News & Stories / Mycology & Art News Spring Fungi of the Sierra Nevada, June 2013 Dr. Dennis Desjardin will introduce students to the different kinds of mushrooms and other large fungi that occur in the spring in the Sierra Nevada. Marje Young • May 1, 2013 Morel, the Magnificent Morel (2013). Photo by Hugh Smith Emphasis will be placed on the analysis of macro – and micromorphological features, as well as ecological roles, to aid in the identification of taxa. The daily class routine consists of an 8:00-10:00 am lecture followed by a field trip until approx. 3:00 pm. Transportation on the field trips will be by car pooling. Upon return to the camp, collections will be examined and identified in the laboratory (3:30-6:00 pm) in collaboration with the instructor and a knowledgeable graduate student assistant. All equipment, microscope slides, cover slips and reagents required for accurate determination of specimens will be provided. In the evenings, several lectures and slide shows will be presented, and the laboratory will be open for additional work on collections. If sufficient quantities of edible fungi are collected, they will be prepared for consumption and served to the class by the camp’s chef. Class Schedule: Participants should plan to arrive Sunday afternoon in time to attend an orientation lecture on Sunday evening at 8:00 pm. The last class meeting ends at noon on Friday. Tuition: $348 Accommodation (additional fee) details : http://www.sfsu.edu/~sierra/Accommodations.html Details and registration information can be found online at http://www.sfsu.edu/~sierra/Course_Fungi.html Dues-paying FFSC members interested in an FFSC Scholarship to help fund your attendance should contact Marje Young. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Spring Fungi of the Sierra Nevada, 2014 Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

The Chanterelles One of the first wild mushrooms that beginning foragers seek out is our local golden chanterelle. That is most likely because it is relatively abundant, is easy to recognize and has a reputation for being a good edible. For many years, these mushrooms went by the Latin name Cantharellus cibarius . It was only recently that the various different chanterelle species have been given their own unique names. by Phil Carpenter Chanterelle. Photo by Yevgeny Nyden Cantherellus cibarius grp . Photo by Stan P One of the first wild mushrooms that beginning foragers seek out is our local golden chanterelle. That is most likely because it is relatively abundant, is easy to recognize and has a reputation for being a good edible. For many years, these mushrooms went by the Latin name Cantharellus cibarius . That species, however, was originally described from northern France and our early mycologists used that same name for our local version exhibiting what appeared to be the same characteristics. It was only recently that the various different chanterelle species have been given their own unique names. In a paper (2008) written by David Arora (local mycologist, author of the popular field guide, Mushrooms Demystified , and founder of the Fungus Federation) with co-author Susie Dunham, three distinct species of golden chanterelles were described. These were based upon collections from a variety of habitats, including our own local live oak/mixed woodlands. As originally described by Scott Redhead, et. al. (1997), Arora and Dunham’s descriptions confirmed that the chanterelles growing with Tsuga (hemlock) or Pseudotsuga (douglas fir) species in northern California and the Pacific Northwest are Cantharellus formosus . That species is smaller than our local version, has a slender stem, tends to grow upward in the duff rather than deeply buried, and exhibits pinkish tones in its coloration. Also confirmed in Arora and Dunham’s work was the species C. cibarius, var. roseocanus , originally described by Redhead, et. al. (1997) as an associate of Picea (spruce) species in the Pacific Northwest.This species, now referred to by most as just C. roseocanus , exhibits an intensely pigmented yellow hymenium (the spore-bearing surface). Cantharellus californicus . Photo by Ken Stavropoulosthe (from mushroomobserver.org ) Of more immediate interest to us here in central California, the last distinct golden chanterelle Arora and Dunham isolated from the DNA studies conducted on their collections was the large one we find in our local live oak ( Quercus agrifolia ) and mixed evergreen woodlands. At that point this species, shown to be distinct from other species, was unnamed. The authors named it C. californicus . As our luck would have it, that species is considered one of, if not, the largest species in the world, some specimens weighing in over one kilogram (2.2 pounds)! Although live oak is the primary ectomycorrhizal