July 28, 2009 6:56 am
This year’s atypically wet, cool spring and summer means that mushrooms we may not otherwise see are fruiting in abundance, while fungi we expect to see are scarce.
In many areas of nature education, students are encouraged to learn botanical names to avoid confusion and standardize communication.
In the world of mycology, the botanical names change more often than the common names of many species.
When Gary Lincoff pointed to a brittle mushroom with a textured green cap, I said, “Green quilted mushroom.”
Gary’s humor is superb, as he affirmed that sometimes the common names are more reliable than the botanical name.
He went on to explain that the mushroom we were discussing was previously known as Russula crustosa, but is now Russula parvovirescens.
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July 13, 2009 6:53 am
When I was 7-years-old, my mom dressed me in a little white top and shorts with red piping trim and sent me off to day camp. It was a sultry July day and the camp had a huge pond.
I spent the day catching bullfrogs and returned home covered in mud. My mom never dressed me in white again.
I was transported to that memory when I picked up Foraging New England
by Tom Seymour. One chapter of his book is devoted entirely to the small creatures living in or near water.
I’m looking forward to spending real reading time with this book. I’ve been drinking sweet fern tea for years, but have only found it mentioned in one book. I’m especially impressed with the clear, simple instructions on how to prepare the foraged foods.
I would love to meet Tom Seymour. Maine is a lot longer drive than upstate New York, but I’m thinking this trip would be a wise investment.
July 6, 2009 6:55 am
Taylor Lockwood is one of the rock stars of the mushroom world who tours the country with his message. I hope he turns up at the forays I attend, so I can talk to him again. His presentation at COMA’s education program was charming, clever and filled with the beauty of all things fungi. His photography and videos are extraordinary.
His latest video, The Good, The Bad and the Deadly, is designed to inform parents, pet owners and health providers with basic knowledge to help minimize the risk associated with ingesting mushrooms.
I had no idea that a dog might eat mushrooms. I’ve seen my cats and dogs chew green leafy plants and grasses – usually to clean out their stomachs – but never mushrooms. As a former toddler who put everything in my mouth, it’s no surprise that children might nibble something fungal.
Having guidelines on what to do to help identify what has been consumed and how to communicate that information to medical professionals makes sense.
What really surprised me was that ALL mushrooms should be cooked – even the products sold to the public in stores and restaurants. If I understood correctly, hydrazines (including gyromitrin and agaritine) found in mushrooms are known to be strong carcinogens. Cooking destroys some or all of the hydrazines.
Fungi are not studied nearly as much as flora and fauna. I’m grateful for the insights and discoveries of the mycologists I am meeting.
