Subject: Monches Woods, Wisc.

From: [email-masked] (Matt Anderson)
Date: 10 Aug 1994 08:05:28 -0500

Well, a previous post asked for reports of mushroom forays, so here
goes.

Over the past weekend we went to Monches Woods Ice age Trail in
Wisconsin (just outside Mequon, near Milwaukee, at the westmost point of
highway Q). We found about two-dozen different species, including a
large amount of chanterelles. We were not 100% sure of any other
species, but there were some large ramarias, a few russulas, several
boletus (getting mushy, though), and several other species. We also
found a small group of what we believe were black chanterelles (black
trumpets/horns of plenty), and a couple white chanterelles.

We often run into boletes in the north woods of wisconsin, but don't
really know how to tell the difference among the different species. Any
help would be appreciated, especially in identifying edulis.

Trevor Hyde
c/o [email-masked]

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From: Ron Baber <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 94 12:22:30 -0500

Thanks for the post on Monches Woods.  Re:Edulis, they are of course one of the
best edible.  I"m reluctant, though, to give a discription due to the
possibility of a possible dangerous misunderstanding.  There are several toxic
Boletes that are a little b
ons and photos.  Also, try to find an experienced 'shroomer to help you
identifythem.  Good luck and good hunting.

?

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From: [email-masked] (Geoff.Tennant)
Date: Tue, 16 Aug 1994 07:57:30 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> Ron Baber <[email-masked]> writes:
>From: Ron Baber <[email-masked]>
>Subject: Re: Monches Woods, Wisc.
>Date: Sat, 13 Aug 94 12:22:30 -0500

>identifythem.  Good luck and good hunting.

Dear Ron,

In South Africa, no poisonous boletes are known.  This, of course, does not 
mean that they do not occur here.  I know of Boletus satanas, but what are 
the other poisonous boletes?  'Shrooming is definately a minority sport 
here, with our first book (guide) on local mushrooms only released this 
year.  This makes me wonder whether they do occur in South Africa, and if 
they do, I'd very much like to know what they look like!  An example of our 
incomplete knowledge of fungal diversity is that a new Psilocybe sp. (P. 
natalensis) was recently discovered in S.A.  I have to agree with you 
though, boletes are definately in a different class when it comes to 
edibility.  As you northern hemisphere mycophagists go into winter, we in 
the southern hemisphere are going into our rainy, and hence mushroom 
season (ha, ha!).  Hang on, when is your mushroom season? (does it rain in 
your winter?- of course it does- silly me).  Anyway, our winters are 
extremely dry, and 'shroomers avidly await the onset of spring.  Of 
particular note in spring here is the beefsteak mushroom (Termitomyces 
umkowaanii or "kowe"- pronounced 'core wear').  This fungus has a symbiosis 
with termite colonies and can be as large as 1 meter in diameter!  
Furthermore they are a quite superb eating mushroom.  Can you northern 
hemispherians match this?

Geoff Tennant
Pietermaritzburg
South Africa