News & Stories / Stories from the April 1 2011 Issue of Duff FFSC Members who foraged far fetched a number of fun stories for the April 2011 issue of Duff ... Wendy Wells • April 1, 2011 The constellation Mycelius Kepler Telescope Finds More Than New Planets in Distant Space For a year and a half now, NASA’s Kepler space telescope has been staring at a group of about 146,000 stars located near the constellation Mycelius. In all that time, month in and month out, Kepler’s digital eyes have barely blinked. But some of the stars have. NASA believes this is due to solar winds carrying clouds of mushroom spores through space. And that’s exactly what Kepler was designed to see. During one of these close up sessions near the Amyloidia Galaxy, scientists were startled to see a fairy ring galaxy, perhaps the source of the clouds of mushroom spores. --Submitted by David Rust Rare and Exotic Mushrooms Found in Scotts Valley Many people were awed by the presence of rare and beautiful mushrooms in the Cacaoaceae family at the Scotts Valley Community Center on Saturday, 19 March 2011. Of all colors and shapes, these exotic mushrooms evoked many “ooooohs” and “aaaaahs” from the gala revelers assembled that evening. Especially memorable were big and beautiful specimens of Theobrominus chinsonensis and Caffinocybe molnarii . Edibility of these rare species was confirmed by the ravenous crowd, seemingly unconcerned with the possibility of confusion with poisonous species. Finding these fabulous fungi was a favorably fitting finale for a fun-filled fête of feasting and frolicking. --Submitted by Phil Carpenter, FFSC CEO and Science Advisor Button Mushrooms Found Growing in Trees In a rare moment for science, these Agaricus bisporus were found on a new host in an Oakland back yard. They are not believed to be parasitic. This remarkable discovery implies that common button mushrooms may be evolving to meet market demand for America’s salads. These mushrooms were sautéed with onions and chicken for a delightful dinner. The excited tree owners are looking forward to the next crop. --Submitted by David Rust Giant Snow Morels Found Near Pioneer The first Giant Snow Morels of the season were found near Pioneer on the Spring Equinox. You can clearly see them in the photo above. --Submitted by Bill McGuire Brandi Discovers ‘Shrooms: A UCSC Student Adventure Follow Brandi’s spellbinding journey of mycological enlightenment on the BAMS website . Our sincere thanks to David Rust, who never fails to make us smile. We wait with bated breath for Part 2! Will Hugh Ever Find Himself? Hugh Smith Looking for Hugh Smith. Photo by Hugh Smith --Submitted by Hugh Smith Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Field Reports Matsutake or Amanita? Thank You, Debbie Viess! Since last year the Albion forays are one of my favorite times of the mushroom season. This season, at the first Albion, I joined Dawn, Drew, Sergiy and Richard to foray for matsutake. Maria Tanase • January 1, 2011 Western Matsutake (Tricholoma murrillianum). Photo by Hugh Smith At the first stop, three feet into the forest, Richard found the first cluster of mushrooms and he called Dawn to come from the car, to pick them. Unfortunately the cluster was a group of Russula and Lactarius, not matsies, and the spot was almost empty. Sergiy finally got 3 matsutake and I found 2 (one big, ID’d by Richard, and then a button). Back at the cars Dawn, looking at my button, asked how I could be sure that is a matsutake. At the next spot I found a few more matsutake and then we moved to a chanterelle spot. Having a good Santa Cruz chanterelle spot, I wasn’t too much into picking chanterelles so I started picking hedgehogs. Then I stepped on the Black Trumpets ( Craterellus cornucopioides ) and in no time my basket was full with blacks, even if it wasn’t their season. I learned later that this location is a known blacks spot by others, but none had thought to check it. Back at the Field Station I sorted and cleaned the mushrooms, but I still had a doubt about those two matsutakes. I asked Debbie Viess if she would take a look at my first pair of matsutakes and, as always, the answer was “Yes, I’d be glad to”. I took my first-picked matsutake from the bag and showed it to her. The answer was “yes it is a Matsie”, but when I showed her the second one, even with that button still in my hand, the answer was immediately “now that is a bad Amanita - Amanita silvicola ”. Then she and David explained to me, and a few other people around, the differences between matsutakes and Amanita and what to check for. A lesson I will never forget. Thank you to Debbie and to all FFSC club leaders. The organized forays are the best way to really learn mushrooms, and believe me with an Amanita in your basket by mistake, the lesson has much more weight. Learn more about these mushrooms: Tricholoma Murrillianum (Matsutake) Mykoweb: Amanita silvicola Mykoweb: Tricholoma murrillianum Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Albion II, 2011 – Great Forays, Fungi and Food Memories of Matsutake Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Vellany Pierce Vellany Pierce is the Prime Minister of the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz. She grew up in Santa Cruz County and, always having had an interest in fungi, is a self taught mushroom cultivator who currently works at Far West Fungi , propagating mushroom spawn from cultures grown in petri dishes. She serves the Fungus Federation as minister of digital media, helps lead local forays, and has taught cultivation classes with the Fungus Federation for many years. 2026 Vellany Pierce 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets Getting Started with Cultivation Saturday, January 10, 2026 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Room 1 An Introduction to Mushroom Cultivation Saturday, January 11, 2025 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Room 1

