24 FLOURISH • SPRING 2014
Each specimen is carefully examined
for distinguishing field characteristics in-
cluding smell, stalk, gills or sponge, col-
or, and habitat that will help us identify
the species. With nearly 475 varieties of
wild mushrooms on record in the Point
Reyes National Seashore alone, there is
no substitute for expertise. Indiscreet
consumption of toxic varieties can mean
a trip to the emergency room for severe
gastrointestinal distress--or worse. Fortu-
nately, only a couple of local species are
deadly poisonous.
Recognizing these culprits is second
nature for seasoned foragers, but nov-
ices should use professional assistance
to confirm their finds before consum-
ing them. Local mycological societies
in Sonoma, San Francisco, and the East
Bay are valuable sources that will aid
foragers in determining what they have.
Hamilton also recommends consulting
online resources like mushroomobserver.
com, SOMA-MushroomID@yahoogroups.
com, and mushroomtalk.com, where for-
agers can post photos of their finds for
identification. We are cautioned to keep
in mind that photo ID is not always reli-
able, and depends on the quality of the
photo and the visibility of the specimen.
As a rule of thumb, following a "when in
doubt, throw it out" philosophy is better
than risking the alternative.
Eventually we take a right turn, and
begin a steady uphill assent on a single-
track trail that winds through California
Tanoak, elegant sword ferns, and wild
huckleberry. Hiking in this thick, fog-
shrouded woodland is like stepping into
a J. R. R. Tolkien novel, and I half expect
elves or Hobbits to emerge from the
mist. We pause frequently so Hamilton
can point out native trees and vegeta-
tion that are favored growing places for
fungi. Having a firm grasp of different
biological communities is another criti-
cal tool in a forager's arsenal. It takes
decades of experience to recognize ideal
mushroom habitat, and learn which spe-
cies of fungi are likely to be found in
each ecosystem.
Suddenly, a victorious cry goes up
from the lead and we scramble to see
the source of the commotion. Our shoes
crunch and crackle through the musty
underbrush as we tramp excitedly to a
nearby Tanoak trunk which is sporting
a flush of oyster mushrooms just out of
reach. Undaunted by the challenge, one
woman rigs a makeshift scythe from
a pocket knife and her walking stick,
which she uses to retrieve the creamy
white specimens from their perch. After
everyone has had a chance to examine
the haul, she carefully wraps her trea-
sure in a sack cloth to carry home.
Triumphant at last, the group contin-
ues trekking with a renewed sense of
Each specimen is carefully
examined for distinguishing field
characteristics; there is
no substitute for expertise.
Tubaria Furfuracea Leratiomyces Ceres
