1JI SITE'SMUSHROOMS

ROOM. 2:20 F EDERA.LP. O. BOX

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA

Extension Publication No. 6

KNOW ALASKA'SMUSHROOMS

by

VIRGINIA L, WELLS and PHYLLIS E. KEMPTON

Many kinds of mushrooms abound in Alaska.Old Timers as well as summer visitors constantlyask how to separate the edible from the poisonousspecies.

This bulletin will help you identify a few ofthe most common mushrooms, both edible andpoisonous. As you become familiar with this basicgroup, you can add other mushrooms with reason-able safety, See the list one page 29 for other ediblespecies which occur in Alaska.

The mushrooms described here commonlygrow throughout much of Alaska. The entiregroup has been carefully checked by both amateurmycologists and professional botanists. If you wishto make further studies, reference material hasbeen listed on page 32.

The glossary on page 30 and 31 will help youwith difficult words.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK IN AGRICUL-TURE AND HOME ECONOMICS, A. S. BUSWELL,DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA AND U. S.DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COOPERA-TING, PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED UNDERACTS Or CONGRESS, MAY 8 AND JUNE 30,1914-

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C O N T E N T S

About the Authors 2Ten Easy Kules 3Key 5Making Spore Prints 6Family Agaricaceae 7Genus Amanita 8Genus Lactarius 10Genus Russula 12Genus Coprinus 14Family Boletaceae 20Family Helvellaceae 23Family Lycoperdaceae 27Other Edible Mushrooms 29Glossary 30References 32

OLD WIVES' TALES

The common old wives' tales, such as those

about poisonous mushrooms tarnishing a silverspoon, worms avoiding poisonous species, and ed-ible mushrooms peeling easily, have no basis infact. The only sure way to avoid trouble is to learnto distinguish mushrooms by their botanical char-acters.

TEN EASY RULES

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

The Cooperative Extension Service, Division

of Statewide Services, University of Alaska, is

greatly indebted to the authors for the preparationof this publication, which is intended to answer thegreat number of inquiries received from the publicconcerning Alaska's mushrooms,

Anchorage mycologists Virginia L, Wells and

Phyllis E, Kempton (Mrs. Ward W. Wells andMrs. Gerald 0. Kempton) have, over the years,established a herbarium containing more than1,000 Alaskan fungi specimens representing about500 species. Their study of fungi has resulted inthe discovery of new species and has greately con-tributed to the accumulation of scientific knowl-edge concerning Alaska's mushrooms. Their articleon poisonous mushrooms appeared in the March,1961 issue of Alaska Medicine. Mrs. Wells is alsoa professional photographer and has contributedphotographs and articles to such magazines as the

National Geographic.

1. Never eat a mushroom that you cannot posi-tively identify by its appearance. When trying amushroom for the first time, eat only a very smallamount until you see if it agrees with you. Somepeople are allergic to edible varieties.

2. Avoid mushrooms that resemble the poison-ous ones until you become proficient in identifyingthem. Especially avoid all species of AMANITAunless you are an expert,

3. Learn the distinguishing features of a few,easy to recognize, edible mushrooms and stick withthose. Don't experiment!

4. Pick only fresh, young mushrooms for eating.Some mushrooms last in the out-of-doors for a longtime and their flesh may eventually become putridand poisonous.

5. Gather only one kind of mushroom in a bas-ket. Never mix unknown species with edible ones.Even a very small piece of a poisonous mushroommay poison a whole dish.

6. Clean edible mushrooms as you gather them.Dirt clinging to the base of the stem should be cutoff. Leaves or other debris may be gently brushedor washed off the cap, (When collecting for identi-fication purposes, mushrooms should be carefullydug out of the ground to preserve important fea-tures which may be at the base of the stem.)

7. Be sure that puffballs are puffballs, and notearly button stages of poisonous gill mushrooms.Cut them in two vertically and use only thosewhich are solid and white all the way through.

8. Use mushrooms the day they are picked, asthey spoil rapidly at room temperature. Cookedmushrooms may be kept' for several days in a re-frigerator. If you have a surplus, freeze, can, ordry them at once,

9. If you feel that you have eaten a poisonousmushroom, empty the stomach and intestines im-mediately and get a doctor as quickly as possible,

10. Extend your knowledge of mushrooms bystudying the references listed on page 32, Helpspread the word that there are some poisonousmushrooms in Alaska, but that many of the edibleones can be easily recognized and will add flavorand interest to the menu.

WHAT IS A MUSHROOM?

A mushroom is the fruit-body or spore-body ofcertain fungi which usually live on decaying woodor vegetable matter. Mushrooms reproduce bymeans of spores. This bulletin describes represen-tatives of four mushroom families: 1. The gillmushrooms (AGARICACEAE); 2, The pore mush-rooms (BOLETACEAE); 3. The stomach fungi(LYCOPERDACEAE); and 4, The morels (HEL-VELLACEAE),

Mushrooms often show variations in physicalcharacters. When you are fairly certain of the iden-tification of a mushroom, collect it several timesand, if possible, in different locations so that youbecome familiar with the variations. The descrip-tions given here are based as closely as possibleon normal and typical forms found in Alaska.

