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Facts & Fiction

Rumor and belief undone

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Fiction

Poisonous or safe

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Poisonous when:

•Stains when bruised•Secretes milky juice•Turns garlic blue or black when cooked•Tarnishes silver•Has: scales, warts, or other types of rough surfaces

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Not poisonous when:

•Growing on wood•Eaten by others animals – rabbits, squirrels, slugs, insects•Is dried, boiled, salted, or pickled•Has no annulus•Is pure white

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Facts

Or the truth behind all the nonsense

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The facts Some fungi are poisonous People vary in their response Some people are allergic even to ‘safe’ fungi Some are poisonous only when eaten in

large amounts Some are poisonous when raw, but safe

when cooked Some are poisonous regardless Some are poisonous when consumed with or

within a few days of imbibing alcohol

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More Facts Some are considered poisonous due

to hallucinogenic compounds Some become poisonous after

freezing, decay, or with increasing age

Some are poisonous in part of their range, but not in others

Some are poisonous to animals but not humans, and vice versa

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EDIBLES:

5 easy to recognize

fleshy fungi for beginners

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MORELS Several species in

a number of habitats

Typically spring fruiting

Ascomycete Hollow interior

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PORCHINI or KING BOLETE Mycorrhizal with

conifers Fall fruiting pored

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CHANTERELLES Mycorrhizal with

conifers Late

summer/early fall Slow to develop Ours: more

apricot colored Folds – truly gilled

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SHAGGY MANES Black spored Deliquescing gills Fruits spring and

fall, but most abundant in fall

Associated with rich organic soils

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SULPHUR SHELF Pored, pore surface

usually yellowish to whitish

Ours: on conifers (other species on hardwoods)

Wood rot Annual Reports of some

people being sensitive