Hi Gang,
   With all of the rain this past week, there will
surely be fungi to find in the field. David will be
taking a group out, meeting at 9:30 am at the Bear
Valley Visitor Center, then driving to some prime
hunting habitat in the South portion of the park.

I have been buttonholed to do an interview on
mushrooming, from 9-10 am, at local station KWMR
(90.5 FM). Vicki Leeds will be interviewing me for her
bi-monthly show, "The Vicarious Traveler" (you, on the
other hand, do not need to live this vicariously, but
can instead join us in the field!).

We will be just down the road at the KWMR studio in
Pt.Reyes Station, and should be back at the visitor
center for a somewhat later leave time of 10:15. The
second walk will start at the center, and loop around
the local woods. We hope to pick up a few neighborhood
mushroom enthusiasts, since there will be both local
newspaper and radio coverage.

Regardless of what walk you go on, plan on returning
to the visitor center or one of the picnic tables
across the road (look for mushroom baskets!) after
noon, for lunch and a specimen walk-through. If it is
raining, we can meet in the back of the center, under
the overhang. But the forecast calls for sun.

BTW, if anyone is hunting the oak woodlands, please
keep your eyes peeled for at least one good example of
Amanita velosa: Tom Bruns at UC Berkeley needs a
Pt.Reyes voucher specimen. I promise it will NOT end
up in my frying pan!

See you there,
Debbie Viess

ps this is one of the few, legal areas in the Bay Area
to hunt mushrooms, so bring your basket and walk
proudly!

Springing up on the front page of Wikipedia (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page ), "Did you know...that the
highly regarded edible mushroom Amanita velosa (pictured) can often be
found growing in close proximity to its deadly relative Amanita
ocreata, the destroying angel?". (Written and submitted by yours
truly.)

Here's a direct link in case its no longer of the front page by the
time you read this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_velosa

So much for virtual velosas springing up – anybody see any real ones
recently. I harvested a few small ones two weeks ago, but have gotten
skunked the last couple of times I went to my usual spots. Am I just
having bad velosa-spotting luck, or are they really not out?

Peter

Peter,
  Ya shoulda been over for dinner on Friday night. I
checked my local velosa patch, which had been calling
to me for several days prior. I shoulda listened,
cause I found lots, but only a half dozen or so still
pan ready; darn their quick expiration date, anyway!
Nonetheless, we feasted on my favorite spring
pasta..velosas and asparagus. I also brought my
camera, as well as my basket...photos to appear on the
yahoogroups site later today.

But before y'all run out and munch amanitas, read up.
Haven't had a chance to look at your Wikipedia
write-up yet, but I have also found velosas and deadly
Amanita phalloides growing next to each other under
their mutual host, the coast live oak, and having the
same damn cap color, too! (both were tan). Be careful
out there...

Closer to your home, two weeks ago velosas were
fruiting just behind Kevin and Xander's garden shop,
and I hear tell that Norm (and no doubt other
rapacious, local amanita eaters, too) has been finding
them in the East Bay as well. Back in Marin Co., tho,
try Roy's Redwoods. Although I seldom hunt Marin, I
actually got an MSSF newbie to divulge that site many
years back. He had brought a handsome cluster of
velosas into a meeting. I asked where he found them,
and he actually told me, as opposed to the classic
line, "on the ground, under a tree"; or in the case of
velosas, beyond the drip line of a tree. Up at Roy's,
look for the cluster of live oaks bordering a big
meadow, and BTW, WE'RE free for dinner!

BAMS had a fabulous foray at Pt. Reyes yesterday,
enough mushrooms to delight our senses, and a grand
wildlife spectacle finish.

