annen tried some spores to see if theywould help him root a difficult strain of hops in the greenhouse.He began using them on everything after his success rate nearlydoubled. He said the hops treated with mycorrhizae have bigger rootsystems, need less fertilizer, and resist insects better, allowinghim to skip one application of insecticide.
“When I first heard about it I was very skeptical,” hesaid. “I checked it out with a few people at the college,field men, whatnot, and they told me this was nothing new, it hadbeen studied for years, but nobody went anywhere with it. What thisstuff can do is absolutely amazing.”
The above-ground results produced by fungi could be achieved byapplying fertilizer every two weeks, but 70 to 90% of nitrogenapplied in nurseries is not absorbed by the plants and ends upgetting washed into rivers, where it is a pollutant. Oneinoculation of fungi lasts all year, costs pennies a plant, andproduces a bigger root system that is also resistant todisease.
MUSHROOM MISSIONARIES
Patrice Benson taught a mushroom class for the Women ChefsAssociation on Monday, September 13, at the Pike Place Market. Shealso gave two mushroom science classes at Washington Middle Schoolon Thursday, September 23.
Ron Post gave a mushroom class at an elderhostel on the OlympicPeninsula on September 8.
NEEDED: A FEW GOOD MUSHROOMS
Patrice Benson needs fresh edible wild mushrooms for the Cookingand Tasting demonstrations at the annual exhibit. The mushrooms donot need to be cleaned. They can be dropped off at mushroomreceiving (label them “for cooking”) or they can bebrought to the cooking demonstration area Saturday or Sunday.Patrice promises the chefs will make something delicious for you totaste. Dried mushrooms are also welcome. If you have any questions,give her a call.
DANCES WITH CHANTERELLES RSW
Fungifama, So. Vancouver Is. Myco. Soc., May 1998
Chanterelle aficionados take note. Last fall, while you were outcollecting them, someone else was reorganizing them. Scott Redhead,Lorelei Norvell, and Eric Danell have written an interestingarticle for Mycotaxon (Vol. LXV, pp. 285–322) entitled“Cantharellus formosus and the pacific golden chanterelleharvest in Western North America.” There are many interestingdetails in this article, but the one that everyone should be awareof (update your field guides!) is the revised taxonomy for speciesin the Pacific Northwest. You should consult the article for fulldetails, but an abbreviated version of the field key appearing inthe article follows.
Cantharellus subgenus Cantharellus in BC:
1. Fruiting body whitish (pallid, ivory, or buff), slowly stainingyellowish where touched C. subalbidus
1. Fruiting bodies distinctly colored shades of yellow or
orange 2
2. Cuticle giving slightly grayish tinge to yellow-orange ororange-yellow cap, cap edge sometimes pinkish to nearly white,hymenium normally a paler orangish to orangish- yellow with apinkish tinge, all portions staining yellow and later ochre,associated with hemlock, pines, possibly other conifers
C. formosus
2. Cap bright orange-yellow, covered by thin pinkish oryellowish-pink hoary coating, without scales or gray tinges,hymenium rich orangish-yellow, usually without pinkish tones, asyellow as cap or more intense, stipe light to dark orangish, notstaining yellow or ochre, associated with coastal spruce, andpossibly hemlock or other conifers
C. cibarius var. roseocanus