USING A KEY

Using a key is simple. With the mushroom youwish to identify in hand, read Roman numeral Iand II below. Select the one that applies to yourmushroom.

For example, if your mushroom has gills, takeRoman numeral I (AGARICACEAE family). Butif your mushroom does not have gills, take thesecond choice, II, Then read both A and B andselect the one that applies to your mushroom. Ifnecessary, continue making choices under 1 and 2in the same manner. Do not guess at key charac-ters. If your mushroom does not key out convinc-ingly, you may assume that it is not included inthis bulletin.

KEY

I Mushrooms with gills (radiating blades of tissue onthe underside of the cap)

A, Spore print white or yellowish (See"MAKING SPORE PRINTS) .................... p. 6

1, Gills free from stem; ring (annulus) onstem; base of stem with a cup (volva)or a series of cottony rings; often withpale cottony warts or spots on sur-face of cap .............................. AMANITA p, 8

2. Not having the characters of 1. above,

a. Cap, gills or stem always bleedingwith a white or colored fluid whenbroken; no ring on stem; no cup atbase of stem; growingon the ground LACTARIUS p. 10

b. Same as (a) above, but lacking thefluid when broken; flesh and gillsoften very brittle at maturity; taste

sometimes very peppery. RUSSULA p. 12

B. Spore print black; edges of cap and gillsmelting into an inky-black fluid withmaturity COPRINUS p. 14

II Mushrooms without gills

A, With innumerable small pores on theunderside of the cap. Mushroom typicallylarge, fleshy, readily decaying, growingon ground BOLETACEAE p. 20

B. Not having the characters of A. above

1. Cap conic-shaped; outer surface pittedor sponge-like with connecting ribs;cap as long or longer than the stem;both stem and cap hollow; occuring inspring. HELVELLACEAE (Morchella) p. 23

2. Mushroom ball or pear-shaped; interiorsolid and white when young becomingdiscolored and, at maturity, full ofdark powdery spores.

LYCOPERDACEAE (Puffballs) p. 27

MAKING SPORE PRINTS

To identify some mushrooms it is necessary tomake a spore print which may be white, brown,pink, purple-brown, or black. A spore print is easyto make by removing the cap of a freshly expandedmushroom close to the stem. Then lay the cap gill-side down on a piece of white paper and cover itwith a bowl. Within several hours the spore printwill show as a fine powder arranged in radiatinglines with the same pattern as the gills. If thespores are pure white, turn the paper at an angleso the light will catch it and the chalky depositwill be easy to see. The other colors will naturallyshow up more clearly.

Family Agaricaceae"Gill Mushrooms"

In this family the spores are produced on ra-diating blades of tissue on the underside of thecap. These blades are called gills. One of the mostessential steps in identifying members of this fam-ily is the determination of the spore print color.

Other features to note when identifying gillmushrooms:

1. The manner in which the gills are attachedto the stem.

2. The presence or absence of a veil whichcovers the gills when mushrooms are young,then breaks to form a ring (annulus) on thestem.

3. The presence or absence of a veil whichencloses the entire mushroom at first, thenbreaks to form a cup (volva) or a series ofrings at the base of the stem.

4. The presence, color, and taste, or the absenceof a milk-like or colored fluid called latexwhich forms when the cap, gills or stem arebroken.

Fig, 1, Cross section of a gill mushroom indi-cating the various structures important toidentification. Study this diagram and learn thefew simple parts of a gill mushroom.

5, The color of cap, gills, stem and flesh andany color changes which may take placewhen cut or rubbed,

6, The odor and taste of raw flesh of youngmushrooms. Do not taste any species ofAMAN1TA.

GENUS AMANITA

Some of the deadliest mushrooms in the worldare Amanitas, but their beauty is deceiving. Youngchildren are tempted to nibble on raw mushroomsin this genus, so be careful,

The main identifying characters of all Amani-tas are:

1. White spore print,

2. The presence of a ring (annulus) on thestem.

3. The presence of a cup (volva) at the baseof the stem, or a series of rings at the baseof the stem indicating the former presenceof a universal veil which completely enclosesthe mushroom in the button stage. These fea-tures may be underground and may not benoticed unless the entire mushroom is care-fully dug out of the ground.

4. Gills free from the stem.

The following is a description of the species ofAMANITA most commonly found in Alaska.

AMANITA MUSCARIA"The Fly Agaric"

Poisonous((See Plate, Page 15)

CAP: Three to eight inchese broad when ma-ture, Nearly ball-shaped at first and completely en-closed in a cottony white to yellowish covering,At this stage it may resemble a puffball, The capsoon expands to show the bright red or orange-redsurface coloring with a scattering of white cottonywarts. At maturity the cap is nearly flat and thecolor fades to dull red or orange. The surface be-

tween the warts is sticky when moist and polishedor glossy when dry. The cap is rather easily re-moved from the stem,

FLESH: White to yellowish, fairly thin; odornot distinctive. Do not taste this mushroom!