Details later,
Debbie Viess




--- Peter Werner <pgwerner@...> wrote:

> Springing up on the front page of Wikipedia (
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page ), "Did you
> know...that the
> highly regarded edible mushroom Amanita velosa
> (pictured) can often be
> found growing in close proximity to its deadly
> relative Amanita
> ocreata, the destroying angel?". (Written and
> submitted by yours
> truly.)
>
> Here's a direct link in case its no longer of the
> front page by the
> time you read this:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_velosa
>
> So much for virtual velosas springing up – anybody
> see any real ones
> recently. I harvested a few small ones two weeks
> ago, but have gotten
> skunked the last couple of times I went to my usual
> spots. Am I just
> having bad velosa-spotting luck, or are they really
> not out?
>
> Peter
>
>
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> --------------------~-->
> Great things are happening at Yahoo! Groups.  See
> the new email design.
>
http://us.click.yahoo.com/lOt0.A/hOaOAA/yQLSAA/UwgrlB/TM
>
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>     (Yahoo! ID required)
>
> mailto:BayAreaMushrooms-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>

Here are some of my photos from Friday's walk in the
East Bay. Mostly mushrooms, with a couple of token
green plants (no doubt the native one is symbiotic
with one fungus or another; chanterelles are a
possible candidate, and the subject of much, past
speculation). Click here to view:

http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/BayAreaMushrooms/photos/view/2ec5?b=10&m=s&o=0

As an aside, while I was crouched alongside the road,
shooting the Stropharia patch, an EBMUD truck pulled
up, and a smiling man emerged. He had been watching
them come up over several days, and was curious as to
what they were. We got to chatting, and he confessed
that he picked chanterelles in the East Bay, and was
delighted to hear of a new mushroom society on this
side of the Bay. I encouraged him to join up. See,
these folks (EB Parks people) are just like us, but
with better access to prime habitat!

Making converts, one person at a time,

Debbie Viess

--- In BayAreaMushrooms@yahoogroups.com, debbie viess
<amanitarita@...> wrote:
snip
> > write-up yet, but I have also found velosas and deadly
> Amanita phalloides growing next to each other under
> their mutual host, the coast live oak, and having the
> same damn cap color, too! (both were tan). Be careful
> out there...
snip

hi debbie

i haven't noticed A. phalloides being tan -- but i only notice the
ones that have that 'look' - a metallic olive-green color. i think i
brought home an A. velosa a couple days ago. it had a beautiful,
light tan cap, some veil remnants on the top of the cap, light buff
(i think it's buff) gills, a short stalk (no ring) with striations
near the top of the stalk, and flakey, scaley growth along the
bottom half of the stalk, the stalk was also tapered, getting twice
as thick toward the bottom, and the volva was tapered, getting
smaller at the bottom of the mushroom, and at ground level it flared
out fairly far away from the stalk. i think it grew out in the open,
between an oak and a needled tree.

i was't tempted to eat it. i figure i hafta find a LOT more of them
before my id skills are anywhere close enought to be safe...

is A. phalloides the main look-alike for velosa??? and what is the
best way to tell phalloides from velosa if the phalloides turns tan?
i can see avoiding any velosas that are colored like phalloides, or
white (like A. ocreata - but when the poisonous ones turn tan -----
that seems much more difficult. (but thanks for mentioning that -
seems important!

gregg

I am wondering if those look-alike amanitas might be hybridizing while growing
in such close proximity, mycellium swapping genetic info underground.   There
would be a distinct evolutionary advantage to keeping one's reproductive organs
intact and not being eaten.   Viruses mutate all the time by trading DNA parts,
why not fungi?  Just guessing, but when I hear of mushroom species changing
their classic coloration and confounding even seasoned pickers, I wonder what
other protective mechanisms those mutable species might be picking up.
--Tigerlily


  ----- Original Message ----
From: Peter Werner <pgwerner@...>
To: MSSF list <mssf@yahoogroups.com>; BayAreaMushrooms@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, March 4, 2007 2:56:39 AM
Subject: [BayAreaMushrooms] Velosas, virtual and otherwise.

Springing up on the front page of Wikipedia (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page ), "Did you know...that the
highly regarded edible mushroom Amanita velosa (pictured) can often be
found growing in close proximity to its deadly relative Amanita
ocreata, the destroying angel?". (Written and submitted by yours
truly.)

Here's a direct link in case its no longer of the front page by the
time you read this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_velosa

So much for virtual velosas springing up – anybody see any real ones
recently. I harvested a few small ones two weeks ago, but have gotten
skunked the last couple of times I went to my usual spots. Am I just
having bad velosa-spotting luck, or are they really not out?

