News & Stories / Field Reports Field Report - Nov 2025 Local Foray After scant fall rains, about 30 inquisitive fungiphiles met on a Saturday morning to see what might be popping up in our local fields and forests. Dan Tischler • November 1, 2025 Phil explains why not to eat Amanita phalloides. On a beautiful summerlike day, the mushroom spirits were smiling on us with quite a few porcini and coccora making their appearance, along with a good representation of other local fungi. Login as a member to see the full species list below. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts January 2016 Field Report Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Mystical Glow in the Dark Dark Woods Don’t you just love tales of the elusive, finally experienced? The green flash of sunset over water, the evanescent glow of the Jack o’ Lantern mushroom... Debbie Viess relates a really magical story. Debbie Viess • February 1, 2013 Omphalotus olivascens. Photo by Debbie Viess I had been cooped up in my house for too many days, so I dashed over to my fave park in Oakland, Huckleberry Preserve, to do a brisk, late afternoon walk and glory in the damp. For once I decided to lighten my load, so no camera, no binocs, just a bit of water and some well-appreciated layers of warm clothing. Original Headline from February 2013 Duff As I broke off a piece of likely-looking crust fungi from a rotten log at the park entrance (since taking Tom Bruns’ crust class at NAMA, I have fallen hard for this surprisingly interesting group of fungi), a woman came up along the trail and said to me: “You’re a Mycologist!” Busted. She then said that she had taken a class with me somewhere. So much for anonymity. I told her that crusts didn’t look like much in hand but got pretty spectacular under the scope. She just had to take my word for it, though. But after her, no one. Nothing like rain and mud to clear out the tourists. I pretty much had the place to myself, which is just the way I like it. Well, just me and the plants and birds and fungi, one big happy family. The red under-brim of my rain hat is really pissing off the Ruby Crowned Kinglets, though, since they consider it to be a color signaling aggressive faux pas. ..not much I can do about that, just be grateful that they may be feisty, but they are also very, very small. I made my apologies to them as I walked by. Can’t please everyone. The woods were gorgeous and fungi filled: mycenas, candy caps forming a conga line on a vertical mossy bank right along the trail (too small to pick and so pretty to see), a mystery Hygrophorus, Camarophyllus russocoriaceus , with its refreshing odor of cedar, Hygrocybe punicea , that big red waxy, ridiculously small white mycenas dusted into tree bark moss, a tiny Xerocomus sp., Stereum and Turkey tails, bright and refreshed by the rain, and at days end and as I came upon the last twists of the trail Oh! My! God! A huge fruiting of Omphalotus olivascens . It spilled along the back side of a big eucalyptus stump, and sprawled down into the canyon, following the buried root system. Best sighting ever, and no camera!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. While I mentally plotted to return to take a photo (and it would not be easy since there was no good vantage point, it just dropped straight down off the trail) I realized just what kind of mushroom I had there...a bioluminescent one, and darkness just a shot away. Why not just seize the moment and observe the bioluminescence directly in nature? Of course, I had no flashlight, but I know the trail well, having walked it oh, maybe a thousand times, and it was pretty close to the entrance and my eyes would be adjusted to the dark...so I decided to wait it out and see what I could see. It was 4:30. I figured that it would start getting dark after 5, so what the hey. I plunked myself down atop the stump and settled in for the wait. A female Great Horned Owl woke up and started her contact calls, calling for her mate. She sounded so lonely and there was no answering hoot, so I finally gave a hoot myself. As dusk fell, she flew beneath me into a opening, and rose to a hidden perch. Then she flew a bit closer. I sat still and quiet, startling another bird coming in to roost, and a couple of late afternoon hikers, too. At five pm, the owl’s mate started calling back. But still there was a bit of light in the sky, too much for my eyes to perceive any possible spectral glow. Once the