GILLS; White to yellowish; close together; notattached to the stem (free), Covered when youngby a white membranous veil,

STEM: 3 to 12 inches long. Enlarged or bulbousat the base which is usually underground, thentapering upward to the cap. White or yellowish.Surface dry, fairly smooth except just above thebulb where there is a series of cottony rings. Theserings, as well as the warts on the cap, are the re-mains of the original cottony covering, The ringnear the top of the stem is white or yellowish,membranous, and limp. This ring is the remainsof the veil which at first covers the gills. The in-terior of the stem is white or yellowish; stuffedwith cottony-like tissue, or hollow.

SPORE PRINT: White,

HABIT, HABITAT and DISTRIBUTION: Thismushroom grows singly or in groups in mixedwoods or under coniferous trees over most ofAlaska, It is sometimes found in lawns or gardenswhere trees had been growing. It is very commonduring July, August and September.

REMARKS: During very wet or very dryweather, the characteristic "warts" on the cap maybe lacking, and the ring near the top of the stemmay be missing, but the white free gills, the cot-tony rings at the enlarged base of the stem, andthe white spore print will serve to identify it.

Two other Amanitas are known to occur inAlaska,

AMANITA MUSCARIA(Yellow Form)

Poisonous

This is identical with the red form except thatthe cap is light yellow, becoming grayish or brown-ish with age. It is not common but may be foundunder coniferous trees during the same season asthe red form,

AMANITA PORPHYRIA

Edibility Not Established

This species is typically smaller than the spe-cies described above. The cap is lavender or brown-ish-gray, without the warts. The gills are whiteand the stem is gray. There is a definite whitishcup (volva) at the base of the stem, but this isoften underground. This species is not common inAlaska, but may occasionally be found under coni-ferous trees during July and August.

There is a probability that some of the formsof AMAMTA PHALLOIDES occur in Alaska, andsince this is the deadliest of all mushrooms, thebeginner should learn the characters of the genusAMANITA and avoid all such species.

GENUS LACTARIUS

This group of so-called "milk" mushrooms con-tains some fine edible fungi. However it also con-tains some which are indigestible or mildly poison-ous. If one pays careful attention to the charactersof this genus, they can become easy to recognize.

The main identifying features of the genusLACTARIUS are:

1. White to cream-colored spore print,2. The central stem with neither a ring (annul-

us) nor cup (volva) at the base.3. The gills are attached to the stem and often

run down it for a short distance.4. The presence of a milk-like or colored fluid

(latex) which is exuded when the cap, gills,or stem are cut or broken. Test young mush-rooms for this feature,

Below is a description of both the edible andnon-edible LACTARIUS species which may beconfused with each other in Alaska.

LACTARIUS DELICIOSUS"Orange Delicious" or "Orange Delight11

Edible((See Plate, Page 15)

(MP; Three to six Inches across when mature.Slightly flattened on top with the edges rolledunder when young. As the mushroom ages, the

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margins unroll and become upraised making thecap appear somewhat funnel-shaped. Always someshade of orange, from deeply colored to pale, us-ually with zones or bands of color in rings. Oftenstained or streaked with green. The surface issmooth without warts, scales or hairs, and feelsslippery, sticky or dry depending upon weatherconditions. Cap not easily removed from the stem.

FLESH: From pale to deep orange, usuallyshowing greenish stains or spots and sometimesslowly becoming mottled reddish-purple after be-ing cut. Moderately thin and brittle without dis-tinctive odor or taste.

GILLS: Orange like the cap or paler, and be-coming greenish when bruised or with age. Nar-row and close together. Attached to and oftenrunning down the stem for a short distance,

STEM: Two to four inches long by up to oneinch thick, never greatly enlarged at the base.Orange like the cap and often with green stainsor spots. Surface moist and smooth, without a ringand without a cup at the base. Interior of stemstuffed with a whitish pith when young, becominghollow with age.

LATEX: Bright reddish-orange fluid seepsout when the cap, gills or stem are cut or broken,most abundant in young mushrooms. Mild in taste.The latex itself does not change color but causesthe green staining of the mushroom,

SPORE PRINT: Whitish or pale cream color.

HABIT, HABITAT and DISTRIBUTION: Thismushroom can be found in either coniferous ormixed woods but is especially fond of damp mossyareas under spruce and hemlock trees. It fruitsfrom late July through early September over mostof Alaska.