Peter




Yahoo! Groups Links









________________________________________________________________________________\
____
Have a burning question?
Go to www.Answers.yahoo.com and get answers from real people who know.

Tigerlily, Gregg, et al,

I don't think that colors are "changing" so much as a
certain amount of variability is always present in the
population. It is unlikely that mushrooms not very
closely related (like ones in the phalloides group
(ocreata and phalloides) vs the vaginata group
(velosa) would be swapping genes.

Amanita colors are not only variable from the get-go,
but the colors are water soluble, and change with both
rain and sun. Your safest bet when considering
amanitas for the table is to spend many seasons
collecting and observing, rather than eating.

On the other hand, if you can find a local "expert"
who is willing to look at your mushrooms, then you can
find out whether the one in hand (but beginners
shouldn't extrapolate to other collections for the
table!!!) is edible or not. If you live in the East
Bay, you can bring them by to me, but please call
first. There may be others on this list who live in
other BA locations who would also be willing to look
at your 'shrooms; if this describes you, please speak
up!

As to look-alikes...the most dangerous are of course
phalloides and ocreata, but you could ostensibly
mistake a gemmata or pantherina for one. Again, let
long experience and caution be your guide. One
distinctive difference between the edible mushrooms in
the vaginata group and the poisonous amanitas (both
section phalloides and amanita) is that when you pull
the membranous volva off, the vaginate amanitas will
have a straight, even stipe, and the poisonous ones
will have a bulbous base to their stipe. But NEVER use
only one character when collecting for the table!

Our BAMS "Ides of March" mushroom of the month will
be, coincidentally enough, Amanita velosa, so even
more secrets of the "Royal Order of Amanita Eaters"
will be revealed.

Stay tuned,
Debbie Viess

------------------------------------------------------
Tigerlily Jones <tigerlilyjones@...> wrote:

> I am wondering if those look-alike amanitas might be
> hybridizing while growing in such close proximity,
> mycellium swapping genetic info underground.

While out and about in Chico Ca. this weekend I happened upon one of
the spots I wished to visit for Morels this year. I was hoping to get
lucky and spot some of the first flush of 2007. After looking over
several other such spots it would seem I will have few patches this
year. However, the patches with Morels had just astounding density! The
one I went through on saturday contained literally thousands of Morels.
I haven't seen anything like it previously except, maybe, in much much
smaller patches (Area-wise). Also I was a bit shocked at there general
condition. Last week was very cold here, leaving 4" of snow in
Paradise, and yet many of the Morels had holes on top and were dried
where they grew, as if they had been coming up for a while now. Guess
it's on now, though. Hopefully those patches that seem inactive will
pick up the pace shortly! Happy hunting!
  Mike

p.s. A most likely unimportant observation: There seems to be a great
deal more grey Morels this time which, if memory serves, tend to be
more numerous later in the season.... Seemingly anyhow. : )

What, no photos!!!!
D.

--- nvthis769 <nvthis769@...> wrote:

>    While out and about in Chico Ca. this weekend I
> happened upon one of
> the spots I wished to visit for Morels this year. I
> was hoping to get
> lucky and spot some of the first flush of 2007.
> After looking over
> several other such spots it would seem I will have
> few patches this
> year. However, the patches with Morels had just
> astounding density! The
> one I went through on saturday contained literally
> thousands of Morels.
> I haven't seen anything like it previously except,
> maybe, in much much
> smaller patches (Area-wise). Also I was a bit
> shocked at there general
> condition. Last week was very cold here, leaving 4"
> of snow in
> Paradise, and yet many of the Morels had holes on
> top and were dried
> where they grew, as if they had been coming up for a
> while now. Guess
> it's on now, though. Hopefully those patches that
> seem inactive will
> pick up the pace shortly! Happy hunting!
>  Mike
>
> p.s. A most likely unimportant observation: There
> seems to be a great
> deal more grey Morels this time which, if memory
> serves, tend to be
> more numerous later in the season.... Seemingly
> anyhow. : )
>
>

What, no photos!!!!
D.

