Events

In the course of collecting polypores for the last 40 years Leif has visited over 70 different countries which has resulted in 50 000+ collections in […]

Mushrooms that look similar are not always the same species as evidenced by an abundance of DNA studies on genera like Cantharellus Trametes Armillaria and Morchella. […]

The mutualistic relationship between trees and fungi has been well-known for over a century, and metaphors emerging from this interaction have become increasingly common in popular culture. But we have learned many nuances in recent days – we'll cover some of the frontier of research involving the intricacies and nuts-and-bolts mechanisms of this famous symbiosis.

An introductory lecture on mushroom identification and other basic skills ...

How can I find out more about fruiting these blocks or using them for other applications? We’ve scheduled a Zoom lecture with three panel presentations by […]

Our first talk will look at the history of popular interest in fungi and mushroom clubs. Tracing popular mushroom foraging to the 1880s, DeDe-Panken will discuss an early iteration of American mycophilia which brought a new population of non-professional mushroomers into the field. Like today, they sought a combination of gastronomic, scientific and personal enrichment. She'll argue that the mushroom fad legitimized women’s participation in citizen science by tethering foraging knowledge to elevated, economical cookery and as a public safety necessity to prevent poisoning. Enthusiastic laywomen claimed space and belonging as collectors, writers, illustrators, and club leaders. Yet while expanding opportunities for some, privileged mycologists’ insistence on certain forms of expertise fueled exclusion along class, race and ethnic lines. Ultimately, this research seeks to elucidate tensions surrounding sustenance, science and authority that remain with us to this day.

Rosanne Healy will talk about travels and work to better understand the relationships, ecology, and life history of the group of fungi that we know as “the cup fungi”. These are the fungi that include the famous black perigord truffles, delectable morels, and iconic scarlet cups. They also include many lesser known, but fascinating truffles and cup-shaped, columniform, and saddle-shaped fungi.

Using examples from research that has been done on specimens from the Farlow fungarium I will outline how these specimens contribute to modern taxonomic and systematic studies and how curatorial practices contribute to or distract from accurate study of collections. How was it possible to determine that a species suspected to be extinct was found to be widespread in eastern North America? What can collections tell us about the high and unexpected diversity of species of an often-collected genus of tropical fungi? Where was Charles Wright when he collected Puccinia triarticulata and how did he get there? These and other questions will be examined through the eye of a long serving curator.

The ‘wood-wide web’ has captured the interest of broad audiences. Common mycorrhizal networks namely fungi that physically link roots of different trees together are purported to […]

Do you love learning about mushrooms but have heard 'Cortinarius' are too hard? It doesn't have to be that way! Shannon is here to spread her love of the Cortinariaceae and to give you resources to help you get to know the species in your area. She will give us an update on Cortinarius taxonomy (including new genera that have been proposed), pointers on distinctive sub-genera and resources that will empower you to learn more. During the talk you will get to know some of our Cortinarius 'celebrities' and have new resources to work with when you find these diverse and beautiful species in your backyard.