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Beginning an interest in fungi - Part 1

by Rus Shulla, Fungimap News No. 2, June 1996

As a rank beginner involved in fungi, it may be worthwhile to make some notes about how I got started and what was useful. Fungi is difficult as it doesn't seem to make sense until you've had a bit of experience.
I started out mainly because I found the colours in fungi fascinating and because I had discovered that not much was known about it.
It took me two years to start to feel confident about identifying different genera, although I knew a number of isolated species which I have taken the time to learn. Trying to identify species is almost impossible in many cases without a microscope with x1000 magnification -- and don't be conned that you can see spores with less magnification.
The very first thing I actually did was to identify two species -- the Fly Agaric, Amanita muscaria,and the Rainbow bracket fungus, Trametes versicolor. With these easily-identifiable fungi, I examined each in detail to learn about the various parts. In doing this I kept in mind our common eating mushroom available in shops. I found out about gills versus pores; cap shape, size, colour and texture; stems or no stems; the presence of the annulus or ring and whether there was a volva (cup at the base).

Parts of larger fungi

Armed with these notes I marched out into the field and started describing what I saw -- I still couldn't identify many though. With each species I found I took a photograph of the cut up fungi on a piece of cardboard. I cut it to show gills, shape of cap and placement and type of stem. The cardboard had one centimetre wide strips of coloured card threaded through it and allowed me to check the photograph's colour accuracy and also gave a size reference for later use.
I also put a label on next to each collection being photographed. The label gave location, date and collection number.
When I went out I took containers -- old margarine containers, 35mm slide containers or even freezer bags. I also took a note book and pen, pocket knife to cut the fungi into half or quarters for photographing and of course my carnera.
When I got home I would look up the books I had until I came to a photo that looked similar and had a similar description. While I was wrong more often than not, l think this practice made me more discerning later on.
After attending a lecture by Tom May at the Field Nats, I went out to buy some books and pamphlets to add to the famous and extremely useful introduction A Field Companion to Australian Fungi by Bruce Fuhrer. These publications are:
Fungi: Toadstools, mushrooms and their relatives. (Junior Survival) a pamphlet by the Gould League
Tony Young; Common Australian Fungi; UNSW Press 1994
CJ Shepherd and CJ Totterdell; Mushrooms and Toadstools of Australia, Inkata Press, 1988
These were excellent and well worth the money.
Now, I can identify fungi into broad categories and recognize some genus that I have taken a particular interest in. One of the more interesing ones I have found is the Bolbitius vitellinus and Aseroë rubra which occur where I live. The best way to learn, however, is to go on a field trip with a group and to attend a lecture or seminar on fungi.
The FNCV has many field trips these days looking for fungi. Going out with people means you will learn a lot and have fun while you're doing it.
Yours,
Rus Shulla.

Last modified on 24 September 1998

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