--- nvthis769 <nvthis769@yahoo.com> wrote:

> While out and about in Chico Ca. this weekend I
> happened upon one of
> the spots I wished to visit for Morels this year. I
> was hoping to get
> lucky and spot some of the first flush of 2007.
> After looking over
> several other such spots it would seem I will have
> few patches this
> year. However, the patches with Morels had just
> astounding density! The
> one I went through on saturday contained literally
> thousands of Morels.
> I haven't seen anything like it previously except,
> maybe, in much much
> smaller patches (Area-wise). Also I was a bit
> shocked at there general
> condition. Last week was very cold here, leaving 4"
> of snow in
> Paradise, and yet many of the Morels had holes on
> top and were dried
> where they grew, as if they had been coming up for a
> while now. Guess
> it's on now, though. Hopefully those patches that
> seem inactive will
> pick up the pace shortly! Happy hunting!
> Mike
>
> p.s. A most likely unimportant observation: There
> seems to be a great
> deal more grey Morels this time which, if memory
> serves, tend to be
> more numerous later in the season.... Seemingly
> anyhow. : )
>
>

Hmmm, what are those GPS coordinates again? Not so
great for chanterelles here in the East Bay (just went
out today to some known locations, and found a few
babies, which I left in the field). Pt. Reyes had a
few, small, water-logged specimens yesterday.

It just so happens we'll be down in SC next weekend...
;)

Debbie Viess

--- steve bowen <fungisteve@...> wrote:

> Dont give up on our local chanterelles (unless you
> are tired of eating them).  I checked out the
> easterly flanks
>   of the southern Santa Cruz Mtns.
>   again this am and found 20 lbs in about 1/2 hr.
>   good hunting! SB

What, no photos!!!!
D.

Hmmm, what are those GPS coordinates again? Not so
great for chanterelles here in the East Bay (just went
out today to some known locations, and found a few
babies, which I left in the field). Pt. Reyes had a
few, small, water-logged specimens yesterday.

It just so happens we'll be down in SC next weekend...
;)

Debbie Viess

--- steve bowen <fungisteve@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Dont give up on our local chanterelles (unless you
> are tired of eating them). I checked out the
> easterly flanks
> of the southern Santa Cruz Mtns.
> again this am and found 20 lbs in about 1/2 hr.
> good hunting! SB

Last year I had an email from an Oregon man who loved to eat Amanitas - in this case Amanita vaginata - and he had been eating them for years when he mistakenly added an Amanita phalloides or two. Do be careful! He knew better but just slipped up that one time.


-----Original Message-----
From: BayAreaMushrooms@yahoogroups.com on behalf of debbie viess
Sent: Sun 3/4/2007 7:24 AM
To: BayAreaMushrooms@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [BayAreaMushrooms] Velosas, virtual and otherwise.

Peter,
 Ya shoulda been over for dinner on Friday night. I
checked my local velosa patch, which had been calling
to me for several days prior. I shoulda listened,
cause I found lots, but only a half dozen or so still
pan ready; darn their quick expiration date, anyway!
Nonetheless, we feasted on my favorite spring
pasta..velosas and asparagus. I also brought my
camera, as well as my basket...photos to appear on the
yahoogroups site later today.

But before y'all run out and munch amanitas, read up.
Haven't had a chance to look at your Wikipedia
write-up yet, but I have also found velosas and deadly
Amanita phalloides growing next to each other under
their mutual host, the coast live oak, and having the
same damn cap color, too! (both were tan). Be careful
out there...

Closer to your home, two weeks ago velosas were
fruiting just behind Kevin and Xander's garden shop,
and I hear tell that Norm (and no doubt other
rapacious, local amanita eaters, too) has been finding
them in the East Bay as well. Back in Marin Co., tho,
try Roy's Redwoods. Although I seldom hunt Marin, I
actually got an MSSF newbie to divulge that site many
years back. He had brought a handsome cluster of
velosas into a meeting. I asked where he found them,
and he actually told me, as opposed to the classic
line, "on the ground, under a tree"; or in the case of
velosas, beyond the drip line of a tree. Up at Roy's,
look for the cluster of live oaks bordering a big
meadow, and BTW, WE'RE free for dinner!

BAMS had a fabulous foray at Pt. Reyes yesterday,
enough mushrooms to delight our senses, and a grand
wildlife spectacle finish.

