Officers: *Chester R. Leathers, Ph.D., President
*Pat Donaldson, Membership Secretary/Treasurer *Terry Beckman, Field Trip Chairman
*Scott Bates, Webmaster  *Ann Therrien, newsletter editor

Tree– killing fungus reported in eastern Oregon
Ancient organism covers 2,200 acres

Associated Press report in The Arizona Republic August 5, 2000

Beneath the soil of the Malheur National Forest in eastern Oregon, a fungus that has been slowly weaving its way through the roots of trees for centuries has become the largest living organism ever found.

The Armillaria ostoyae, popularly known as the honey mushroom, started from a single spore too small to see without a microscope, and has been spreading its black shoestring like filaments called rhizomorphs through the forest for an estimated 2,400 years, killing trees as it growth. It now covers 2,200 acres.

“We ended up having under the landscape this humongous fungus,” Tina Dreisbach, a botanist and mycologist at the U.S Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Research Station in Covallis, Ore., said Friday.

In 1992, another Armillaria ostoyae was found in Washington state covering 1,500 acres near Mount Adams, making it the largest known organism at the time.

“We just decided to go out looking for one bigger than that,” Gregory Filip, associated professor of integrated forest protection at Oregon State University and an expert in Armillaria. “There hasn't been anything measured with any scientific technique that has shown any plant or animal to be larger than this.”

Forest service scientists are interested in learning to control Armillaria because it kills trees, Filip said, but they also realize the fungus has served a purpose in nature for millions of years.

The outline of the giant fungus, strikingly similar to a mushroom, stretches 3.5 miles across, and it extends an average of 3 feet into the ground. It covers an area as big as 1,665 football fields. No one has estimated its weight.

The discovery came after Catherine Parks, a scientist at the Pacific Northwest Research Station in La Grande, Ore., in 1998 heard about a big tree die-off from root rot in east of Prairie City, Ore.

On the surface, the only evidence of fungus are clumps of golden mushrooms that pop up in the fall with the rain.

Changing of the guard

(Editors actually)

As you probably heard by now, the previous issue was the last newsletter produced by Jean Gula. Our highly respected and ultimately capable editor has passed the quill to me, Ann Therrien.  Jean more than deserves our gratitude along with the honorable title: FUN-GI Editor Emeritus. With this goes a dedicated spot, of her choice, in the newsletter. Let’s hope she will find the time to make use of it prolifically. Judging from the archives and the short time I have had the privilege of associating with her, there is much that can be learned from her. Talk about a tough act to follow! Yet it is my ambition to uphold the high standards set by Jean and expected by the club members. Going forward—I ask Jean and all other AZMC members to please be patient, share your experiences, your expert knowledge and above all, let me know if I am meeting your expectations. With this kind of help, I will have no reason to fail as your new editor and I am looking forward to working with all of you. -- AT

News from the Web

by Scott Bates

email: [email protected]
website: http://members.aol.com/azmushclub/

Happy Birthday! The AZMC website had its second birthday on September 22, 2000. Since its conception nearly four thousand visitors have perused its pages. The website has also brought several new members to the club, has received many fine complements, and hopefully has served as a common ground for the exchange of information for our ever growing “cyber-myco-community”.

With the recent addition of a password protected Members Email List area, it is my hope that the website will now facilitate more communication among members. Car pools to forays could be set up, friendly email conversations could take place, and small informal forays could be arranged with members who live in your immediate area (Payson or Tucson for example).

To visit the AZMC Members Email List area simply click on ‘Email List’ on the navigation bar located on the left side of the AZMC homepage.

A page will open asking you to ‘click here to access the AZMC Members Email List area’. Click on that and a small window will open asking you for the password (contact me for the password). On the next page, choose one of the two lists, depending on the first initial of the members last name. Then simply click on the email address listed for that member. Your email program should automatically open with the member’s email address already displayed in the address window. All you have to do now is to type your message and send.  If you are using YAHOO, HOTMAIL (or any other than your original email program) you may have to copy and paste the address.

Give it a try, let me know if you are experiencing any problems, and feel free to contact me if you forgot the password. I will continue to send email updates on club events to our computer connected members.

This summer, I was pleased to see email communication used more frequently to inform our club scout, Terry Beckman, of weather conditions and fruitings throughout the state. Now that we have members in many areas of the state, a simple email letting Terry know when and where mushrooms are fruiting can save him hours of driving time! Looking toward the future - Not only will our newsletter have a new editor and look, but we will be attempting to put ‘The Arizona Fun-Gi’ on the web. I will keep you informed as this project progresses. If all goes smoothly, you may be reading this on the ‘World Wide Web’ at this very moment. If you are - welcome to the twenty-first century!

Let’s hope that mushrooms will fruit abundantly in the year 2001!!!

The Great Fungal Vocabulary Quiz

by Rich Therrien

Tribute to a Friend and Esteemed Mycologist

Chester R. Leathers, Ph.D

Harry D. Thiers was born January 22,1919 in Fort McKavett, Texas. He received his B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Texas.

At the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, we were office mates and studied under the late Professor Alexander H. Smith, one of the world's authorities on mushrooms. We have taken many field trips together into Michigan's upper peninsula and sweated in the lab, for many nights, over our identifications, also our doctoral exams.

Dr. Thiers began his career at Texas A&M University where he taught for 12 years. He then moved to California where he taught at San Francisco State University for 30 years.

Last year NAMA (North. American Mycology Association) recognized his achievements at a foray held in his honor in California. Dr. Thiers served many official roles in the Mycological Society of America. and was awarded its highest honor, the Distinguished Mycologist Award. He was awarded the California Academy of Sciences Fellows Medal, the highest award bestowed by this prestigious organization.

Many reading this message knew and loved Harry as one of the grand masters of Mycology.

There is some comfort in knowing that Harry had spent the day collecting mushrooms, and that night passed away in his sleep peacefully.

(Several Memorial Pages to Dr. Thiers have been set up on San Francisco State University 's Thiers Herbarium Server at :  http://www.mycena.sfsu.edu/memorial/main.html)

Rim Foray Report: Saturday, August 26, 2000

Approximately 27 eager seasoned ‘shroomers’ and novices, including some friends and family met at Willows Spring Lake parking lot east of Payson.

A warning had been issued to bring your rain gear, but luckily no heavy rain was experienced.

A brief sweep of the area around the parking lot turned up a (small) mixed bag of mostly in-edibles. After Dr. Leathers gathered the group to the usual foray briefing, some club business and introduction of newcomers and guests, we departed for a Forest Road further east. Two stops along this road turned up a variety of educational material and Dr. Leathers identified and discussed the finds, after which the party moved on to the next location. After a leisurely lunch, a sweep through the forest produced another meager, but diverse selection of fungi. Again, Dr. Leathers used the harvest to educate and share his extensive knowledge with members and guests.

On account of the lack of over flowing baskets, thundering sky and spotty light showers this foray was dubbed a mild success.  Personally, I consider any day spent in the forest, in pursuit of “All that the rain promises” a MAJOR JOY!

Arnie Bloomer's pictures can be viewed here http://members.aol.com/azmushclub/foraypics.html.

Words To ‘Live’ By

The old saying, "A little knowledge is dangerous" applies to mushroom identification. Practice your fungal hunter/gatherer skills safely, and spend the time to make sure you really know the mushrooms you want! Here are some simple rules you should follow to safely eat wild mushrooms:

The Foray Circuit

Mush-cellaneous

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The Arizona Fun-Gi is the official newsletter of the Arizona Mushroom Club AZMC,
and is published quarterly.

All articles appearing may be freely reproduced provided
the source and author are acknowledged.