The First Blush of Winter

How wonderful it is that, rather than feeling cold dread as Winter approaches, there is excitement and anticipation in the air— at least among California fungophiles. When it comes to mushrooms, the first rains of Winter mean abundance, not scarcity; exuberant life, not quiet dormancy.

In the East Bay hills where I live, the fruits of the forest are poking up through the duff everywhere you look. This year looks to be very good for the Amanitas, especially the coccora (Amanita lanei). The coccora is one of our most prized mushrooms, similar in many respects to the beloved Caesar's Amanita of Europe. The coccora has some very distinctive characteristics, including a thick, white universal veil, which eventually separates to form a thick patch of white on the cap and loose sac at the base of the stem (stipe). In addition, the edge of the cap always shows distinct striations, at every stage of development. It is in all respects a very handsome mushroom!

Unfortunately, it shares its genus with the two most deadly mushrooms found locally: Amanita phalloides (the “Death Cap”) and Amanita ocreata (the “Destroying Angel”) . The threat posed by accidentally eating these mushrooms is so grave that many otherwise brave mushroom collectors avoid the Amanitas altogether. No one should consider eating any mushroom in this genus until they have long experience with identifying the poisonous species, gained through careful study and consultation with experts (like David Mackler, below, pointing out the characteristics of A. phalloides in Claremont Canyon). The poison contained in these fungi dissolves the victim's liver, and is fatal unless it is treated immediately and aggressively. To learn more about these dangerous fungi, click here, and here. For a first-hand account by a survivor of Amanita poisoning, click here.

The Death Cap appears to be a recent introduction to California, possibly having hitched a ride with some cork oaks to Stanford University as late as the 1940s. Since it is associated with oaks (though not necessarily symbiotically), it may drive out other, native forest fungi— such as chanterelles. I know of at least one oak woodland where A. phalloides seems to have replaced the chanterelle in the last decade or so. Whenever I see Death Cap buttons, I smash them under my boots; a futile gesture, no doubt. Mycologist Anne Pringle of Harvard has led the study of this nasty shroom, sometimes using old mushroom guides as a way of triangulating on their historical distribution. You can read (or listen to) an account of her work here.

The boletes are also making themselves known, but not where I'm looking for them (as usual). My friend David Wilson sends me this photo of himself and Vicky Friedman in Mendocino this weekend, with some of their haul of king boletes, Boletus edulis. The photo came with the intimation of a dinner invitation. I'm still waiting...