Details later,
Debbie Viess




--- Peter Werner <pgwerner@...> wrote:

> Springing up on the front page of Wikipedia (
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page ), "Did you
> know...that the
> highly regarded edible mushroom Amanita velosa
> (pictured) can often be
> found growing in close proximity to its deadly
> relative Amanita
> ocreata, the destroying angel?". (Written and
> submitted by yours
> truly.)
>
> Here's a direct link in case its no longer of the
> front page by the
> time you read this:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_velosa
>
> So much for virtual velosas springing up - anybody
> see any real ones
> recently. I harvested a few small ones two weeks
> ago, but have gotten
> skunked the last couple of times I went to my usual
> spots. Am I just
> having bad velosa-spotting luck, or are they really
> not out?
>
> Peter
>
>
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> --------------------~-->
> Great things are happening at Yahoo! Groups.  See
> the new email design.
>
http://us.click.yahoo.com/lOt0.A/hOaOAA/yQLSAA/UwgrlB/TM
>
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
>
>
> 
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>     (Yahoo! ID required)
>
> mailto:BayAreaMushrooms-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>

Hi Michael,
  Your warnings are appropriate and timely.
Nonetheless, I can't imagine how one could mistake a
grisette for a phalloides! With a mistake like that,
sounds like your former (I hope) amanita eater should
just stick to the store-bought Agaricus.

For those on this list who may not know Michael, Dr.
Beug has long experience with mycology, is a former
professor at Evergreen State College, and is currently
heading up the NAMA (North American Mycological
Association) Poisoning Committee. He has been
tabulating incidents of North American mushroom
poisoning over the past thirty years! His recent
article about his findings appears in the Fall 2006
issue of McIlvainea, the NAMA journal.

When you concentrate on these sorts of stories and
histories of human suffering, and even death by wild
mushroom, you can't help but have a jaundiced attitude
towards amanita eating. And indeed,
your first mistake could be your last.

On the other hand, amanitas are one of the most
popular group of edible mushrooms worldwide, and it is
possible to develope the ability to distinguish the
edible and delicious from the deadly. But it's not
something you want to skip steps on, or rush to do.
Amanitas are not mushrooms for beginners, and even
many professionally trained mycologists refuse to eat
them. So let caution and long experience be your
guide. Amanitas are so prominant, diverse and
beautiful, you don't have to eat them to enjoy them.


Debbie Viess


--- "Beug,Michael" <beugm@...> wrote:

> Last year I had an email from an Oregon man who
> loved to eat Amanitas - in this case Amanita
> vaginata - and he had been eating them for years
> when he mistakenly added an Amanita phalloides or
> two. Do be careful! He knew better but just slipped
> up that one time.

Yes, both Amanita ocreata, A. phalloides, and A. velosa can come to
look like each other, *with age*. A good reason to only pick velosas
for the table if they are in prime condition and have all of their
distinctive identifying features intact. (They develop a bad taste and
smell with age anyway.) Amanita ocreata and phalloides may very well
brown with age, but they'll *never* have that characteristic
pinkish-orange coloration of a recently-emerged velosa. Nor would a
newly-emerged Amanita ocreata or phalloides have deep striations like a
grisette or velosa.

As for hybridization, not a chance – they're in fundamentally different
parts of the genus Amanita, not just different sections, but a
different subgenus altogether (and it should be noted that the
classification of Amanita has been established as a natural,
evolutionary one).

I also have a spot near Roy's Redwoods that hasn't been producing –
will have to check out the other spot you've described. (Every few
years, I'll even get a big one in my yard!)

BTW, asparagus and velosa (with a little wild onion) is my favorite
combination, too. Especially tossed in olive oil and cooked "sur la
grille" (under the broiler).

Peter

Velosas aside, BAMS had a lovely walk at Pt. Reyes on
a sunny and bright Saturday in early March. In fact,
we had several walks, with David's group leaving early
and hiking hard (seven miles straight up and down!!!)
and my group leaving a bit later at around 10:30, with
my KWMR interviewer, Vicki Leeds, joining us for the
day. Thanks for waiting for us so patiently in the
parking lot, guys.