sun dipped, the temps did too, and I was very grateful for every bit of clothing that I had brought along.And still I waited. By now it was too dark to make out much detail. I knew that the ground behind the stump dropped sharply, and my viewing vantage from above was not great, so I inched along the side of the stump at a crouch, and grabbed onto a thick huckleberry branch on my right, to stabilize myself in case I slipped, and waited some more. I started to notice a glow on the wood of the stump just inches from my face, in the cracks of the bark. Darned if the Omphalotus mycelia wasn’t glowing, too! As the darkness grew thicker I started to see light along the edges of the Omphalotus caps, borne in thick, cascading fungal scallops below me. The wind was blowing away from the trail and on and down into the canyon and I stated to see puffs of phosphorescence...could the spores be bioluminescent, too? Oh man, this is SO cool! In the back of my head was the thought that my husband David was probably getting worried at home...I had claimed to be returning for dinner, heck I claimed to be making dinner, but this was an opportunity to be seized, and I had no way to contact him. I couldn’t even keep checking my watch since it glowed and ruined my night vision. Screw it, I was in for a pound.Finally, after watching the caps glow and feeling guilty over David and starting to worry just a bit about how the heck I was gonna find my way out, I started to leave...but was drawn back one more time. This time, I laid on top of the stump and looked down... The edges of the caps gently pulsed with eerie green bioluminescence. In fact, there was a spill of spectral light from the stump right below my face and flowing down into the canyon. Wow. I had to drag myself away. Heading back for that last quarter mile, I did my best Helen Keller imitation, using my hands (brushing sword ferns that lined the path) and feet to help find the path. I knew where I was supposed to be, and I could still see a bit of light at the very top of the trail above me, but I sure couldn’t see very much at my feet! Luckily my instincts took over, and I slowly but surely came up the trail. At one point I almost panicked when I thought that I had lost the trail, but I stayed calm and persevered. Whew. Back safe to the car at 6:30, I called David first thing, and yes, he was relieved to hear from me and about to come out looking for me. If indeed I had gotten off trail I would have been grateful to have seen his flashlight, but all was well. Better than merely well, it was magical. For the price of a little bodily warmth and a bit more time than anticipated, I observed an awesome natural phenomenon. Just me and the spooks. Cool beans. Debbie Viess. Photo by David Rust Debbie Viess, AKA Amanitarita, in modest Muscaria regalia. Upper ‘shroom from Wine & Mushroom party last year. Can you find another bit of muscaria kitsch NOT touching her body? Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Peter Vahlberg 2026 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets

News & Stories / Field Reports 2016 March Sierra Report With the warmer weather and rain, it looked like a good time to check out the Sierras. Here are our findings. Sue Labiste • March 23, 2016 Peziza (cup fungus). Photo by Katherine Elvin Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts 2013 Sierra Scouting Report Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

2026 Speaker Schedule : Room 1 Friday 2:30 PM Tips and Techniques for Cooking With Mushrooms Chef Bob Wynn Friday 4:00 PM Introduction to Mushroom Identification Phil Carpenter Saturday 10:00 AM The Top Ten Edible and Poisonous Wild Mushrooms Douglas Smith Saturday 12:00 PM Getting Started with Cultivation Vellany Pierce Saturday 2:00 PM Introduction to Mushroom Identification Phil Carpenter Saturday 4:00 PM Poisonous Mushrooms Henry Young Sunday 10:00 AM Question And Answer Session about Identifying and Cooking Wild Mushrooms Phil Carpenter, Chad Hyatt Sunday 12:00 PM DNA Sequencing for the Fungus Federation Douglas Smith Sunday 2:00 PM Commercial Mushroom Cultivation Kyle Garrone Sunday 4:00 PM Energetics of Medicinal Mushrooms in Traditional Chinese Medicine: How they Work Along with Herbs to Treat Various Conditions Dr. Bill Schoenbart 2026 Speaker Schedule : Room 3 Friday 2:30 PM Revealing Fungal Secrets: Apps and Programs for Mushroom Discovery Alan Rockefeller Saturday 9:30 AM The Underground