host of C. californicus , it also associates to a lesser extent with tanbark oak ( Lithocarpus densiflorus ), madrone ( Arbutus menziesii ), Manzanita ( Arctostaphylos spp. ) and several oaks found in the Sierra Nevada mountains (Shreve oak ( Quercus parvula, var. shrevei ), interior or Sierra live oak ( Q. wislizenii ) and black oak ( Q. kelloggii )). Cantharellus cascadensis . Photo by Christian Schwarz (from mushroomobserver.org ) Although not a local central California species, another golden chanterelle is C. cascadensis , a species described by Dunham, et. al. (2003) from the Douglas fir forests of the Cascade Mountains. That species has the familiar yellowish coloration on the cap surface but its hymenium is very pale, essentially white. The feature common to the inclusive group of mushrooms termed “chanterelles” is the presence of the thick, blunt, shallow and decurrent gills. With some possible exceptions, most are considered edible. They also come in a range of colors besides the golden discussed earlier: white, black, red and blue. The white chanterelle, C. subalbidus , is a common species growing with tanoak or in Manzanita mixed with knobcone pine. In my experience, it is more common north of San Francisco than locally. The black chanterelle ( Craterellus cinereus ) grows locally in mixed oak habitat solitary or in scattered groups or clusters. Personally, I have only found it when picking black trumpets ( Craterellus cornucopiodes ) especially in a tanoak habitat. It closely resembles the black trumpets in characteristics and taste but is solid versus tubular and has the shallow blunt gills versus a smooth hymenium. Neither the tiny red chanterelle ( C. cinnebarinus ) nor the blue ( Polyozellus multiplex ) grows locally so no more than this mention will be featured here. Craterellus (Cantharellus) tubaeformis . Photo by Ryane Snow (from mushroomobserver.org ) Another chanterelle worth describing is the “winter chanterelle” or “yellow foot” since we often find many of these growing on our forays to the Mendocino area north of San Francisco. These mushrooms are relatively small, have a deep funnel shape (infundibuliform) in the cap, brown to dark brown to dingy yellow-brow cap color, and a thin, flattened, orange-yellow to yellow stem. It is normally found in mossy areas, on old rotting logs and in cold, damp areas in coniferous forests and bogs. This is another common edible that can grow in large numbers and if frequently purchased by commercial mushroom buyers. For many years, this was called Cantharellus infundibuliformis and Cantharellus tubaeformis , but the name has been changed to Craterellus tubaeformis . Two other “chanterelles” deserve mention here since we frequently encounter them on our forays to the Mendocino area. Both are considered chanterelles because of the resemblance of the shallow, blunt gills to the more common species already discussed. Both are in the genus Gomphus . The first, G. clavatus (pig’s ears) is a conifer associate that grows in fused or compound clusters and is typically a light purple to purplish-tan paling in age to olive/yellowish-buff. It is considered an edible species. The other conifer-loving species is Turbinellus (previously Gomphus ) floccosus , the scaly or wooly chanterelle. These tall, trumpet to vase-shaped mushrooms have caps that are orangish to yellowish-orangish often fading in color. The gill surface is creamy, buff or yellowish. This, too, is considered an edible species like G. clavatus , but few people that I’ve met collect them for the table. May other species of chanterelles can be found in the rest of the world and are regularly collected as prime edible species. Only the west coast species have been considered for this article, however. Literature cited: Arora, D. and Dunham, S. M. 2008. A new, commercially valuable chanterelle species, Cantharellus californicus sp. nov., associated with live oak in California, USA . Economic Botany 62 (3); 376-391. Dunham, S. M., O’Dell, T.E., and Molina R. 2003. Analysis of nrDNA sequences and microsatellite allele frequencies reveals a cryptic chanterelle species, Cantharellus cascadensis sp. nov . from the American Pacific Northwest . Mycological Research 107 (10); 1163-1177. Redhead, S. A., Norvell, L.L., and Danell, E. 1997. Cantharellus formosus and the Pacific Golden Chanterelle Harvest in Western North America . Mycotaxon 65: 285-322. Mushrooms covered: Cantharellus californicus (California golden chanterelle, mud puppy, oak chanterelle) Cantharellus cascadensis (Cascade chanterelle) Cantharellus cibarius (golden chanterelle) Cantharellus formosus (golden chanterelle) Cantharellus roseocanus (rainbow chanterelle) Cantharellus sp. (chanterelle) Cantharellus subalbidus (white chanterelle) Craterellus calicornucopioides (black trumpet, black chanterelle, horn of plenty) Craterellus cinereus Craterellus tubaeformis (yellow foot, winter chanterelle) Gomphus clavatus (pig's ear, violet chanterelle) Polyozellus multiplex (blue chanterelle) Turbinellus (Gomphus) floccosus Previous Description All Featured Fungi Next Description