REMARKS: This particular LACTARIUSspecies does not have an abundant amount of la-tex. So, if old dry specimens are tested the latexcould be missed. In all species of LACTARIUS itis important to test young mushrooms for the la-tex, noting its color, color changes, and taste. Thetaste may be mild, peppery or bitter. See the fol-lowing discussion of two mildly poisonous specieswhich somewhat resemble LACTARIUS DELIC-IOSUS.

n

LACTARIUS TORMINOSUSNot Recommended

This mushroom may be distinguished fromLACTARIUS DELICIOSUS by its more pinkishcolor, the furry-hairy edge of the young cap, thecomplete lack of green staining, and the whitelatex which is unchanging and very peppery to thetaste. It grows on the ground in mixed woods, es-pecially near birch, at the same time of the yearand often in the same location as LACTARIUSDELICIOSUS.

LACTARIUS RUFUSNot Recommended

This mushroom may be distinguished fromLACTARIUS DELICIOSUS by its reddish-browncap (which is without bands of color), by its point-ed cap when young, and by its white unchanginglatex which has a peppery burning taste. It occurson the ground in coniferous woods and bogs at thesame time of the year as LACTARIUS DELICIO-SUS.

GENUS RU5SULA

The Russulas comprise one of our most brightlycolored groups of mushrooms, occurring in shadesof yellow, red, green, purple and brown, thoughsometimes the colors fade with age or in wet wea-ther. Many species are abundant in Alaska. Theyhave a characteristic appearance which is difficultto describe but when once learned, makes most ofthem easy to recognize. They most closely re-semble the "milk" mushrooms (LACTARIUS),but can be easily separated by the absence ofmilky juice (latex). Generally, Russulas whichtaste mild when fresh are considered to be ediblethough many are of inferior quality.

The main identifying features of the genusRUSSULA are:

1. White to deep cream colored spore print.2. Round stem without a ring or cup at the base.3. Brittle, fragile texture.4. Width of the cap is usually equal to, or great-

er than, the length of the stem.

Here is a description of the most common poi-sonous RUSSULA in Alaska,

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Poisonous(See Plate, Page 16)

CAP: 2*/2 to 4Ya inches across when mature.Ball shaped at first, becoming smoothly rounded(like an inverted bowl), or slightly depressed inthe center. Bright red at first, fading with age, orwhen rain-washed, to a pale red or pinkish. Smoothsurface without warts, hairs or scales; shiny; oft-en slimy to the touch when wet, and tacky andglossy when dry. The thin skin of the cap is easilypeeled off in narrow strips. The mature cap edgesare furrowed by short radiating lines.

FLESH: White tinged pinkish just under theskin of the cap, but not changing color whenbruised or cut. Brittle in texture, becoming veryfragile with age. Odor mild, but taste immediatelyvery peppery, especially in young specimens. Nomilky fluid is exuded when broken.

GILLS: White or becoming slightly yellowedin age; moderately close together; generally broad,but very narrow where attached to the stem; brit-tle in texture.

STEM: Up to 3 inches long by 1 inch broad;evenly rounded or slightly larger toward the base;pure white or tinged slightly with pink or yellow.Surface dull and slightly roughened (not slimy orshining). Inside, the stem is white and stuffedwith white cottony tissue when young, but maybecome slightly yellowed and hollow with age.Fragile in texture when mature,

SPORE PRINT: White.HABIT, HABITAT and DISTRIBUTION: This

mushroom occurs commonly on the ground, oftenin wet mossy areas, usually in coniferous woods.The season extends from late July through earlySeptember.

REMARKS: The color of mature caps variesbecause pigments in the thin cap skin are solublein water. In rainy weather, a bright red cap mayfade to nearly white.

Another RUSSULA species common to Alaskais:

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RUSSULA CLAROFLAVA

Edible

This medium sized RUSSULA is characterizedby its yellow cap and its flesh, gills and stem,which are white at first, slowly becoming an ashy-gray with age. They also slowly turn gray wherecut or bruised, The taste is mild, and the sporeprint is cream colored. It occurs on the ground inmixed woods during July and August.

GENUS COPRINUS

This group of mushrooms is popularly knownas "Inky Caps" because they secrete an enzymewhich dissolves the gills and flesh into a black,inky fluid. This process continues after the mush-rooms are picked. So, if they are collected for food,they must be cooked immediately. Most of thelarger members of this genus are edible and ex-cellent when young.

The main identifying features of the genusCOPRINUS are:

1. The dark, typically black, spore print.2. The dissolving of the maturing gills into an

inky fluid.3. The rather long barrel-shaped or egg-shaped

cap.The following is a description of a universally

edible COPRINUS which is common in most areasof Alaska.

COPRINUS COMATUS"The Shaggy Mane"

Edible(See Plate, Page 16)

CAP: 2 to 6 inches long and 1 to 2 inches thick.Barrel-shaped at first. With age the margin mayflare slightly before dissolving into a black fluid.Surface dry, whitish or pale clay-colored, soon be-coming torn into rows of scattered, brown-tippedscales which may curl up at the ends to give thecap a shaggy appearance. The top of the cap us-ually remains smooth and somewhat darker brownin color, With age the cap dissolves into a blackfluid starting from the bottom.

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Plate 1.

AMAN1TA MUSCARIA "The Fly Agaric"

Plate 2.