Internet, 30 Years Later Christian Schwarz Saturday 11:05 AM Truffles: The Egos, Ecology, and Economics of Cultivating and Hunting Nature’s Nuggets of Gold Stephanie S. Jarvis, MSc Saturday 12:40 PM Fungi in Art Through Space and Time Jason Raiti Saturday 2:15 PM Fungal Sporecasting: From Continental to Local Spore Drifts and Constraints on Fungal Dispersal Andrew Ratz Saturday 3:50 PM Medicinal Mushrooms Traditional Usage in Chinese Medicine and Modern Scientific Research Dr. Bill Schoenbart Sunday 9:30 AM Truffles in the Wind: Unexpected Airborne Pathways for Underground Fungi Andrew Ratz Sunday 11:05 AM Sea Islands, Sky Islands, and Dry Islands: the Biogeography of Macrofungi Christian Schwarz Sunday 12:40 PM The Mystery of Amanita phalloides Jason Raiti Sunday 2:15 PM Mushroom Cooking Demo with Tasting and optional Wine Pairing Jeff Emery, Chad Hyatt Sunday 4:00 PM What You Need to Know About Poisonous Mushrooms Henry Young

News & Stories / Fair News 2023 Outdoor and Virtual Fungus Fair Once more we will not be doing our normal fair at the London Nelson Community Center. Instead we will do a series of local forays with culinary events, Zoom talks, and an iNaturalist project during January 2023, similar to the event we held in 2022. All of these events will be open to FFSC club members and the general public. Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Committee • December 19, 2022 Outdoor Fair Local Forays - Sold out We will offer a series of guided local forays on the weekends of January 7,8 and 14,15. These forays will be led by local mycologists and will have the goal of identifying and learning about our local fungi in their natural habitat. After each foray, our culinary committee volunteers will prepare a tailgate style tasting of incredible mushroom dishes while we discuss the days finds. We will try to keep the group sizes small in order to allow a more personal interaction with our leaders and for covid safety. These will be outdoor events, so be prepared for wet and cold weather and some walking to see our mushroom habitat. The price to attend the walks will be $10 for adults, $5 for full time students and free for children under 12. We are suggesting that participants make a $5 donation if they will be sharing in the treats prepared by our culinary artists. Xerocomellus atropurpureus Mushroom Lecture Series During the week between the forays, Monday-Friday, January 9-13, we will be offering a series of discussions/talks on Zoom featuring talented mycologists covering a range of topics. This is an opportunity to hear about the exiting work of some great amateur and professional mycologists.The talks will also be live streamed to our Youtube channel for anyone unable to attend the Zoom. Tropical Mushroom Collage. Photo by Lauren Re iNaturalist Project During the forays citizen scientists will be encouraged to document what they see on iNaturalist. Observations will automatically be added to the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair – 2023 Mycoblitz Project on iNaturalist. In addition, th e general public are encouraged to record their own fungal observations in the Santa Cruz Mountains and surrounding area from January 1-15, 2023 for inclusion in the Mycoblitz. Visit the project page for more information. We hope that this modified format will provide an interesting, educational, fun, and safe event for the whole family, and that next year we can bring back the traditional fair, bigger and better than ever. 2023 Fungus Fair iNaturalist Mycoblitz Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts 40th Fungus Fair: Time lapse of the Island setup A Short History of the Fungus Fair Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Microscopy of Gilled Mushrooms For all of you, who are wishing for some information on microscopic features of fungi, Allan Rockefeller has given us a link to a comprehensive article he helped write. Cortinarius • August 10, 2014 Alan Rockefeller with a microscope (image hosted on edibleeastbay.com) This is really the ABC's of micological microscopy... the next best thing to taking a microscopy course. This is one fantastic resource for those who want to take their knowledge and ID skills one step farther. Check it out! https://images.mushroomobserver.org/Fungal%20Microscopy.pdf Thank you Allan Rockefeller for sending the link, and to Mikael NoLine, the site administrator, for permission to use. Also thanks to Marje Young and Debra Johnson for passing it along to me. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Spring Fungi of the Sierra Nevada, 2014 Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Learn about mushrooms, both deadly and delicious, at the 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair, brought to you by the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. View hundreds of regional species, have your mushroom finds identified, and explore the secrets of the fungal kingdom. Mushrooms fascinate us! They're ubiquitous and mysterious, delicious and sometimes deadly. They're among the oldest living things on earth. Excited to learn more? You might be a fungiphile! Learn About Fungi Explore the world of fungi! Join us as we hunt mushrooms for scientific interest and for the table. Learn to create art with fungi. Spend time outdoors and share your fungi finds with friends! Upcoming Events Keep the "fun" in fungus! Our mission is to foster and expand the understanding and appreciation of mycology among our members and the general public. And to always keep the “fun” in fungus! Why Join FFSC Previous Next Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz "An eating and drinking club with a mushroom problem" -- Henry Young January 9-11, 2026 Santa Cruz, CA Thanks for visiting! Fungus Fair Fungus Fair Fungus Fair Fungus Fair The 2026 Santa Cruz Upcoming FFSC Events August 29, 2026 at 3:00 PM – September 6, 2026 at 11:00 AM Alaska Long-Distance Foray, September 2026 Save the date for our fantastic journey in Alaska! Explore the Alaskan Kenai peninsula and be amazed by the wildlife, fjords, glaciers and of course mushrooms. September 15, 2026, 6:00 – 9:00 PM September Speaker | Liv Fragiacomo : Organic Strawberries - Bio Alternatives to Plastic Join us for our first monthly speaker of the 2026-2027 season! October 20, 2026, 6:00 – 9:00 PM October Speaker | Save the Date : Details TBD Check back at the beginning of the season to learn about our October monthly speaker. Explore All Events Recent News & Stories More Articles Lisa Tesler June 18, 2026 at 9:13:00 PM Spring Fungi of the Sierra Nevada - 2026 Recap Each spring, the retreat of the snowpack provides a unique ecological window of opportunity for “snowbank fungi”, a group of mushrooms that (as the name suggests) grow in and around snowbanks. As spring gives way to summer, curious mycophiles from around the world gather at a rustic campus in Tahoe National Forest to study these fascinating fungi. Pinned to top Dan Tischler May 20, 2026 at 7:11:16 PM FFSC 2026 Ministers Elections-Results Welcome our new slate of FFSC ministers elected at May 19, 2026 general meeting. Pinned to top Dan Tischler March 10, 2026 at 7:00:00 AM FFSC Bylaws 2026 Revision We are revising our club bylaws. FFSC members are encouraged to review the changes before the April 2026 members meeting. Pinned to top Join Our Indoor and Outdoor Activities We get together from September through May to learn and share knowledge about mushrooms, while having fun! Monthly talks from mycologists and enthusiasts that inspire and educate. Peruse mushrooms that people bring in, and enjoy refreshments. FREE and open to the public. Monthly Speakers From tailgate tastings and potlucks to chef dinners, our foodie fun events are scattered throughout the year. Potlucks & Chef Dinners Join local forays in the Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay areas. Learn while exploring our local woods and fields with like-minded people. Local Forays Long-distance forays are overnight (or longer) trips farther afield. They carry the allure of new fungal finds, amazing culinary pleasures, and collaborative education adventure. Long-Distance Forays Gain more knowledge and hands-on experience with mushroom ID and mycology. (Some classes are for FFSC members only.) ID Classes & Workshops Explore hundreds of wild species, both deadly and delicious. Create mushroom crafts--fun for all ages! Visit vendors and sample delicious mushroomy treats. Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Join our club for only $25 per household! Why Join FFSC? Online Resources The safest way to learn about mushrooms is to hunt and identify mushrooms with knowledgable people in person. In addition, here are some field guildes, recipes, and other resources that can help you build your knowlede. Stay safe, and have fun learning! Featured Fungi Get background intel on mushrooms you may encounter in your wanderings. Myco Art Mushroom photography, and making art with or inspired by mushrooms. Field Reports Foray stories and species we found. (Available to FFSC members only.) Mushroom Recipes Recipes with mushrooms, and complementary dishes. Try them at home or for an FFSC potluck! Culinary Techniques Bring out the flavors of your edible finds by cleaning and storing them properly Online Learning Advice and self-challenges to build your skills. Scholarships Scholarship opportunities for students, non-profits, and FFSC members studying fungi. What We're Reading Browse our selection of books and articles on mycology. Follow @scfungusfed on Instagram Load more

