Questions About Mushrooms
 

1.      Which Mushrooms are Good to Eat?

 

There is really no easy answer to this question and the only way to know the edibility of a mushroom is to simply eat it(Arora, 23).  It has been said that every mushroom is edible at least once.  This in and of itself can be a risky endeavor for eating the wrong species of mushroom can at best be a painstaking experience and at worst a death sentence. 

 

Fortunately, such a process of trial-and-error testing on the edibility of mushrooms has been conducted by individuals throughout history.  Through their experiences a fairly reasonable body of information has been collected on the edibility of many mushrooms (Arora, 23).  

 

If at all possible, acquire assistance from an experienced and knowledgeable collector.  A knowledgeable mushroom hunter can identify the mushrooms he or she eats as well as all of the poisonous look-alikes.  If you are on your own proceed with caution and remember the following words of advice: When In Doubt, Throw It Out!  Never eat a mushroom that you are not 100% certain about its identity (Arora, 24).

 

Mushrooms that have been “tasted” by mammals or insects do not necessarily indicate that they are fit for human consumption.  Furthermore, just because they smell good and / or taste good does not mean they are safe to eat.  It has been reported that the deadly Amanitas are delicious (Arora, 24). 

    Books on or related to the edibility of mushrooms include:

  1. Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America: A Field-to-Kitchen Guide (David W. Fischer, Alan E. Bessette)
  2. Common Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms of the Northeast (Charles L. Fergus)
  3. The Practical Mushroom Encyclopedia: Identifying, Picking, and Cooking with Mushrooms (Peter Jordan)
  4. The Mushroom Lover’s Mushroom Cookbook and Primer (Amy Farges)
  5. Cook’s Book of Mushrooms: With 100 Recipes for Common and Uncommon Varieties (Jack Czarnecki, Louis B. Wallach)
  6. The Best Fifty Mushroom Recipes (Barbara Karoff)
  7. Basically Morels: Mushroom Hunting, Cooking, Lore and Advice (Larry Lonik)

 

2.      When and Where do Mushrooms Grow?

 

The most effective way of getting to know when and where mushrooms grow is to spend a good amount of time outdoors in local woods and fields.  In eastern North America the mushroom season typically runs from summer through fall. Rainfall and temperature are the two major determining factors that dictate how any particular mushroom season will play out.  Consequently, no two seasons are identical as to which species will be fruiting.  Typically, what happens is that a particular season will favor various species at the expense of others.  This being the case, you can search the same locality for many years and find new species with each new season (Arora, 25).

 

“Luck” in timing is a critical aspect in the success or failure of any mushroom hunt.  If you get there to early, the mushrooms  will still be hidden beneath the substrate (mulch, leaf litter, etc.).  If you get there to late, they may be riddled with maggots,  sampled by mammals and / or insects, or simply to old.  However, if you get there just at the right time a plethora of  fantastic “treasures” awaits your discovery (Arora, 26).

 

3.      Can People Harm Mushrooms by Picking Them?

 

Given that mushrooms are the “fruit” of a fungus, picking one is very similar to picking an apple off an apple tree.  Little to no harm is done to the fungus as long as you are careful not to overly disturb the environment from which you take them. The majority of mushrooms that you encounter will have already released spores and will continue to release them after they are picked.   Furthermore, the fruitbody’s mycelium is typically perennial in nature thereby producing mushrooms at regular intervals (Arora, 26).

 

Mushrooms are a renewable resource and the only sure fire way to wipe out a species is to destroy its habitat.  So don’t worry about picking mushrooms and remember don’t pick more than you need (Arora, 27).

 

4.      Can People Harm Themselves by Picking Mushrooms?

 

No.  Handling mushrooms in and of them self poses no danger.  If you handle deadly Amanitas over an extended period of time you may want to wash your hands.  Poisonous mushrooms are only harmful if ingested.  On the flip side, various critters like rattlesnakes, ticks, and plants like poison ivy do pose real dangers to the mushroom hunter (Arora, 28).

 

5.      Do Other Animals Eat Mushrooms?

 

Yes.  Many mushrooms fall prey to maggots.  These little white “worms” with black heads are the larvae of fungus gnats. Adults lay their eggs at the base of the stalk and as the maggots hatch they work their way up the stalk to the cap (Arora,28). 

