6 minute read
Chasing the elusive forest mycelium
Stella Wenstob | story and photos
The sweet sun lit days have grown shorter and the first rains of the equinox are upon us. Do not despair, the days of Fall bring their own source of wonder. The nutrient influx of fallen leaves and the raised humidity of inclement weather support a whole new community of fascinating organisms. Mushrooms season is here! The mild winters and constant rain of the Pacific Northwest creates a mecca for mushroom enthusiasts. The Pacific Northwest hosts over a thousand species of mushrooms. Many of which are edible. However, identification is difficult with potentially dire results as Washington State is also home to some of the deadliest mushrooms.
Mushrooms are only the fruiting body stage of a rootlike organism called mycelium. It is as though an apple was the only part you saw of an apple tree. The mycelium that produces the mushroom exists underground and can be quite expansive. Mushrooms are produced when favorable conditions occur, such as adequate humidity, nutrients, and temperature, as they are part of the reproductive stage of the mycelium to propagate the species by dispersing spores (their version of seeds).
Although mushrooms and plants share similar features, mushrooms are not a plant. They do not contain chlorophyl the substance that makes plants green and which derives the plants nutrients from sunlight. Instead, mushrooms are classified as a Fungi. Rather than using sunlight for energy, the mushroom-producing fungi species are broken into three different groups: saprobes, parasites, and mycorrhizal fungi. Saprobes derive nutrients from the decomposition of organic matter, such as leaves, rotten wood, feces, and even carcasses of animals.
The widely distributed Liberty Cap (Psilocybe semilanceata) is a popular albeit illegal variety of saprobe and is one of the varieties known colloquially as ‘Shrooms that contain psilocybin, a compound that produces psychoactive effects.
Parasitic fungi take nutrients from a host organism, be it animal, plant, or other FJORD fungi and in the process weaken or kill the host. The easily identified Lobster Mushroom (Hypomyces lactifluorum) with its bright orange hue parasitizes upon another variety of mushroom. Interestingly, the host species of the Lobster Mushroom is often considered unpalatable – so in this case the mold makes for a better tasting product.
The third group is the mycorrhizal fungi, which form a symbiotic relationship with their host tree or plants by breaking down nutrients making it easier for the host to absorb these micro-nutrients. The prized chanterelle family (for example C. subalbidus) form symbiotic associations with oaks and many varieties of conifers.
Pacific Northwest is home to over a thousand documented species. Many of which are edible. However, identification is a tricky process with potentially dire results as this area is also home to some of the deadliest mushrooms. Additionally, because nearly 80% of the mushrooms body is water, their quick rate of growth, and their ability to absorb nutrients with impunity, they are highly susceptible to concentrating environmental toxins. To avoid this, mushrooms must not be picked in polluted areas or areas where heavy metals and pesticides may accumulate, such as alongside highways (from exhaust fumes), near old buildings (the leaching of lead-based paint) or near logging slashes, farmer’s fields, and golf courses (exposed to pesticides and herbicides). Cooking is recommended to remove many of the natural toxins that certain mushrooms may concentrate.
Some varieties can also produce adverse effects when paired with alcohol or eaten within 48 hours of consuming alcohol. Some individuals may also experience allergic reactions to certain varieties of mushrooms, which others do not experience. Broadly, mushrooms can be very dangerous if not consumed carefully.
However, wild mushrooms are a culinary treat and are a satisfying way to taste the forests. The same absorption process which can concentrate heavy metals and toxins in mushrooms in adverse conditions, may also precipitate nutrient richness and increase flavor of the mushroom in good conditions.
Domesticated mushrooms are known to be low in calories, rich in proteins, and abounding in important vitamins such as B, C and D. Their wild cousins are not well understood, but the health benefits of a naturally grown fungi, free of pesticides is obvious. Shelton’s own Paul Stamet is a mycology pioneer, with numerous mushroom-based patents to his name. Stamet grows mushroom cultures in his laboratory at Fungi Perfecti (fungi. com) for researchers to study the medicinal properties of wild mushrooms. Most recently, Stamet has been working with Dr. Steve Sheppard, the head of Entomology and a honeybee research expert at Washington State University, to save the bees by exploring ways to boost bee immunity through mycelial extracts.
Teach yourself mushroom identification through the many resources available, such as online identification classes, videos, websites, and good old-fashioned guidebooks. Join a local group such as the Puget Sound Mycological Society (Seattle, psms.org), Olympic Peninsula Mycological Society (OPMS) (Chimacum, olymushroom.org) and the South Sound Mushroom Club (Olympia, southsoundmushroomclub.com). Although the current pandemic has greatly limited group meetings and events, each society has a useful website with links to other online resources and book recommendations as well as helpful hints and upcoming mushroom events (such as organized mushroom “forays” and small ID workshops). These societies also support information rich Facebook groups with plenty of user interaction which is a great way to get in touch with the mycology community in our socially distant times. The Pacific Northwest Mushroom Social Club is another Facebook group which offers plenty of user interaction, including forum discussions of mushroom identification.
Shop local
If you still want to taste this bounty without any fear of a misidentification, there are many local mushroom farmers in the Hood Canal area that grow local varieties as well as other popular varieties. Duckabush Mushrooms specialize in Shitake mushrooms and they also feature a full line of medicinal mushroom powders. Skokomish Ridge Mushrooms is a cooperative organization offering a large variety of mushrooms including King Trumpets, Lion’s Mane and Maitake mushrooms for sale at farmers markets, restaurants, local grocery stores and through the cooperative online storefront South Sound Fresh.
Photography tips
Mushrooms also offer a feast for the eyes. Photographing fungi in the wild is a good excuse to go exploring. However, be careful, as staring at the ground getting lost in the wonder at your feet, may be disorientating and result in you losing your sense of direction as well. When exploring in the forest it is good idea to bring a buddy; a compass and a map or GPS (and knowledge of how to use them); water and some snacks. Letting someone know where you are going and when you plan to be back is also a good precaution.
iNaturalist app
iNaturalist offers a fun way to test your identification skills and interact with an online community while you are on your mission of discovery (or after, when you have wifi again). Users of iNaturalist upload photographs and geographical marker pins of specimens (such as mushrooms, as well as other flora and fauna) along with an identification of the species. Other users verify identification and this information is used by researchers to mark distribution and potentially population of a species. Not only does this expand your knowledge, but it also contributes to citizen science and aids further research.
Home cultivation
Mushroom cultivation is a fairly intuitive process and kits are sold locally promoting productive backyard or basement crops. For information, kits and “plugs spawns” visit Stamet’s fungi.com. Plug spawns are inserted or ‘inoculated’ in decaying deciduous logs to artificially create mushroom crops. Whether your mushroom encounters are casual musing on the fruiting body, or careful examination and sampling, or maybe just supporting a local mushroom grower, enjoy the bounty that the Pacific Northwest has to offer.
Further reading
All that the Rain Promises and More | David Arora
Mushroom | Nicholas Money
The Mushroom Cultivator | Paul Stamet
Mycophilia | Eugenia Bone
The Mushroom Hunters | Langdon Cook