LACTARIUS DELICIOSVS "Orange Delicious"

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Plate 3.

RUSSULA EMETICA "The Emetic Russula"

Plate 5.

LECCINUM (BOLETUS) TESTACEO-SCABRUM "Orange Bolete"

Plate 4.

COPRINUS COMATUS "The Shaggy Mane"

vtwsus

Plate 6.

MORCHELLA ANGUSTICEPS"The Conic Morel"

16 17

Plate 7.

LYCOPERDON PERLATUM"Gemmed PuffbalT

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FLESH: Very thin, soft. White when young,becoming flushed with pink, then blackish anddissolving into inky fluid from the bottom upward.Odor and taste are not distinctive.

GILLS: White at first, becoming pinkish, thenblack and dissolving into black fluid from the bot-tom upward. Long, broad and crowded. At the topof the cap there is an open space between the gillsand the stem. The gills not attached to the stem.

STEM: 3 to 8 inches long by % to 1 inch broad,with the base often slightly swollen, but withouta cup, then narrowed at the very bottom to an un-derground point. There is a narrow, white, collar-like movable ring on the stem which often becomestorn away. The outer surface is dry and whitish.The interior is white, hollow, and has a slenderwhite cord hanging down the central core.

SPORE PRINT: Black.

HABIT, HABITAT and DISTRIBUTION:Grows singly or in groups in hard-packed groundor gravel along roadsides, in rich pastures, lawns,gardens, or in waste dumping grounds. It is mostcommon in late summer and fall during the rainyseason.

REMARKS: Use only fresh, young specimensfor food. Cut away any parts which may have be-gun to blacken, and cook immediately.

Perhaps an even more common species of COP-RINUS in Alaska is the original "Inky Cap."

COPRINUS ATRAMENTARIUS

"The Inky Cap"

Edible, with Reservations

True to its name, this mushroom dissolves intoan inky black fluid when it is mature, and mustbe cooked very soon after collecting. It can be dis-tinguished from the "Shaggy Mane" (COPRINUSCOMATUS) by its smooth silver-gray to smoke-brown egg-shaped cap which becomes somewhat

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bell-shaped before dissolving into inky fluid. Thecap is glossy or slightly powdered and dull, oftenmarked by long furrows or striations. The stemhas no ring, but there is an irregular zone or borderwhich separates the slightly scaly, dark bottompart from the silky, white upper part, When ma-ture this zone may be very low, nearly at groundlevel, There is no cord hanging in the hollow coreof the stem.

This species has much the same habit and habi-tat as the "Shaggy Mane" but usually grows inmore dense clusters, It is reported to be excellentin flavor, but it has caused poisoning when con-sumed with alcoholic beverages, A safe rule is notto drink alcoholic beverages two or three days be-fore or after eating this mushroom.

examination of the under surface of the cap willshow a multitude of tiny holes (pores) instead ofgills. These are the ends of vertical tubes, ar-ranged side by side, and are called tube mouthsor pores, The spores are produced inside the tubes.The spore prints of the different species vary some-what in color, but this is of secondary importancein identifying mushrooms in this family. The meth-od of making a spore print is the same as for gillmushrooms.

The stems of some species may have a ring(annulus), but there is never a cup (volva) at thebase. The flesh may change color when cut orbruised but never exudes any milky fluid (latex),

Family BoletaceaeFleshy, Pore Mushrooms

This family consists of large, fleshy, readilydecaying mushrooms which have a cap and a stem,They resemble the gill mushrooms in shape but

Fig, 2, The cross section of a fleshy pore mush-room shows the various structures important toidentification,

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GENUS BOLETUS

Many BOLETUS species are edible and havebeen prized as delicacies since very early times. Inmost literature, the few poisonous mushrooms inthis genus are characterized by having a red poresurface or flesh which changes to blue upon beingcut or bruised. Young button stages of BOLETUSare the most desirable for food. Older specimenstend to become soft and punky and are oftenworm-riddled, The tube layer should be removedbefore cooking as it has a rather gelatinous con-sistency and is apt to become slimy.

All species of BOLETUS are characterized bythe ease with which the tubes can be separatedfrom the cap and from each other.

Other identifying features are:

1, Surface characters of the stem,

2, Surface characters and color of the cap.

3, Color and color changes of tubes and tubemouths (pores),

4, Color of flesh, and whether or not it changesin color when cut.

5, Taste of raw flesh of young specimens,

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LECCINUM (Boletus) TESTACEQ-SCABRUM

"Orange Bolete"

Edible

(See Plate, Page 17)

CAP: 4 to 8 inches in diameter when mature.Nearly ball-shaped with the Cap edges pressedtightly to the stem when young, but soon expand-ing to form a broadly rounded cap, The color issomewhat variable but is always some shade oforange, from deep orange to tannish-orange. Thecap surface is dull and may look slightly velvetybut never with any distinct hairs; it may feelslightly slimy in wet weather but is usually stickyor dry and may even be cracked in prolonged dryweather.