Gomphidius in the Rain (spike cap). Photo by Jim Austin Gomphidius in the Rain Jim Austin More about Gomphidius: Gomphidius , Wikipedia Spikes (genus Gomphidius) , iNaturalist Camera Nikon D5300 Focal L. 48mm Aperture f/10.0 Shutter Sp. 1/200s ISO 1000 Flash Off Photo taken on December 6, 2014 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

So Long Without Rain. (YWI 16th Annual). Photo by Hugh Smith So Long Without Rain... Hugh Smith So long without rain Mushrooms poking their heads up Soon become crispy! 2014 had been the driest year on record for Santa Cruz, having received only 1.3 inches so far that season of our average 11 inches to date... Camera (Not provided) Focal L. Aperture Shutter Sp. ISO Flash Photo taken on January 5, 2014 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

Mycophagy Challenge: Ten Edibles to Find this Year People come to the love of mushrooms for various reasons, but for most in this club, the main reason seems to be that they are good to eat! By focusing on learning just a few mushrooms really well, you can “pick up” a few new species each year almost effortlessly. ... Mushroom collecting basket. Photo by Susan Labiste Visit our free Online Learning section to start this challenge: FFSC Online Learning Mushrooms covered: See code Previous Description All Featured Fungi Next Description

Lawn Agaricus This featured species turns up in the plastic bags of people attending the Fungus Fair perhaps more than any other fleshy fungus. Invariably, hordes of people will be lined up at the mushroom ID table with bags containing fresh to soggy specimens of Agaricus mushrooms they found “growing in my lawn. Are these edible? Will they poison my dog, cat, kids?” ... Agaricus californicus. Photo by Noah Siegel (from mushroomobserver.org) Indeed, when abundant, lawn Agaricus probably elicit more questions for identification than any other species. They are obtrusively obvious, boldly bursting up through a lush carpet of green grass. People don’t have to venture very far to collect them. They are also exceedingly common, appearing shortly after the first fall rains before the weather gets too cold, even in the summer in well-watered lawns. Cemeteries contain them, city parks can produce them, and along with fairy ring mushrooms, they are the most abundant large mushrooms of lawns and mowed grassy areas. Agaricus californicus . Photo by Debbie Viess (from mushroomobserver.org) Agaricus species are an easy group to recognize because of the store-bought variety with which everyone is familiar. When mature, all Agaricus species have dark brown gills which give a chocolate brown spore print. The stem will separate cleanly from the cap and gills, and the stem (stipe) will also have a ring or annulus, which may be thick and persistent or may collapse as the mushroom matures. The cap color is generally white, but there can be gray to brown patches or fibrils on the cap depending on the species and age. These features will help you determine if your mushroom is an Agaricus , but knowing which Agaricus you have will take a closer look. Agaricus xanthodermus . Photo by Shane (from mushroomobserver.org) Pull your mushroom out of the ground so that your get the entire stem. Clean off some dirt and scratch the very bottom of the stem with a fingernail to remove some mushroom tissue. Did the scratched area immediately stain bright yellow? If it did you have A. xanthodermus , which means yellow skin. (Other parts of the stem and cap may also stain yellow from handling. The base of the stem, however, is the critical part.) This mushroom often grows in large clusters or fairy rings, and also under cypress and oak trees. The color of the entire mushroom is nearly white, but it often develops grayish to brownish or even metallic tones on the