News & Stories / Stewardship Salt Point State Park Closed to Mushroom Gathering Mushroom collecting has been suspended until the rains come. Katherine (Kitty) Elvin • September 27, 2015 Slime mold (Salt Point). Photo by Katherine Elvin Due to the ongoing drought, the lead biologist at https://www.saltpoint.org/ has determined that tromping through the woods could be permanently destructive. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Jackson Demonstration State Forest Permit Changes Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Sorry, it's a Suillus "Look at all these Boletes!" As an eager beginner, you spend an hour in the woods collecting what you think is going to be the meal of the year.... Sorry… it's a Suillus . It's the culinary equivalent of a wet sponge, and a maggot riddled one at that! ... Suillus luteus (from scmycoflora.org) One of the most common remarks I get from eager beginners in the fall and winter is, "look at all these Boletes!" Excited that they have just hit the mother load of culinary excellence, I remark (as many before me), "sorry… it's a Suillus ". As what a Suillus is and why it is not on par with a "true" Bolete is explained, you can see the disappointment set in. Just one of those mushroom "rights of passage" we all have to go through. You spend an hour in the woods collecting what you think is going to be the meal of the year, only to find out you have the culinary equivalent of a wet sponge, and a maggot riddled one at that! With a little time and experience however Suillus is one of our easier local fungi to ID at the genus level simply by sight. Suillus pseudobrevipes . Photo by Christian Schwarz Suillus in generic terms is a Bolete, a common reference for pored terrestrial mushrooms in our area. In scientific terms they are in the order Boletales , defacto making them a Bolete. However Suillus is not only in a different genus, they are now in their own family Suillaceae . So what do they have in common with the mushrooms in the genus Boletus that trip people up? A few things: overall stature, pores instead of gills, habitat, color (sort of) and wishful thinking… When you see literally 20lbs of light-brown capped, pored mushrooms poking through the duff in a stand of pines the mushroom fever kicks in, and what in actuality is Suillus pungens , for a few frenzied moments is the greatest haul of Boletus edulis ever. Someone once said if you listen closely you can actually hear the mushrooms laughing at you… So what makes a Suillus a Suillus and not a Boletus , Leccinum, Aureoboletus , Buchwaldoboletus , Chalciporus , Tylopilus , Xerocomellus or Xerocomus ??? Lots of things, but here are a few stand-out macro characteristics that can be applied quickly in the field. First off, commonness and sheer quantity. Suillus outnumbers Boletus by what at times seems to be a billion to one. That epic patch you just stumbled on is not Boletus , it's Suillus . If it seemed too good to be true, that is because it is. The mushroom world plays by those rules as well. Also, Suillus will fruit fall through spring, whereas the prized edible Boletes tend to in fall and early winter, and normally only for a few weeks at best. Next is the slime! With the exception of one species in Aureoboletus , none of the "Boletes" even remotely come close to the cap slime, stickiness or goo of Suillus . Those pesky glandular dots! These always confuse people, so the simplest description I can give is small, dark dots or blotches on the stem that are greasy to the touch. None of the other Boletes have these (scabers on Leccinum are more bumpy and hard). Another characteristic I go with is smell. Suillus tends to have a very fresh, almost fruity aroma. It is very pleasant and reminds people of frozen orange juice or coniferous trees. And finally the "close, but not enough" characteristics of size and color. Suillus can be big mushrooms, but Boletus are normally bigger. Suillus caps tend to be brownish, but not as brown or brick red as Boletus caps. Suillus have pores, but they are not quite like Boletus . Really after an exhaustive survey of both genera one sees there is little in common when observed at a more objective, granular level. Here is a "scientific" description we have put together on the Santa Cruz Mycoflora Project website, for those that need a bit more: Suillus is a large and cosmopolitan genus, present throughout the world (in some places due to introduction). Recognition of the genus can take some time (since they are quite variable