FLESH: Thick; firm in young specimens be-coming very spongy and soggy at maturity. Whiteturning pinkish-lavender, then slaty-gray and fi-nally nearly black when cut. Odor and taste aremild,

TUBES: Whitish and very short in young spe-cimens becoming dirty tannish, long, thin and softwhen mature. The tubes are easily detached fromthe cap flesh and from each other. Tube mouthsare small, round, whitish at first, becoming dirtybrownish, often with an olive tint with age.

STEM: 5 to 7 inches long when mature. Shortand stout in young specimens becoming longerwith age, the base remaining broad and narrowingupward. Brown or blackish in young specimensdue to a dull covering of tiny close scales. As thestem elongates, they become separated into dark-tipped rough scales against the light background,When mature the stem appears as if a whitish cot-tony surface had been quickly scorched. The stemhas no ring or cup at the base. The interior of thestem is whitish, changing color like the cap flesh;firm and solid in young specimens becoming softand fibrous with age.

SPORE PRINT: Dull brown with an olive cast.

HABIT, HABITAT and DISTRIBUTION: Scat-tered or in groups in birch woods and along cut

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banks, It occurs abundantly during July and Au-gust over most of Alaska.

REMARKS: The flesh of the "Orange Bolete,"blackens in cooking and may not look too appetiz-ing, but this does not affect its edibility, The flavoris very mild.

LECCINUM (Boletus) AURANTIACUM

Edible

Another "Orange Bolete" almost indistinguish-able from the preceding except that the stem iswhite when very young but becomes roughenedwith dark-tipped scales in age. It is common underaspen and cottonwood trees in July and Augustand is also edible,

LECCINUM (Boletus) SCABRUM

Edible

This "Brown Bolete" is closely related to the"Orange Boletes," and may be mistaken for them,but all three species are edible. The "Brown Bo-lete" differs in its gray-brown to dark-brown cap,its whitish flesh which does not change color whencut or cooked, and its slightly smaller stature. Itoccurs in mixed woods during July and August,

Family Helvellaceae"The Morels"

These mushrooms have neither gills nor tubesunder the cap. The stem does not have a ring orcup. The spores are produced on the outer surfaceof the cap in microscopic sacs called asci. The twomain genera in this family, MORCHELLA andHELVELLA, are separated by the surface charac-ters of the cap, The MORCHELLA is pitted, whilethe HELVELLA is wrinkled and brain-like, Mostmushrooms in this family are fairly large, Somewarrant special consideration because of their fineflavor but others should be avoided,

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GENUS MORCHELLA

"True Morels"

All mushrooms in this genus are edible and su-perior. They generally resemble pitted spongesmounted on hollow stems. They are often called"sponge mushrooms," but the most widely ac-cepted name is "True Morels." They are one ofthe first large, fleshy mushrooms to appear in thespring, and although their season is short, theyusually grow abundantly enough to permit col-lecting and storing for future use. In Europe theyare often dried by stringing and hanging in fes-toons in a warm dry place, the same way as applesor onions.

Edible

(See Plate, Page 17)

CAP: Cone shaped; about 2 to 4 inches tall by% to 2 inches broad at the bottom tapering upwardand somewhat pointed at the top. Hollow andsmoky-brown. The cap appears to be an extensionof the stem because the lower edges of the capare attached, but the two parts differ in color andthe cap is usually broader than the stem. The sur-face is marked by irregular pits or depressionswhich are separated by blackish ribs. The mainribs run up and down with some shorter cross ribs.Sometimes the ribs of young mushrooms have analmost velvety appearance, but this soon disap-pears, and the whole mushroom darkens with age.The main distinguishing features of this species ofMORCHELLA are the long, blackish ribs andpointed cap.

FLESH: Watery, translucent to nearly white,thin and brittle, without special odor or taste.Flesh does not change color or exude latex whencut.

STEM: About 1 to 2 inches long, % to IVz in-ches thick. Hollow and joined to the cap, The outersurface is creamy-white with a granular or mealyappearance, There is no ring or cup at the base,

SPORE PRINT: Not important for identifica-tion.

HABIT, HABITAT and DISTRIBUTION:Grows singly or in clusters in mixed woods duringMay and June and sometimes into early July, Itis most abundant in moist places, along streambanks, among fallen leaves in open areas, at theedge of woods, and in burned-over areas.

REMARKS: The youngest mushrooms are themost mildly flavored. Those which are blackenedand wrinkled are too old and strong to use for food.

MORCHELLA ESCULENTA

Edible

This species resembles the "Conic Morel" butis generally larger in size, The cap tends to beoval or rounded rather than conically pointed, andthe cap is of yellow-brown shades. The cap is pit-ted but the depressions are irregularly arranged,and the separating ribs do not form any specialpattern or darken as does the "Conic Morel," Thewhole mushroom tends to become more pale withage. It is found in mixed woods, but shows a pref-erence for cottonwood trees. It occurs in the springmonths, but generally a little later than the "ConicMorel."