News & Stories / Field Reports Time Lapsed Laetiporous Time lapse of chicken-of-the-woods growing over 11 days. Phil Carpenter • October 12, 2023 Day 11 (Laetiporus time lapse). Photo by Phil Carpenter I discovered this Laetiporus growing on one of my eucalyptus stumps. To record its growth, I took the same picture every day for 11 days, and sent them out to club members, so we could all watch its growth together. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Phil Carpenter receives Knighton Award at Appalachia NAMA 2023 Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Alaska Long-Distance Foray, September 2026 Sat, Aug 29 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. +11 more Details FFSC Calendar We have a lot of fun foraging, learning, and socializing from September to May. Many of our events are open to the public, and you can join FFSC for more! Note: We schedule local forays , ID classes , and culinary events on relatively short notice, based on location availability and habitat conditions. You can also visit or subscribe to the FFSC Google Calendar, and/or download an iCal file for other calendar applications. June 2026 Today Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Calendar View FFSC Calendar Grid View

Mushroom Poisoning If you suspect you have consumed a poisonous mushroom, call 911. Then go to the Emergency Department, and call Poison Control: 1-800.222.1222 Galerina marginata group. Photo by Christian Schwarz Emergency Procedures If you suspect you have consumed a poisonous mushroom: Call 911 Go to the Emergency Department Call Poison Control @ 1-800.222.1222 Call toll-free 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, with poison-related questions or help in California. Santa Cruz Area Hospitals Watsonville Community Hospital : (831) 724-4741 Dominican Hospital, Santa Cruz : (831) 462-7700 Dominican Hospital and Watsonville Hospital keep a list of contacts to help with identification of suspect fungi. Some hospitals have engaged in clinical trials for the immediate treatment of amatoxin mushroom poisonings. Call 911 and talk to a doctor to determine the best course of action if you suspect you or someone you know may have been poisoned. Bring the Mushroom With You If you believe a mushroom poisoning has occurred, the doctors will need to identify the mushroom so they can determine the most appropriate treatment. For an accurate identification, your best chance is to bring a sample of the mushroom with you. The more complete your specimen is, the better chance to ID it correctly. A complete specimen consists of the cap, stem, bottom of the mushroom and any roots or fluff that may have been part of the mushroom at one time. Store the specimen in a paper or waxed paper bag (not plastic) in the refrigerator until needed. Note where the mushrooms were collected in case of potential contamination by pesticides or heavy metals from lawns, roadsides or industrial areas. Non-Emergency Recommendations There is an old saying that “There are old mushroom hunters, and bold mushroom hunters. But there are no old, bold mushroom hunters.” Bit of exaggeration? Sure. But it’s critically important to know what you’re eating! Mushroom Identification The term "poisonous" refers to a wide range of toxicity, covering the range from mild nausea to allergic reactions to life-threatening illness. For general identification of mushrooms you’ve found (not a poisoning case) we encourage you to bring them to our Monthly Meeting or the annual Santa Cruz Fungus Fair . You can also send a Mushroom ID request to our FFSC community mailing list (our Google Group), or via the Contact FFSC page on this website. Pet Poisonings Pets, particularly dogs, eat wild mushrooms on occasion. While the majority of these mushrooms are not toxic, a highly toxic small percentage can cause illness and death in pets. Contact your veterinarian if you see your pet consume a wild mushroom and bring a sample of the mushrooms in the area. For more information see Mushroom Poisonings in Dogs and Cats on the North American Mycological Association (NAMA) website. Report All Poisonings NAMA (North American Mycological Association) tracks all mushroom poisoning incidents. It is important to file a report, even for a minor gastrointestinal upset. After the incident, help document mushroom poisonings by submitting an online report or mail-in report to the NAMA Poison Case Registry. Learn More about Mushroom Safety The California Poison Control System (CPCS) Bay Area Mycological Society: Mushroom Poisonings North American Mycology Association: Mushroom Poisonings Wikipedia: Mushroom Poisoning Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

News & Stories / Field Reports Busted It was 25 years ago in May that I joined a foray to Yosemite, led by David Arora. Tony Dewey • May 16, 2016 Morels. Photo by Yevgeny Nyden Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Memories of Matsutake Reality Check: Dispelling a Myth Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / FFSC Bylaws 2026 Revision We are revising our club bylaws. FFSC members are encouraged to review the changes before the April 2026 members meeting. Dan Tischler • March 10, 2026 Amanita. Photo by Dan Tischler The Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz is a group of diverse of individuals with various interests, skills, and levels of commitment. To minimize entropy, the FFSC Bylaws outline our organization's purpose and goals and provide the structure needed to achieve them. We are revising the bylaws in 2026 to consolidate some ministers' positions, refine duties, and better reflect how we operate. The new document is being reformatted for improved readability and easier future updates. There will be no changes to our core purpose and goals. We encourage FFSC members to review and comment on the bylaws before the April 2026 club meeting . Logged-in members can find more details below. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

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