and intergrade to some degree with other bolete genera). The fruitbodies are usually medium-sized boletes. The caps are variably colored and show many different textures (smooth and extremely viscid to dry and scaly or hairy), but most have an easily-peeled skin (unlike many other boletes). The pores are often angular or slightly irregular and sometimes radially-arranged. Inspection of the stipe is important, as almost all species show either a partial veil or greasy glandular dots (the latter trait is unique to the genus). All are mycorrhizal, occurring in almost any setting as long as there are coniferous hosts in the family Pinaceae present. In our county, these hosts are the true pines and Douglas-fir. The genus is fairly speciose in California, with diversity structured around host and habitat specialization. Many species likely are undescribed or go by misapplied names. Fruitbodies found under non-native pines should be compared directly against European references, a number of Eurasian Suillus have been recorded in other parts of the state." -- Genus: Suillus , the Santa Cruz Mycoflora Project All jokes and remarks aside, what about actually eating them? I have read in Europe they are regularly eaten and in some areas, mainly Slavic countries, they are a prized edible. Locally they are typically shunned in favor of the "real" Boletes, chanterelles, Amanitas , etc. I have eaten a few of the local species and admittedly they were not that bad. Only fresh, firm buttons were used and the cap skin and slime was pealed off. If you can, remove the pores as well. They were fried in light butter and salt and eaten by themselves. One time they were added to a basic soup. Suillus pungens in my opinion is the best tasting one, but as fate would have it is also the most slimy one! S. pseudobrevipes was not too shabby and both S. caerulescens and S. fuscotomentosus were palatable. Since during our mushroom season you are literally almost guaranteed to find Suillus at any given time, it is worth giving them a shot as an edible. If you like them you will never be out of mushrooms again! Suillus actually are an interesting fungi to study as they have a very strict preference for mychorhizal hosts and apparently have very strict parasitic companions as well. Years of field work are showing that fungi in the family Gomphidiaceae parasitize Suillus on an intimate level. If research is correct literally each species of Suillus lives with only one type of conifer and is in turn parasitized by a specific species in Gomphidiaceae ! That is pretty specialized stuff! If you pay attention in our local woods you can witness this behavior for yourself. But alas, this is knowledge just for the science geeks amongst us, and at the end of the day for the average forager Suillus will remain the mushroom world's consolation prize in the sweepstakes for Boletes. Mushrooms covered: Suillus caerulescens (fat jack, douglas-fir suillus) Suillus fuscotomentosus (poor man's slippery jack) Suillus pseudobrevipes ( veiled short-stemmed slippery jack) Suillus pungens (pungent slippery jack) Suillus sp. Previous Description All Featured Fungi Next Description

Galerina marginata (autumnalis), aka “The Deadly Galerina” In this article we take a look at a little brown job, that is dear to my heart but probably not to most of yours. ... Galerina marginata (autumnalis). Photo by Douglas Smith (from mushroomobserver.org) Galerina marginata (autumnalis) is a small brown job, growing on well rotten logs and stumps during wet months. And as a small brown job, why do people care at all here, since for most people those are the mushrooms you do best to ignore? This species has been shown to contain the same toxins as that of Amanita phalloides , a.k.a. “the Death Cap”. That species has been associated with the most cases of deadly poisonings around the world. But in the case of G. marginata (autumnalis) since it is a LBJ (little brown job), it is rarely the case of mushroom poisonings, since who wants to eat LBJs anyway? But it comes up positive in tests for amanita-toxins, and in lists of poisonous mushrooms it always makes the cut. And people are always fascinated with deadly things, now, aren't they? So, what does this guy look like in the field? G. marginata (autumnalis) grows on well rotted logs and stumps, not twigs or leaf litter, so look for big damp things. It is a small brown mushroom, 1-3 inches in size, with light tan gills, a central stipe, and the stipe has a fibrous veil that is on the upper stipe that is usually brown with spore color, and collapsed downward. The cap is usually rounded, and only slightly striate right at the margin. The stipe is usually very dark coffee brown from the base, with a light coating of very pale fibrous hyphae below the veil. It often is found gregarious