The following two species belong to the samefamily (HELVELLACEAE) as the "True Morels,"but the attachment of the cap in VERPA and thesurface characters of the cap in HELVELLAcauses them to be placed in different genera. Bothare sometimes referred to as "False Morels,"

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VERPA BOHEMICA

Edible with Caution

This mushroom is listed in older literature asMORCHELLA BISPORA. Though somewhat likethe "True Morels" in general appearance, the capsurface is composed of long irregular ridges with-out the pits and definite ribs that characterize the"True Morels." The main distinctive feature isthat the cap and stem are not united except at thevery top. The cap sides hang free like a skirt, Thecap varies from gray-brown to yellow-brown; thestem is whitish or buff and may show some orange.Older specimens may seem to be all stem and verylittle cap. This species occurs in the spring, beforethe "True Morels," in rich, wet soil along streamedges and in rich leaf mold where water has beenstanding.

People who consume large quantities of thismushroom may suffer some lack of muscular co-ordination, Individuals may vary in their reaction,so treat it with caution.

HELVELLA ESCULENTA

(Gyromitra esculenta)

"False Morel"

Not Recommended

This species is distinguished from the "TrueMorel" by the cap which is irregular in shape, withthe surface wrinkled or in brain-like folds ratherthan pitted like a sponge. The cap is at least par-tially attached to the stem—often at several points,and varies from red-brown to yellow-brown. Thestem is hollow and creamy-white.

The "False Morel" fruits in the spring at thesame time as the "True Morel." Though it may befound in mixed woods, it is most abundant in cut-over conifer areas.

Some people eat these "False Morels" with noill effects, but fatal poisonings have been reportedfrom its use, so it is important to learn to recognizethese mushrooms and avoid them.

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Family Lycoperdaceae"Stomach Fungi"

Spores of this family are produced and matureinside of the fruiting body, and are therefore re-ferred to as "stomach fungi," The spores are re-leased by means of a small, circular opening at thetop of the mushroom, or by the rupturing of thewall. This family does not have true caps or stemsalthough some may be elongated, and then appearto have a stem-like base. This family includesthose mushrooms commonly called "Puffballs."

GENUS LYCOPERDON

"Puffballs"

Mushrooms in this genus are globular or pear-shaped fleshy balls, of various sizes and dimen-sions, which mature into spore filled sacs, Thespores are released through a round opening whichforms at the top of the ball at maturity. Size, colorand surface features are also important charac-teristics.

LYCOPERDON PERLATUM

"The Gemmed Puffball"

Edible

(See Plate, Page 18)

Fruiting bodies vary somewhat in size andshape, but are generally about the size of a golfball (1 to 2 inches broad), They are round to pear-shaped, often with a stem-like base which is at-tached to the soil or wood with one or more white,string-like roots, When young and fresh, the sur-face is whitish, dry, and covered with wart-likespines which are easily rubbed off leaving a shal-low network of scars. At maturity a small roundmouth is formed at the top of the ball, and it isthrough this opening that the mature spores are"puffed,"

The inside is white and firm with no specialodor or taste when young, soon turning yellowishand watery-soggy. At maturity, the inside is darkolive brown, dry and powdery,

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SPORE: Deep olive brown when mature. (Aspore print need not be made from puffballs. Thespore color is easily seen when the interior of theball is dry and powdery.)

HABIT, HABITAT and DISTRIBUTION: Us-ually found in dense clusters on or around decay-ing wood in mixed woods and open places. It fruitsfrom late spring until frost over most of Alaska.

REMARKS: Puffballs should be used for foodonly when the inside is pure white and firm. If anydegree of yellow is present, the puffball should bediscarded. This species often fruits in the sameplace year after year and can usually be gatheredin abundance.

CALVATIA G1GANTEA

"The Giant Puffball"

Edible

CALVATIA is another genus of "puffballs"closely related to LYCOPERDON. The main char-acteristic which distinguishes the two is that CAL-VATIA has no regular round opening at the top atmaturity. Spores are released by irregular rup-tures near the top of the ball.

The "Giant Puffball" has been much fabled inliterature. Some monstrous specimens up to fivefeet in diameter have been reported, but generallythese mushrooms range in size from the dimen-sions of a baseball to that of a basketball. They areusually nearly round without a base or stem, al-though they are attached to the ground by a strong,whitish cord-like root. The surface of the youngpuffball is white, dry and smooth, with the feeland appearance of chamois. With maturity thesurface becomes brownish and breaks up into geo-metric patterns or scales. The spores are releasedthrough the irregular ruptures which occur nearthe top of the ball.

The ball is pure white and firm inside whenyoung. As the spores mature it becomes yellow andsoggy. At maturity the inside is dark, olive brownand powdery. One puffball of this giant species

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often serves as a meal for a whole family, butshould be used for food only when firm and purewhite on the inside.