We also had several folks strike off on their own, and
meet us back in the meadow fronting the visitor center
for a late lunch, mushroom ID, and a spontaneous 21st
birthday party, complete with home-made cupcakes (see
yahoophotos for my specially decorated one).

I think that I can safely say that the Bay Area
mushroom season is winding down. We did, however,
come back with a variety of interesting specimens, and
Darvin and John Brown discovered a surprising number
of inocybe species (John has apparently become the
Pied Piper of Inocybes, and they appear like magic at
his beck and call).

I had no such luck with my amanitas, but was pleased
to see several species brought in by others. The most
dramatic was a handsome example of Amanita
magniverrucata, left unearthed along the trail and
discovered by David's group down at Five Brooks.

Ascos ruled the day in the woods around the visitor
center. There were lovely and eyecatching scarlet
cups, Sarcoscypha coccinea, scattered throughout the
woods. Helvella lacunosa, one of the elven saddles,
and various brown cups, including Peziza sp., were
also fruiting. Best of show was the ever charming,
brightly colored eyelash fungus: Scutellina
scutellata.

The wet meadow along the horse pasture yielded a
number of delicate species, including Bolbitius
vitellinus and several fruitings of Stropharia
riparia.

Wood rotters were low in number, but we did discover
some black-spored Psathyrella, a few bits of witches
butter, and a small grouping of a galerina-esque
little brown jobber. Rosy conks, Fomitopsis cajenderi,
in all their pink glory, fruited coyly along downed
wood. Dark, slender troops of Xylaria hypoxylon
marching along a downed tree delighted both newbies
and oldbees, and a few brown-spored, sessile-capped
crepidotus crept along the bark of trees.

The macrofungi prominant along that trail back in
December during Mycoblitz III (amanitas and russulas,
boletus and agaricus) were absent, altho we did find a
few examples of some very tired looking russula.

David's group was a bit more productive (and a lot
more aerobic!), with Chroogomphus, a variety of waxy
caps (Hygrocybe psittacina, miniatus and flavescens),
and a number of coral fungi. A longtime local hunter
and mushroom dyer named Ann was inspired by listening
to Vicki and I on KWMR, and joined our group for
lunch. She had collected a number of interesting
mushrooms, including some lovely shaggy inky caps,
Coprinopsis (Coprinus) lagopus. She left happy,
cluching a number of potential dye mushrooms to
experiment at home with.

Those who hunted the oak woodlands were rewarded with
a few golden chanterelles, but we were all rewarded
with a gorgeous day and a fun time hunting. Looks like
our next BAMS foray may well be at elevation, for our
delicious friends the morels. NV this, indeed.

Apres-BAMS, David and I headed down to Limantour
beach, where I dipped my toes in the surf, and we
encountered an amazing drama of a CA Garter Snake
fighting for its life with an American Bittern. Photos
and story available on the Calbirds site:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CALBIRDS/message/6055

A few BAMS photos can be seen here; other photogs from
the group are welcome to add their images:

http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/BayAreaMushrooms/photos/view/f0ba?b=1&m=s&o=0

Spring has sprung. Enjoy our wild CA bounty, in all
its myriad guises.

Debbie Viess

Debbie's finding of A. velosa made me go out and look in the Santa Cruz area to
see if our
velosa crop was happening. It appears that they have been coming up for at least
a week,
because I found both old and new specimens. I was looking in the wilder parts of
Santa
Cruz Co. around oaks on the edges of meadows. An interesting association I
noticed is
that many of the oaks which had A.velosa (always fruiting out beyond the drip
line in
direct sunlight) also had A. novinupta fruiting under the canopy in the shade. I
have never
witnessed this association in the past, but it might just be coincidental. Since
the velosas
fruit in direct sunlight, their color change from salmon to paler is often an
indication of
their age. I posted a photo of 3 specimens getting progressively paler (and less
velosa-
like in color!) and also an A. novinupta "button".

  The area I was searching has had cattle grazing in the past. Popping up out of
the
meadow muffin oases were a plethora of Panaeolus, Psilocybe coprophilia,
Stropharia
semiglobata, and the orange eyelash asco Cheilymenia coprinaria.