in clusters on the log, but sometimes found in small numbers or singly. Following those details, you should be able to id to this species. It is found usually in the Bay Area on live oak, but north of the bay area it can be found also on the coast on usually Douglas fir, and sometimes other conifers. But if it is small and brown, why is a concern as a poisonous mushroom? As in all cases, mushrooms are not deadly or dangerous at all, as long as you don't eat them! Well, there are some people that have been known to be indiscriminate in trying small brown jobs, and accidentally eat one of these in a mix of other small guys. Usually these people are looking for mushrooms with dark purple-brown-black spore colors, where Galerina has a medium brown spore color. But you will have to find some of these people to ask for more details — personally, I have no idea why you would want to eat small brown mushrooms. This is a small concern for California, but in other places in the world, there are other concerns regarding confusion with mushrooms that are considered good edibles. In the east it has been reported that people have confused Galerina marginata (autumnalis) with Armillaria mellea , a.k.a. “the honey mushroom”. Armillaria species also grow on stumps, and usually in tight clusters, have brown caps, and a veil on the upper stipe. But Armillaria species have white spores, and the veil is much more persistent, and usually much larger. Many people would not confuse these mushrooms, but it has been reported that beginners excited by large fruitings of Armillaria on a stump, may grab a Galerina on the same stump without noticing. Kuehneromyces mutabilis . Photo by Douglas Smith (from mushroomobserver.org ) In other places in North America and more in Europe, there is also Kuehneromyces mutabilis , which is much closer to Galerina , in fact one source moved the mushroom into the genus of Galerina , but it is now recognized as its own genus by everyone today. Kuehneromyces mutabilis is a small to medium sized brown mushroom that grows on rotting logs and stumps, with a fibrous veil on the upper stipe. Which sounds the same as Galerina marginata (autumnalis) , but it differs in that it has scales on the stipe below the veil, and grows in tight clusters with attached stipes usually. Kuehneromyces mutabilis , in Europe at least, is considered a good edible by some, but is not a very popular mushroom for the table. Avoidance is mostly because of concerns over confusing it with a Galerina . Galerina badipes . Photo by Douglas Smith (from mushroomobserver.org ) But are those the only look-alikes? Of course not! As a small brown mushroom, there are quite a few others that could get confused with Galerina , such as many members of the genus Pholiota , or Gymnopilus . But perhaps closer, there is Pholiotina rugosa , and other species of Pholiotina , a cousin genus to Conocybe . Pholiotina rugosa is small brown, with brown spores and a veil on the stipe. But Pholiotina usually grows on small woody debris, and the veil is more membranous and is in the middle of the stipe, not on the upper stipe. Pholiotina rugosa doesn't really look like Galerina once you've seen a few of them, but there are other unknown species of Pholiotina out there, that look much more like Gale rina. These can be easily separated under the scope, but not always by eye really. And there are other species of Galerina : Galerina badipes is small and brown, on wood, and has a fibrous veil on the upper stipe. But this Galerina is strongly striate, and is on small woody debris, not large logs. This Galerina is in the same section as G. autumnalis , the section Naucoriopsis , and it has been shown that other species in this section also test positive for amanita toxins. All species in this section should be considered suspect. Pholiotina rugosa . Photo by Douglas Smith (from mushroomobserver.org) But is Galerina marginata (autumnalis) the main concern of small brown mushroom poisonings? Of course not! There are so many small brown wood rotting mushrooms, and so few of them have been tested for Amanita toxins, or anything is known about their toxicity at all. Pholiotina rugosa has been reported as toxic as well, and there might be confusions in reporting as to what species may have caused the poisonings. I was part of a poisoning discussion, where a test of amanita toxins came back positive, but the actual mushroom was never saved, photographed or ID'ed, there was a poisoning and a test, that was it. The conclusion was that it was a Galerina poisoning, but I was left with more questions. Might there be more small brown mushrooms that are just as poisonous? Yes, I would think so, but do we know enough yet to say which ones, and how many? Not even close. And there is the question: is Galerina marginata (autumnalis) still a valid species? Maybe not! Years ago genetic studies were done on Galerina species in the section of Naucoriopsis , all similar to Galerina marginata (autumnalis) . And this study showed that there is very little difference in the genetic sequences obtained between Galerina marginata (autumnalis) , Galerina unicolor , Galerina venetata , and some others. The conclusion was that these are all actually the same species, and the oldest name is valid, which is Galerina marginata . It is true, that the only difference between G. autumnalis and G. marginata was that the cap is viscid/slimy in G. autumnalis , and not in G. marginata , and collapsing these to the same species was a good idea. But that is probably not the full story, and time will tell to see if there are more species in this section of Galerina . So, look around when out there, on well rotted damp logs, for this little brown job. There is a world of mystery, and so many things are still unknown here. There is also danger, and lots of care to be taken if you are thinking about eating little brown jobs. Mushrooms covered: Galerina marginata (deadly galerina, funeral bell) Previous Description All Featured Fungi Next Description

News & Stories / Field Reports Habitat Walk Summary - 2013 To open the 2013 - 2014 mushroom season the Fungus Fed of Santa Cruz held a habitat walk on the west side of Santa Cruz on the morning of Saturday, September 28th. Though significant amounts of rain had yet to fall, the event was well attended by an enthusiastic group of around 20 fungiphiles. Cass Fuentes • September 29, 2013 2013 foray / habitat walk Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts November 2014 Habitat Walk Foray and Habitat Walk March 2015 Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Stewardship Phil Carpenter receives Knighton Award at Appalachia NAMA 2023 Phil Carpenter, FFSC Science Advisor, has been awarded the 2023 Harry and Elsie Knighton Service Award by the North American Mycological Association (NAMA) ! Sue Willis • August 3, 2023 Phil Carpenter receiving Knighton Award. Photo credit: Brennon Strnad The Harry and Elsie Knighton Service Award was established by the NAMA Board of Trustees to recognize and encourage persons who have distinguished themselves in service to their local clubs. It is named for the Knightons, whose efforts began the North American Mycological Association in 1967. The annual award consists of: A plaque Publicity for the winner and club in The Mycophile A one-year membership in the organization Rregistration, housing and foray fees for the next NAMA Foray. Each year's recipient is selected by the three most recent recipients of the Award. Every NAMA-affiliated mycological club may nominate one candidate whom it feels has performed meritorious service during the current or preceding year, which has to be described! The North American Mycological Association (NAMA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization of professional and amateur mycologists with over 90 affiliated mycological societies in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Phil was presented with the award at the 2023 NAMA National Foray in North Carolina, with over 400 amateur and professional mycologists in attendance. Read a summary of Phil's contributions on pages 9-11 of The Mycophile Quarterly (July August September 2023 issue). Phil Carpenter. (Photo credit: Dan Tischler) Congratulations, Phil! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Field Report - 2021 NAMA Foray Grandby CO Time Lapsed Laetiporous Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Writings Ending, Beginning Anew Perusing past issues of Duff provides a great retrospective on mushrooming on the Central Coast since the founding of the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz in 1984. We've moved most of the articles to this website, and will no longer publish the PDF. Deb • May 1, 2013 Bob Sellers (from the final issue of Duff, May 2013) During the past 29 years some of the most noted mycologists in the world have addressed our group. We’ve collected oodles of mushrooms on local, long distance and ad hoc forays, dined royally, held fungal fashion shows, tailgate tastings and culinary forays. Excerpts from the first issue of Duff ’s precursor, the Federation Flyer , are included below for the whole alpha-omega experience. I think Bob Sellers would be happy to know he will always make us laugh! Our lectures, classes and workshops have provided tools for better understanding and helped us stay abreast of changes in nomenclature and molecular sequencing technology. FFSC has sponsored countless Fungus Fairs — next year will be the 40th! And we have all enjoyed ourselves immensely and made some very good friends in the bargain. Sincere thanks to