THE FORAGER

A monthly report of mushroom finds and prospects

January , 1996

by BOB GORMAN


The November General Meeting mini-mushroom show was an interesting mix of mushrooms from Oregon and fungi collected locally in parks. Highlighting the Oregon collections was the spicy-odored Tricholoma magnivelare (matsutake). Visually striking, was a beautiful, blood-red Dermocybe sanguinea, one of the few fungal sources of red dye. There was also a leathery tooth fungus, Hydnellum suaveolens, with a dingy cap, violet-colored stipe and sweet odor, and Albatrellus caeruleoporus, unusual for its blue-staining pores. Other mushrooms not normally seen locally included Collybia acervata which fruits in dense clusters and the orange/ brown-capped Tricholoma focale, formerly Armillaria zelleri. The latter is one of the few Tricholomas to sport a partial veil.

Many of the local finds came from the Peninsula. Dave Campbell and I found a fungal oasis at Skyline College, thanks to the watering of lawns underneath Monterey pine and cypress, and we managed to collect some fifteen species for the event. There was an immense fruiting of Russula sanguinea along with Lactarius deliciosus, Tricholoma imbricatum, Chroogomphus vinicolor (pine spike) and Clavulina cristata, to name a few. Watered lawns under some magnificent old live oaks in San Bruno City Park produced Paxillus involutus (poison pax), Hebeloma crustuliniforme (poison pie), a Russula sp. and Coprinus atramentarius (tippler’s bane) Several Agaricus species: A. arvensis (horse mushroom), A. campestris (meadow mushroom), and A. xanthodermus (yellow-staining agaricus) rounded out the collection. All in all, it was a great hands-on learning experience for everyone who attended and a perfect way to kick off the local season.

With dry weather persisting late into November, there was concern regarding the December 10th Fungus Fair. Fortunately, a combination of local showers and soaking rains in the Mendocino area produced more than enough mushrooms for the show. The final species count was over 250. The foray results are summarized below.

The December 8th foray to Portola State Park (a first for the Society) produced several common and a few not-so-common specimens: Suillus lakei (western painted suillus), Hydnellum aurantiacum (orange hydnellum), Schizophyllum commune (split-gill) and the rare and wonderful Trametes suaveolens. This polypore has an extraordinary odor of anise, cinnamon and sweet herbs. Fruiting on a downed redwood log, the odor permeated the surrounding forest. It was an exciting find. The following day a group of us forayed in Junipero Serra Park and the adjacent San Bruno City Park. Some kids asked us what we were doing. “Mushrooms?”, they asked excitedly. “C’mon with us, we’ll show you some mushrooms!” They took us down a ravine to an awesome fruiting of Armillaria mellea (honey mushrooms) on a downed oak log. With the cluster of 'honeys' carefully dislodged, they joined in the foray with amazing gusto and excitement, adding several species to our list of finds.

Mike Wood, Fred Stevens and Bill Freedman forayed for the show on the Peninsula and found quite an array of fungi (60 species!). Along with seven Agaricus species, they found Sparassis radicata (cauliflower mushroom), Pisolithus tinctorius (dead-man’s foot), Cyathus olla (bird’s-nest fungus), Exidia glandulosa (black witch’s butter), and Hohenbuehelia petaloides (shoehorn oyster mushroom). From the Golden Gate park area came a show-stopping Laetiporus sulphureus (sulphur shelf).

Mike Boom’s foray to Tomales Bay State Park contributed 50 species to the Fair, including six specimens for the Bolete table: B. chrysenteron (cracked-cap bolete), B. citriniporus, B. flaviporus (viscid bolete), B. subtomentosus, B. zelleri and Tylopilus pseudoscaber (dark bolete). Also found was Stereum sanguinolentum, which bleeds dramatically when cut.

Some of the best collecting was done in Jackson State Forest (led by Norm Andresen) and Salt Point (led by Anna Moore) contributing lots of large, colorful, specimens. Most of the Amanitas in the show came from these two areas: A. calyptrata (cocolli), A. francheti (yellow-veiled amanita), A. gemmata. A. muscaria (fly agaric), A. pachycolea (western grisette), and A. silvicola. They added several more Boletes: B. edulis (king bolete), B. amygdalinus, B. appendiculatus (butter bolete), B. mirabilis, B. piperatus, B. rubripes (red-stemmed bitter bolete), B. spadiceus and B. satanas (satan’s bolete). Also collected was Russula fragrantissima, Fistulina hepatica (beefsteak fungus), Lactarius uvidus (purple-staining lactarius) and several Cortinarius species. Ramarias were common and included R. acrisiccescens, R. botrytis (pink-tipped coral fungus), R. conjunctipes, R. fennica var. violaceabrunnea, R. flavigelatinosa, R. rasilispora var. rasilispora and R. synaptopoda.

The Fair looked great this year. There were lively exchanges between the public and our interpreters at the display tables. We are one of the few nature oriented clubs to provide this interpretive service, something of which we can be justly proud. Thanks to all who worked hard to make the Fair such a success!

Judging from the substantial rains we have had in mid-December, prospects for January collecting look good. Craterellus cornucopioides (black chanterelles) should do well in Douglas fir/tan-oak habitat and Cantharellus cibarius (yellow chanterelles) in live oak habitat. Look for Hydnum repandum (hedgehogs) under Bishop pine along the coast. There are generally plenty of Agaricus fuscofibrillosus (bleeding agaricus), Clitocybe nuda (blewits) and other edibles for gathering at Lands End and Agaricus subrutilescens (wine-colored agaricus) in forests. Lactarius rubrilacteus (bleeding milk-cap), scarce last year, should fruit in woodlands throughout the area. If you are not fond of L. deliciosus, give L. rubrilacteus a try. There should be a few B. edulis at Lands End and the East Bay Hills. Suillus pungens (poorman’s slippery jack) is so abundant locally that it’s worth collecting some buttons for pickling. Blewits should also be abundant in various habitats. All the colorful mushrooms in the Hygrophoraceae (waxy caps) should brighten our redwood groves. (To contribute to The Forager, call me at 415-588-7634 or post your findings on Wade Leschyn’s Natural World Bulletin Board at 415-261-1212.)