-Bob

----- Original Message -----

From: Dimitar Bojantchev

To: SOMA-MushroomID@yahoogroups.com ; BayAreaMushrooms@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2007 8:18 PM

Subject: Tarzetta capularis?

Do we have that beast locally? Do we recognize that name in CA?

Tarzetta capularis -- pictures attahced. Spores 17-18x10-11. Very

few spores were released, so I'll crush a bit of the ascii layer and

see what comes out (mature/immature)... Picked it an hour ago on a

deeply decayed log, hard to say broadleaf or conifer...

 

Looking through FS and Acomyceti D'Italia, also Rogers', it seems

like a close fit. But can't find any web pages from California that

reference that name.

 

        D.

 

 

 

 

From: Fred/Barbara Stevens

To: SOMA-MushroomID@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2007 9:03 PM

Subject: Re: [SOMA-MushroomID] Tarzetta capularis?

Tarzetta cupularis has been reported from Yuba pass on two occasions, and Tylutki includes it in his book on Mushrooms of Idaho and the Pacific Northwest, so it's possible that's what you have. The MSSF's Brian Perry is the person to ask about Ascos. You might want to dry the material for him to look at. He's likely to be at the next general meeting.

Fred


At 08:18 PM 3/7/2007 -0800, you wrote:

Do we have that beast locally? Do we recognize that name in CA?
Tarzetta capularis -- pictures attahced. Spores 17-18x10-11. Very
few spores were released, so I'll crush a bit of the ascii layer and
see what comes out (mature/immature)... Picked it an hour ago on a
deeply decayed log, hard to say broadleaf or conifer...
 
Looking through FS and Acomyceti D'Italia, also Rogers', it seems
like a close fit. But can't find any web pages from California that
reference that name.
 
        D.
 
 
 
 

---

I don't know the species from Adam's off ox, but your photos of it are
beautiful.  I'm too specialized.

Rod

--

	 Rodham E. Tulloss, PhD
	 P. O. Box 57
	 Roosevelt, NJ 08555-0057
	 USA

	 Telephone: +1 609 448 5096

	 Research Associate (hons.) New York Botanical Garden

	 Curator, Herbarium Rooseveltensis Amanitarum [:-)]

	 Amanita Studies URL:
	 http://eticomm.net/~ret/amanita/mainaman.html
	 This site is edited by RET and Prof. Dr. Zhu-liang Yang

	 Similarity Metric URL:
	 http://www.amanitabear.com/
	 This site was co-developed by RET and
		 David C. Tulloss, Lambertville, NJ, USA

Hey Gang,
  I am looking for references or strong anecdotal
information on the occurence of Amanita velosa on the
West Coast. In particular, what is the farthest north
that it has been seen, and how far south (in CA)? Rod
informs me that it has been documented in live oak
stands on the Baja peninsula.

Any feedback from Steve T., or Nathan? Or?????

Thanks so much. You can reply privately, if you wish.

Debbie Viess

I've neither seen nor heard of it occurring in WA -- probably because we
have very little oak up here -- Garry oak is our only native species. If
it does occur here, it would probably be down near the Columbia Gorge in
Mike Beug's neighborhood.

In David Biek's Mushrooms of Northern California, it is listed as
occurring in foothill woodlands and yellow pine (Ponderosa, Jeffrey)
forest, with blue oak, interior live oak, and (rarely) canyon live oak.
Biek was from the Redding area.

If I had to guess, I'd say it extends northward into southwestern Oregon,
but then drops out as the forests lose their Californian character and
take on Pacific Northwest character.

Maybe the folks in HBMS can help ...

Cheers!

On Fri, 9 Mar 2007, debbie viess wrote:

> Hey Gang,
> I am looking for references or strong anecdotal
> information on the occurence of Amanita velosa on the
> West Coast. In particular, what is the farthest north
> that it has been seen, and how far south (in CA)? Rod
> informs me that it has been documented in live oak
> stands on the Baja peninsula.
>
> Any feedback from Steve T., or Nathan? Or?????
>
> Thanks so much. You can reply privately, if you wish.
>
> Debbie Viess
>
>

While I have found a lot of California species not otherwise known to occur in
Washington (or most of Oregon), I have never seen Amanita velosa associated with
Garry Oak (or any other tree)in the Columbia Gorge (or in Oregon, for that
matter, though I have not hunted the Southern 1/3 of Oregon).


