Mycology Toolkit

Our theme for Eden By The Bay this year is "Fungus Among Us: Mushrooms". While learning about mushrooms, nomenclature and terminology, I found a few excellent resources. This post captures a few of them, especially those relevant to Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area. They provide the start of a mycology toolkit for further research.

False Turkey Tail (Stereum ostrea)

Societies and Organizations

For enthusiasts and professionals:

• Mycological Society of San Francisco (MSSF) - https://www.mssf.org/

• North American Mycological Association (NAMA) - https://namyco.org/

• Fungi Perfecti - https://fungi.com/

Apps & Websites

Resources for identifying the fungi found in the field:

• iNaturalist (phone app) - https://www.inaturalist.org/

Identify mushrooms, and submit questions, photos, and observations. Available for iPhone at the Apple Store and Android at Google Play.

• MykoWeb - https://www.mykoweb.com/

Devoted to the science of mycology and the hobby of mushrooming. It is a production of Michael Wood, a past president of the Mycological Society of San Francisco.

• Mushrooms of California - https://www.californiafungi.com

Describes the higher fungi found in the state of California.

 

Databases & Educational Resources

Specialized databases for identification and research, such as: 

• USDA fungal databases - https://fungi.ars.usda.gov/

• MycoBank - https://www.mycobank.org/

• Marine Fungi - https://www.marinefungi.org

• University of California Museum of Paleontology - https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/fungi/fungi.html

• Mycologue Publications - https://www.mycolog.com/

The Fungarium

The Fungarium at Cal State East Bay - https://www.csueastbay.edu/news-center/2023/04/the-fungarium-at-cal-state-east-bay.html

The HAY Fungarium at Cal State East Bay, directed by Professor Brian Perry, is a specialized collection of over 6,000 macrofungal specimens, focusing on diversity from California, Hawaii, and Vanuatu. Located in the Department of Biological Sciences, it supports research in mycology, systematics, and, frequently, student-driven studies on fungal biodiversity.

Access to the HAY Fungarium at Cal State East Bay for research or specimen loans is managed by Dr. Brian A. Perry, who can be contacted at brian.perry@csueastbay.edu. Information about the collection is available online via MyCoPortal, and researchers interested in borrowing specimens should review their specific loan policies.

Community Scientist Projects

You can participate in mycological research as a community scientists. To get started:

• Get out into nature 
• Educate yourself on what to look for and what's out there.
• Use tools like iNaturalist to identify specimens
• Collect and document specimens, following local and scientific guidelines.

Find a project, for example:

• iNaturalist - https://www.inaturalist.org/projects

Submit your photos and descriptions to contribute to science.

• Mycomap - https://mycomap.com/projects

Find one or more projects to follow.

• Fungal Diversity Survey - https://www.fundis.org/get-involved

Become a community scientist in one or more programs.

Dyeing with Mushrooms and Lichen

An introduction to dyeing with fungi:

• North American Mycological Association: A short Selection of the Best Mushrooms for Color -  https://namyco.org/interests/education/dyes-and-papermaking/a-short-selection-of-the-best-mushrooms-for-color/

• Mycopigments: Lichen Dyes - https://www.mycopigments.com/blogs/news/lichen-dyes