 

In addition to maggots, other insects such as various species of beetles and flies also feed on fungi.  Likewise, slugs, tortoises, squirrels, chipmunks, cattle, deer and other animals indulge from time to time on fungi (Arora, 29).

 

6.      What Is the Nutritional Value of Mushrooms

 

Although mushrooms are primarily eaten for their flavor, they are similar to vegetables in their nutritional value.  Most mushrooms are rich in vitamins B, D, and K and some are also high in vitamin A with a few containing vitamin C. Additionally, they are rich in various minerals including iron and copper (Arora, 30).

 

Mushrooms like most fruits and vegetables are mostly water (85-95%).  They contain very few calories since they are low in fat and carbohydrates.  Some have high protein content but some of the protein is indigestible and consequently mushrooms are not a practical substitute for other protein sources (Arora, 30).

 

In order to make mushrooms more digestible, mushrooms should be cooked.  This increased digestibility improves the nutritional value of the mushroom as long as they are not cooked to long, which in turn causes some of their vitamins to be lost.  Overcooking also removes some of the flavor, which is why most people eat mushrooms in the first place (Arora,30).

 

7.      What is the Medicinal Value of Mushrooms

 

Various species of fungi possess antibiotic substances.  For example, the bread mold Penicillium is used to make the antibiotic penicillin.  To date very little research has been conducted to determine the medicinal properties of fungi.  Moreresearch is needed in both this country and abroad (Arora, 30).

 

Books on medicinal mushrooms include:

  1. Health Benefits of Medicinal Mushrooms (Mark Stengler)
  2. Medicinal Mushrooms (Christopher Hobbs, Harriet Beingfield)

 

8.      Can You Grow Wild Mushrooms?

 

Yes.  Some commonly cultivated mushrooms include the shiitake (Lentinus edodes), enokitake (Flammulina velutipes), oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus), and cultivated mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) (Arora, 30).

 

Generally speaking, fungi that grow on wood, compost, dung, or disturbed ground are much easier to grow than fungi that form mycorrhizal relationships with tree rootlets.  The nutritional requirements of mycorrhizal fungi make them difficult to cultivate (Arora, 30).

 

Books on growing mushrooms include:

1.      Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms (Paul Stamets)

2.      Mushroom Cultivator: A Practical Guide Growing Mushrooms (Paul Stamets)

3.      Mycelium Running: A Guide to Healing the Planet through Gardening with Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms (Paul Stamets)

4.      Growing Wild Mushrooms: A Complete Guide to Cultivating Edible and Hallucinogenic Mushrooms (Bob Harris)???

 

9.      Do Any Psilocybin Mushrooms Grow Around Here?

 

Probably.  Hallucinogenic mushrooms grow across North America and most contain psilocybin and / or psilocin.  One note though, possession of either psilocybin or psilocin is prohibited by federal law (Arora, 32).

 

Books on hallucinogenic mushrooms include:

1. Hallucinogenic and Poisonous Mushrooms: Filed Guide (Gary P. Menser)

 

10.  Little Brown Mushrooms (LBM’s)

 

LBM’s are so prolific in number (~ ˝ of all mushrooms) and so completely undistinguishable one from another, that for an amateur to try to identify one is absolutely foolish (Arora, 32).   To complicate matters worse, LBM’s are not always brown.  There are “boring buff” LBM’s, “wishy-washy” white LBM’s, and “gratuitous” gray LBM’s (Arora, 33).

 

Most LBM’s are found in the following: Inocybe, Tubaria, Galerina, Collybia, Psathyrella, Marasmius, Mycena,Pholiota, and Cortinarius (Arora, 33).

 

11. What are the largest types of fungi ever to be found?

      a. Rigidioporus ulmarius: over 5 ˝ feet wide, estimated to weigh as much as 625 lbs

      b. Puffball: ~9 feet in circumference, 48+ lbs

      c. Sulfur Mushroom: 100 lbs

      d. Armillaria ostoyae: largest fungal clone – covering 1,500+ acres

      e. Armillaria bulbosa: covering 37 acres, estimated to weigh 110 tones
         (Tree of Life, http://tolweb.org/tree?group=fungi)

 

Works Cited

 

Arora, David.  Mushrooms Demystified.  2nd ed.  Berkley, Ten Speed Press, 1986.

 

Tree of Life Web Project.  2006.  The University of Arizona College of Agriculture and

            Life Sciences and The University of Arizona Library. 21 April 2006. 

            <http://tolweb.org/tree/>