the editors of Duff over its 29 year history: Bob Sellers, Greg Ferguson, Bridget Binko, Ford Johnson, Flick Christensen, Larry Payne, Madeline Wycke, Roxane Kitely, Wendy Wells and Debbie Johnson. We are also grateful to all of you who contributed articles, questions, photos and ideas over the years. Your generosity has enriched both the newsletter and our club. We look forward to enjoying your pictures and prose on the new website, which will launch in the fall at ffsc.us ! You’ll receive email notification when everything is up and running. Please send tales and photos of your morel hunts and summer mushrooming adventures to our Google Group! Wishing you fruitful forays, Debbie Johnson Minister of Propaganda Duff's predecessor, The Federation Flyer : Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Demise of the Duff Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Field Reports Echo Summit 2015 Foray Report Another great Echo Summit Foray is in the history books. Anne Stockel • September 21, 2015 Lisa finds a Ganoderma tsugae (North American Hemlock Reishi) at Echo Summit (2015) Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts 2013 Echo Summit Foray Recap Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Fall Mushroom Dinner Join us in celebrating each new season! As Autumn beckons and we await or enjoy the first fungal fruitings, Chef Bob Wynn and the FFSC Culinary Committee welcome FFSC members and their guests to celebrate the season with our much-loved Fall Mushroom Dinner. The 2025 Fall Mushroom Dinner is scheduled on November 8, 2025. See the Members Only section below for time and location details. Fall Flavors The committee typically prepares the main elements of the meal (main dish, salad, and dessert). In some years we prepare a full dinner; and in other years members are invited to bring appetizers and sides to share, plus your own place setting and beverage of choice. The committee chooses a different theme each year, and it's sure to be a scrumptious menu! Price The price changes each year, depending on the cost of the venue rental and other factors. For 2025, we will not charge admission for this event. A donation bucket will be ready to accept contributions to offset rental fees and expenses. $10 per person is suggested. Thanks! Location The Fall Mushroom Dinner is open to FFSC members and their guests. The location varies each year. We usually post the location in the Members' section below by early October. Let’s come together to share food, celebrate community, and welcome the mushroom season with good cheer. We look forward to seeing you at the table! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

Members Holiday Potluck A Festive Gathering for Members and Their Guests Spend a delicious evening in the company of the great cooks of the FFSC at our annual members' Holiday Potluck! We’re excited to invite all Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz members and their guests to our Annual Holiday Potluck—a cherished tradition that brings together our community, celebrates mushrooms, and embraces the spirit of the season! FFSC members can login for details about the date, time and location of the 2025 potluck, what to bring and more below. (This event replaces December's member meeting and guest speaker.) Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

Coccoras Coccoras are one of my favorite mushrooms to see and collect. The distinctive colors, thick cottony cap and striation on the cap edge makes this Amanita a little easier to ID. If I am unsure at any point, it stays in the ground and I take away the memory, image and sometimes a photo. by Katherine (Kitty) Elvin Amanita calyptroderma Debbie Viess has a very informative link on the BAMMS web site which tells more about this species. You can visit mushroomobserver.org and iNaturalist for observations. Amanita calyptroderma - Fall Coccora - tan to light brown Amanita vernicoccora - Spring Coccora - light yellow When I was first learning I ran into a lovely patch, while walking my dog Lexy, which I thought where coccoras. But I was new, so I collected a few of them to get some positive ID. I came home and posted pictures of my finds along with another Amanita sp. found in the Spring favoring oak trees on google groups. I got some interesting comments warning me to be very careful. I did take my coccora sample and got a positive ID. Kitty with Coccoras Since then I have been enjoying both Fall and Spring coccoras found on the coastal ranges and in the Sierras. They are beautiful and delicious and best of all one large specimen provides a tasty addition to any meal. Be picky and selective. I choose only firm young ones and take only what I can use right away. Mushrooms covered: See code Previous Description All Featured Fungi Next Description