8007028 - Introductory Mushrooming

Course Description

Explore the mysterious, weird and wonderful world of fungi! From giant puffballs emerging from the ground to strange little bird's nests growing on wood. Learn to distinguish editble Agaricus from deadly Amanita.

The morning will begin with a short classroom discussion of general categories of fungi: slime moulds, moulds, sac, club, jellies, corals, toothed, puffballs, stinkhorns, polypores, boletes and mushroom. We will then set out for a morning foray in the deciduous forested areas of The Arboretum. After a few hours of collecting, we will return to the classroom to sort, identify and assemble the species list, noting habitat and host substrate for each species. In the afternoon we will do another foray into the cedar - spruce - hemlock dominated forest on the nature reserve of The Arboretum and then assemble a species list for this area. At this time of year, in the autumn, it is likely that we will encounter 75 - 100 or more different species representing a wide range of both slime mould and fungi. There will also be discussions ranging from the crucial roles mushrooms play in the environment to cool natural history facts.

Each person will be provided with checklists to record the day's finds and a list of suggested resources. Please bring a collecting basket of some sort. You are encouraged to bring a field guide, such as George Barron's field guide, Mushrooms of Ontario and Eastern Canada as well as a digital camera and jump drive for sharing photos. You should also bring sunscreen, insect repellent, water, snacks and a lunch. Guest Instructor: Tim Myles.