-----Original Message-----
From: BayAreaMushrooms@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Nathan Wilson
Sent: Fri 3/9/2007 9:30 PM
To: BayAreaMushrooms@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [BayAreaMushrooms] Amanita velosa range

I've seen it as far south as Riverside County.  I believe it occurs
in San Diego county.  This is supported by the following species list:

http://www.sdmyco.org/SpeciesList4SDNHM.htm

but you'd have to check with someone in the San Diego club to confirm
that it actually came from San Diego county.  I believe they have a
voucher for this collection (see http://www.sdmyco.org/SDNHMCP.htm).

I have also seen something that everyone thought looked like Amanita
velosa in the White Mountains of Arizona (correct cap color, striate
margin, no veil).  However, it was growing under aspen in August.  I
doubt the specimen was kept, but Scott Bates might know for sure.

-Nathan

On Mar 9, 2007, at 2:56 PM, debbie viess wrote:

> Hey Gang,
> I am looking for references or strong anecdotal
> information on the occurence of Amanita velosa on the
> West Coast. In particular, what is the farthest north
> that it has been seen, and how far south (in CA)? Rod
> informs me that it has been documented in live oak
> stands on the Baja peninsula.
>
> Any feedback from Steve T., or Nathan? Or?????
>
> Thanks so much. You can reply privately, if you wish.
>
> Debbie Viess
>

I have seen an orange-capped taxon in the Chiricahua Mtns of AZ, in
montane New Mexico, and in Colorado.  My impression is that there are at
least two unnamed species involved here...and they are associated with
Aspen (in the "Canadian" ecological zone of the SW US mountains.  One is
the Midwest "crocea" that also exists at lower altitudes as far north as
Minnesota.  Another was provisionally called "Amanita barrowsii" by A.H.
Smith.  There is a possibility of a third undescribed orange species
with aspen in this area.

Rod Tulloss
--

	 Rodham E. Tulloss, PhD
	 P. O. Box 57
	 Roosevelt, NJ 08555-0057
	 USA

	 Telephone: +1 609 448 5096

	 Research Associate (hons.) New York Botanical Garden

	 Curator, Herbarium Rooseveltensis Amanitarum [:-)]

	 Amanita Studies URL:
	 http://eticomm.net/~ret/amanita/mainaman.html
	 This site is edited by RET and Prof. Dr. Zhu-liang Yang

	 Similarity Metric URL:
	 http://www.amanitabear.com/
	 This site was co-developed by RET and
		 David C. Tulloss, Lambertville, NJ, USA

Dear grand collective BAM-BAM,

I will volunteer to examine possible A. velosa material from north of
the southernmost point of the border of Eureka, CA, and south of the
approximate mid-point of San Diego Co., CA, from Pacific coastal
states/provinces of Canada, Mexico, and USA.  The results will be used
to amend information on the Amanita Studies website's page for Amanita
velosa.  A good photograph with dried material MAY (no sense of
certainty here) result in the photograph's being added to the web page
as well.  If you can control temperature in your dryer, please dry at
135 degr. F or a bit more.  If you can otherwise control humidity (air
conditioned or heated room, e.g.), that will help speed the process.
Quick drying of an Amanita creates the best chance of seeing roughly
normal spore size distribution on the gills and permits the best chance
of rehydrating (reinflating) the complex cell structure of the gills.

Very best,

Rod

--

	 Rodham E. Tulloss, PhD
	 P. O. Box 57
	 Roosevelt, NJ 08555-0057
	 USA

	 Telephone: +1 609 448 5096

	 Research Associate (hons.) New York Botanical Garden

	 Curator, Herbarium Rooseveltensis Amanitarum [:-)]

	 Amanita Studies URL:
	 http://eticomm.net/~ret/amanita/mainaman.html
	 This site is edited by RET and Prof. Dr. Zhu-liang Yang

	 Similarity Metric URL:
	 http://www.amanitabear.com/
	 This site was co-developed by RET and
		 David C. Tulloss, Lambertville, NJ, USA