Mushrooms

Fungi are more commonly known as toadstools. Not all fungi have a stem and cap of the usual toadstools but they all have a similar lifestyle. The main portion of the organism is the mycelium. These are the tiny threadlike tubes that are seldom noticed but which are all important to the life of the fruiting bodies which are the "toadstools". Here are pictures of some of the more common edible fungi that you might find. However, it would be a disservice to the collector not to warn them of the very dangerous Amanita family of mushrooms that can kill. They are found in New Mexico along with the many (over 700 species) other mushrooms. If you wish to collect mushrooms for the table I recommend that you go with someone from the Mycological Society who is well versed in mushroom identification.

Amanita Bisporagera
This white mushroom is probably the most deadly of all the Amanitas. It is seldom found in New Mexico but the possibility of finding it should never be discounted. All parts of the fungi are white. There is NO antidote to the toxin and it kills the cells of the liver and kidneys. Moreover the toxin is recirculated through the system so that even a small dose is usually fatal. Since the discovery of organ transplants the treatment of choice is to transplant liver and/or kidney organs as soon as it is possible.

Amanita Caesarea
The amanita family is well know for its deadly members. This amanita however, is edible and very good, at least Caesar Augustus thought it was good, so much so that the mushroom is named after him. It can be distinguished from the deadly amanitas by its yellow gills, large white volva, yellow stem and yellow to red cap with a white universal veil.

Amanita Muscaria
This beautiful amanita muscaria is often thought to be deadly and/or hallucinogenic. However, the variety that grows in New Mexico is neither. People foolish enough to try it, will regret it because it causes very painful stomachaches and diarrhea. It is probably the most well known of all mushrooms because of the red cap with white spots.

If you are concerned about knowing the deadly mushrooms you may find this web site useful to you.

Click here: NAMA: Toxicology Additional pictures and information about mushrooms may be found at this site.

Boletus Edulis
The highly regarded Boletus edulis is famous around the world and each country and language has its own name for them. They have pores under the cap rather than gills and have a sweet nutty taste. The worms like them as much as people do and so do many of the forest animals. They are edible all the way from the tiny 1 inch buttons to the huge 10 inch whoppers (if you can get them before the worms do).

Boletus Barrowsii
Sometimes Boletus Barrowsii is even larger and sweeter than the Boletus edulis and the worms like it even better. The only difference between the two is the color of the cap and its chosen environment. B. Barrowsii likes to grow on the edges of clearings while B. edulis prefers to be in the shade of evergreens.

Cantharellus cibarius
The chanterelle is one of the mushrooms that grows in our spruce forests. It fruits in the fall and is highly sought after. On a recent trip to the mountains a friend of mine gathered 16 pounds of them in one day. They reportedly have the taste and smell of apricots and a peppery after taste. I however, can neither taste nor smell them.

Lactarius Deliciosa
Lactarius are a group of mushrooms that ooze a liquid (or milk) when they are damaged. L. deliciosa has orange 'milk' and when damaged, the mushroom tissue turns green. It is quite nutty in taste. Some people prefer to pickle it.

There are many characteristics that must be observed in order to make a true identification of a mushroom so take a careful look. From the point of view of the mushroom collector, what you need to observe in order to identify a mushroom are the following:

The Habitat
    In Woods
        On ground or soil
            In grass
            On duff
        On wood
            Dead wood - saprophytic w/what species
            Living wood - parasitic on what species
                Symbiotic on what species
        On dung
        On other fungi
        Below ground
    On lawns or in gardens
        In a fairy ring
        On buried wood
        On compost or in compost pile

Mushroom characteristics present
    Universal veil
        Present
            Broken tissue
            Tissue intact
            Slime layer
        Absent
    Volva
        Present
            Dry tissue
            Sac like
            Friable
            Breaking up into scales
        Absent
    Cap
        Present
            Cap Shape
                Conical
                Convex
                Concave
                Flat
                Funnel
            Color
                Usually any color except green
                Combination of colors
                Darker Center
                Darker Edge
            Surface texture
                Smooth
                Leathery
                Felted
                Hairy
                Crackled
                Slimy
            Size
                Measure it
            Tissue texture
                Firm
                Soft
            Cap edge
                Plane
                Inrolled
                Striated
                Deliquescent
        Absent
     Veil or Ring
        Present
            Slimy
            Fibrous
               How it breaks
               Cog wheel pattern
               Hangs from edge of cap
               Hangs from stem
           Cortina: this is composed of very fine fibers that connect the edge of the cap with the stem. Mushrooms that have a cortina are usually in the cortinarius family. On mature specimens the cortina is only visible as minute fibers that may be visible because of the deposit of spore on them. Since the spores of most cortinarius are brown then they show as brown filaments hanging on the stem.
        Absent

    Spore bearing surface (hymenium)
        Gills
            Attachment to stem
                Free
                Adnate
                Notched
                Decurrent
            Gill edges
                Smooth
                Wavy
                Serrate
                Differently colored
            Secrete milk when broken or cut
                Color of secretion when fresh
                Color of secretion when not fresh
        Pores
            External
                Color
                  Color change on being damaged, bruised or on aging
                Easily freed from cap tissue
                    Not easily freed from cap tissue
            Internal
                Color
                    Color change when cut
                    Color unchanging when cut
        Toothed
        Columella
            Present
            Absent
    Pimples on exterior surface of fungal body
Spores if available from spore print
        Color
            Colorless to black
        Other characteristics are only available by using a microscope because the spores are too small to be seen without magnification.
    Stem
        Absent
        Present
            Shape
                Straight
                Tapered
                Bulbous
                Rooting
                    W/ rhizomorphs
                    W/ mycelial mat
             Size
                Measure it!
                    Length
                    Diameter
            Texture
                Fibrous
                Brittle
            Hollow
                W/string
                W/o string
            Not hollow i.e. solid
    Growth habit
            Solitary
            Clustered
                From single growing point (ceaspitose)
                From many growing points
     Smell
        Pleasant
        Mushroomy
        Unpleasant
        Phenolic
        Seminal
        Anise
        Other
    Taste
         Pleasant
         Bland
         Bitter
         Very bitter
         Peppery
         Pungent
         Almondy
         Other
As you can observe from the long list above it isn't easy to identify a fungus by just casual inspection. Here in New Mexico we have found and have identified over 700 species of fungi. Learning all of them is a slow task that few people are willing to undertake. Therefore it is imperative that one learn the poisonous species as soon as possible if you plan on eating any of them
If you have any comments about the above information I would appreciate hearing them. Send me email by clicking here.

Mushrooms of New Mexico If you would like to use a Power Point Presentation for yourself or for a group of interested friends using Power Point viewer, double click on the blue underlined link.

Fungi of New Mexico