It grows in pastures or in light deciduous woodsfrom late July to early September,

OTHER EDIBLE MUSHROOMS KNOWN TOOCCUR COMMONLY IN ALASKA

Agaricus arvensis

Agaricus haemorrhoidarixu

Amaniiopsis vaginata

Armillaiia mellea

Boletus edulis

Boletus subiomentosus

Caloporus ovinus

Clitopilus prunulus

Collybia dryophUa

Collybia velutipes

Helvella gigas

Hericium laciniaium

Hydnum repandum

Hydnum imbricaium

Hygrophorus chrysodon

Laccaria laccaia

Mycena pura

Naematoloma capnoidea

Pholiota mutabilis

Pholiota squarrosa

Pleuiolus osiieaius

Pleurotus porrigens

Pleurotus serotinus

Pluteus cervinus

Polyporus sulphuieus

Roziies caperaia

Russula delica

Tricholoma equestie

Tricholoma personatum

For information and description of the above species,refer to the books listed on page 32.

GLOSSARY

ANNULUS. The ring or skirt-like tissue left on thestem when the partial veil breaks.

BULB OR BULBOUS, (of the stem) Swollen or en-larged at the base.

CAP. See pileus.

CLUSTERS, Several to many individuals growingtightly together.

CONIC, Shaped like a cone,

CROWDED, (of gills) Very close together.

CUP, See Volva.

DEPRESSED, (of cap) With central part sunken belowthe margin,

EMETIC. Any material that will cause vomiting.

FLESH. The meaty inner portion of cap or stem.

FREE, (of gills) Not attached to the stem,

FUNGUS, (plural: fungi) A plant lacking chlorophyll,usually living on organic matter.

GENUS, (plural: genera) A group of species that pos-sess common characteristics,

GILLS, Radiating blades of tissue underneath the capof certain mushrooms.

GLOBULAR. Shaped like a globe or ball.

MARGIN, (of cap) Outer edge,

MEMBRANOUS. Like a thin skin.

MUSHROOM. Commonly referring to any of the larger,fleshy fungi.

MYCOLOGY. The study of fungi.

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GLOSSARY

PARTIAL VEIL. A veil which extends from the mar-gin of the cap to the stem and atfirst covers the gills.

PEPPERY, (of taste) Hot and burning like pepper.

PILEUS, The cap-like or enlarged upper portion of amushroom.

POISONOUS. Not considered fit for food. Not neces-sarily violent or fatal.

PORES. The openings at the lower ends of the tubes(as in BOLETUS), seen on the under surfaceof the cap.

RING. See armulus.

SPECIES. A group of individuals classified below thegenus level.

SPORES. The reproductive bodies of fungi; and someother lower plants.

SPORE PRINT: Made to determine color of the Sporesof some mushrooms. See instructionson page 6.

STIPE. Technical term for the stem of a mushroom.

TUBES. The cylindrical spore bearing structures underthe cap of some mushrooms. (See BOLETUS).

UNIVERSAL VEIL. The outer veil which completelyenvelops the young mushroom insome genera, (See AMANITA).

VEIL. See universal and partial veil.

VOLVA. The remains of a universal veil left as a cupor fragments at the base of the stem (seeAMANITA). Popularly called "poison cup"or "death cup."

WARTS. Pieces of the universal veil found on the capof some mushrooms. (See AMANITA).

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RECOMMENDED REFERENCES

1. Fergus, Charles L,, "Some Common Edible and Poi-sonous Mushrooms of Pennsylvania," Bulletin No,667, Pennsylvania State University, College of Ag-riculture, Agricultural Experiment Station, Univer-sity Park, Pennsylvania, June 1960.

2. Groves, J. Walton., "Mushroom Collecting for Be-ginners," Publication 861, Canada Department ofAgriculture, Ottawa, Canada, June 1958.

3. Groves J. Walton., EDIBLE AND POISONOUSMUSHROOMS OF CANADA, Roger Duhamel, Ot-tawa, Ontario, Canada, 1962,

4. Kleijn, H., MUSHROOMS AND OTHER FUNGI,Doubleday and Co,, Garden City, New York, 1962.

5. McKenny, Margaret, THE SAVORY WILD MUSH-ROOM, University of Washington Press, Seattle,Washington, 1962.

6. Orr, Robert T. and Dorothy Orr, MUSHROOMSAND OTHER COMMON FUNGI OF THE SANFRANCISCO BAY REGION, California NaturalHistory Guides: 8., University of California Press,Berkley 4, California, 1962,

7. Ramsbottom, John, MUSHROOMS AND TOAD-STOOLS, Collins Clear-Type Press, 14 James Place,London, 1959.

8. Smith, Alexander H., THE MUSHROOM HUNT-ER'S FIELD GUIDE, University of Michigan Press,Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1958.

9. Thomas, Dr. W. S,, FIELD BOOK OF COMMONMUSHROOMS, C, P, Putnam's Sons, New York,1948,

10. Wakefield, E. M., THE OBSERVER'S BOOK OFCOMMON FUNGI, Frederick Warne and Co., Ltd.,London and New York, 1958.

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