what to do with 'rare' mushroom

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what to do with 'rare' mushroom

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cibi

Joined: 23 Oct 2006
Posts: 35
Location: Central Scotland

Posted: Wed Oct 25, 06 11:44 am Post subject: what to do with 'rare' mushroom

I found a cluster of pseudocratellus sinuosus, also called Craterellus calyculus (https://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/DisplayBlock~bid~6698~gid~.asp, and https://www.mushroomexpert.com/craterellus_calyculus.html and https://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/DisplayBlock~bid~6698~gid~.asp), but they are mentionned as rare, or on the red list on Roger's website. Over the last month they have multiplied quite a lot. I picked a few for identification and then ate them, delicious even if a bit small.
Does any one know what is the definition of 'rare', does it mean I can't pick any, or just in reasonable amount and being careful?

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Oct 25, 06 12:59 pm Post subject: Re: what to do with 'rare' mushroom

Always an interesting question with mushrooms this one.

Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of a larger organism, at least, thats how it works for most. For some of the leaf litter degraders the mushroom itself might constitute a large part of the whole organism, and allowing that shroom to rot down and re-colonise the substrate is likely to be very helpful to the species (pet theory of mine). Otherwise you might liken responsibly picking the mushrooms to taking apples of a tree.

But it ain't that simple. There are three things that'll cause a mushroom to be rare. One is the availability of good natural habitat; so, for example, Amanita echinocephala would probably never be common because it wants dry soil with just the right kind of content and just the right kind of tree cover. The second is the impact of man; some shrooms would be way more common if we didn't ruing their habitats, as you might expect! And the third is the more enigmatic one of climate, how conditions change and affect the rate at which new habitat is colonised by spores from mature fruiting bodies. So the more fruiting bodies you pick, the less spores there are, the less likely it is that in the right conditions for it to get going there will be colonisation.

And, of course, if you're picking something then with the best will in the world you can't rule out damaging it. You do your best, but nobody is perfect.

If its red list, don't pick it. Don't worry about the legalities or anything like that, just don't pick it. Enoy that you've found something unusual, take pictures, look at it, but leave it alone as best you can. Its your moral responsibility as a forager to care for your environment, and its amazing how often that means leaving well alone

cibi

Joined: 23 Oct 2006
Posts: 35
Location: Central Scotland

Posted: Wed Oct 25, 06 1:49 pm Post subject:
Thanks for the clear answer. I will take a few pics and post them to share. Now I have to find something as tasty but not endangered!

Róisín

Joined: 30 Jul 2005
Posts: 578

Posted: Wed Oct 25, 06 2:11 pm Post subject:
I will be interested in seeing the pics

doctoral

Joined: 19 Oct 2006
Posts: 697
Location: Now in Surrey ... I need a good avatar

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 06 9:23 am Post subject:

cibi wrote:

Thanks for the clear answer.
I will take a few pics and post them to share.
Now I have to find something as tasty but not endangered!

I look forward to seeing them

cibi

Joined: 23 Oct 2006
Posts: 35
Location: Central Scotland

Posted: Thu Nov 02, 06 12:35 pm Post subject:
Finally had time to go and take some pictures, didn't manage to get a good one of the underside unfortunately. Click to see full size image Click to see full size image Click to see full size image

doctoral

Joined: 19 Oct 2006
Posts: 697
Location: Now in Surrey ... I need a good avatar

Posted: Thu Nov 02, 06 12:47 pm Post subject: Re: what to do with 'rare' mushroom

cab wrote:

If its red list, don't pick it. Don't worry about the legalities or anything like that, just don't pick it. Enoy that you've found something unusual, take pictures, look at it, but leave it alone as best you can. Its your moral responsibility as a forager to care for your environment, and its amazing how often that means leaving well alone

Also, take a few pics of it and put it on this site so we can all enjoy

mimborin

Joined: 24 Oct 2006
Posts: 895
Location: near Southampton/ Winchester (Romsey)

Posted: Thu Nov 02, 06 1:03 pm Post subject:
Does anyone know if there is somewhere on the net that the red list for UK fungi can be viewed? Does it actually exist, or do we just go by what books like Rogers' say on the rarity? Edit: Good pics by the way! Thanks for posting them.

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