Thread: Wild Mushrooms
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Old 23-05-2013, 11:27 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Tom Gardner[_2_] Tom Gardner[_2_] is offline
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Default Wild Mushrooms

wrote:
In article ,
Tom Gardner wrote:

A much more useful site is
http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/

The photos are good (multiple specimens, cross sections etc),
he has good identification tools, clearly identifies poisonous
species and has good general advice.

However:
- his photos in his books are better; they are the
default standard for amateur mycologists

- it is unwise to rely on any single source of photos,
pen portraits, keys etc


Yes. he has the usual problem with Boletus satanas, of course :-)

That is almost universally claimed to be deadly, but evidence for
that is essentially absent. While there probably has been the odd
death, that is also true of many of the poisonous mushrooms NOT
classified as deadly - some people are very sensitive to particular
toxins or otherwise vulnerable. But nobody wants to risk downgrading
it to merely poisonous!


Personal experiences...

False Chantarelle (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca) is usually marked
as poisonous and/or inedible. However as it wasn't marked that
way in the early 70s, I've eaten lots with the only result being
that I had a delicious meal. Location: Headly Heath, North Downs,
under bracken.

Shaggy Parasol ((Macro)Lepiota racodes) is often marked as edible.
I've eaten it and found it delicious. On a different occasion,
however, it caused my entire alimentary canal to rebel - maybe
it is significant that it was growing under laurel.

Conclusion: wild food is indeed wild.