cap with age. The ring is thick and membranous with flat patches underneath. Crush the mushroom and notice the strong odor of phenol (medicinal odor) that exists along with the “normal” mushroomy scent. All of the phenol-smelling Agaricus species actually contain the compound phenol and are considered poisonous, although I’ve heard of individuals who don’t seem to be affected (i.e., vomit) after eating these species. Agaricus arvensis . Photo by Herbert Baker (from mushroomobserver.org) If the base of your lawn Agaricus didn’t stain yellow but there are yellow stains from handling on the cap or stalk, take another sniff and see if you can detect the odor of anise or almond extract. If this odor is present, your mushroom is most likely A. arvensis , the horse mushroom, so named because of the musty or urine-like odor the mushroom develops when old. Also found in pastures along with A. osecanus (the giant horse mushroom), A. arvensis has a nearly pure white cap and stalk and is a look-alike for A. xanthodermus , but doesn’t grow in clumps nor have a phenol odor. The annulus is persistent, thick and cottony with tooth-like patches on the underside. Agaricus arvensis . Photo by Walter Sturgeon (from mushroomobserver.org) A. arvensis is a choice edible (as are all the anise or almond smelling Agaricus species). Sliced and dried, it maintains its anise odor and lends a marvelous flavor to soups. You can eat it fresh or stuff the caps with chopped stems, onions, basil, parmesan cheese and broil. Agaricus californicus . Photo by Noah Siegel (from mushroomobserver.org) The next two lawn Agaricus are difficult to tell apart unless you have a good nose and some young buttons of each species. If your mushroom doesn’t stain visibly yellow from handling, lacks and anise odor, but has a faint phenol odor, you probably have A. californicus . The odor is not as apparent as in A. xanthodermus , but it is there — especially in young specimens that haven’t become waterlogged or rotten. This species seems to be especially abundant in Santa Cruz and most often in lawns, rarely in pastures. It will also appear in disturbed ground, roadsides, vacant lots or in grassy areas along the edges of the woods. When mature, this species has a flattened top which has brown, gray or even silvery areas in the center of the cap. It is often gregarious, growing in patches, but not in rings. The membranous ring in A. californicus has felt-like patches on the underside and will be evident even as the mushroom ages. As with A. xanthodermus , the phenol odor in A. californicus , often faint or difficult to detect, should dissuade you from eating it. However, some people do just fine and actually enjoy this very common Agaricus . Agaricus campestris . Photo by Darvin DeShazer (from mushroomobserver.org) The final lawn Agaricus we’ll mention is the meadow mushroom, A. campestris . As its name suggest, this species is usually found in meadows or pastures, but it occasionally strays into some fortunate person’s lawn. The meadow mushroom is easy to identify in the button stage, for it is the only local Agaricus with pink gills when it is young (before the cap opens). As it matures, the pink color fades until the gills are brown as in all Agaricus . There is no phenol odor, only a lovely sweet mushroom scent. No part of the mushroom stains yellow, but red stains may appear when the mushroom is wet. The color is nearly all white, bur in age darker areas may appear near the center of the cap. The veil is thin, cottony and collapses or disappears entirely as the gills open from the button stage. The stalk is rather short and often tapers towards the base. This mushroom is far superior in flavor to the store-bought variety, and can be used in any recipe calling fresh mushrooms. One final note: please be absolutely sure of your identifications before making a meal of your lawn Agaricus . Use all of your senses and consult a more thorough description in a guidebook if you are not entirely convinced which species you might have; or consult with a mushroom ID expert. I have tried to describe the most common Agaricus species you will encounter. There are others than can occur occasionally in lawns. However, Agaricus is a rather “safe” genus in that no species are deadly, and all of the poisonous species have a phenol odor, which is most notable in fresh younger specimens. Mushrooms covered: See code Previous Description All Featured Fungi Next Description