It seems to me every September it has been a kind of tradition to have a study session for mushrooms among Kanagawa Forest Instructors. Though, these two years the programme was cancelled due to visits of typhoons. This September senior instructors told me “Well, it’s a sort of blessing in disguise. We cannot find much mushrooms now in our forest!” It was true. Although we had lots of rain this summer, it was still damned hot in September. Mushrooms need the temperature down to 15°C to sprout. Among instructors there was a standard lamentation about climate change and global warming … Then in October, when we began to have cooler mornings, fungus burst out here and there. “Typhoons? So what?” was an atmosphere mushrooms carried. They are positively cool and cute. Majority of them are poisonous. Wonderful combination. 😈 This week I show you some of the photos I took for these funny creatures. Er, all the names are of my guessing work. You see? I have not had a chance to attend the seminar!
Honey-Capped Amanita (A.
melleiceps Hongo). Poisonous.
Nameko mushroom (Pholiota microspore) … if my identification is correct, they must be tasty.
Lepiota
acutesquamosa. Poisonous, but cute,
don’t you think?
Sorry for this out-of-focus photo. I think they are Tsukiyotake (Omphalotus japoicus). They are luminous fungi so that if we find them after dark, they must emerge in dark vaguely … Romantic. Aaaaaaand, it is said that they are long-known tool for murder plots. In Konjaku Monogatarishu 今昔物語集 of the 12th century Japan, there is a tale (#28-18). One of the subordinates of a famous monk tried to kill his superior in order to succeed the post of the boss. The murder weapon was Omphalotus japoicus. His attempt was in the end unsuccessful, but we know Japanese of the 12th century recognized the power of this mushroom … Lessons learned here is, “Please be careful during rat race” whichever century you live.
Shaggy Chanterelle (Gomphus
floccosus). Poisonous
Angel wing (Pleurocybella porrigens). Heavenly name, but poisonous. It seems to me there is a legend this mushroom is tasty. But its effect is deadly. After several incidences in 2009, not only Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, but also Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries issued emergency warnings.
Blusher (Amantia
rubescens). Look like French country breads. Cute but POISONOUS.
Hedgehog Mushroom (Albatrellus confluens). Some reference books say the mushroom is milky white, but the others point out individual differences in colors. So, from its size (big) and peculiarly undulating umbrella it could be Albatrellus confluens. There is no clear-cut description about the toxicity of them, but they are now researched as ingredients for medicines. If they are effective for clinical use, I don’t think it is recommendable to consume them in volume …
Common Funnel (Clitocype gibba), though it could be Clitocype acromelalga. If latter, it gives eaters excruciating pain in their peripheral nerve. A wise keeps away from danger …
Shaggy scalycap (Pholiota
squarrosa). Poisonous.
Sulphur tuft (Hypholoma
fasciculare). Deadly.
Lyophyllum connatum. European name is White Domecap, but this site says Japanese ones are different. Poisonous, FYI.
I think it is Entoloma cyanonigrum … Although with this photo it’s not possible to see, it has a bluish stem. At least Japanese culture does not have a tradition to eat it as its color looks very poisonous. Poisonous or not, don’t you think it looks so elegant?
I felt it is rather rare to meet an edible mushroom in a forest … isn’t it? One thing is for sure. You can eat any one of them if you wish, at least once. Aka, there is no guarantee you have a second chance with them. 💀💀 Please play it safe. Perhaps, next year we would have mushroom study session in October …
If you find
environmental issues in Kanagawa Prefecture, please make a contact with Kanagawa
Natural Environment Conservation Center 神奈川県自然環境保全センター
657 Nanasawa, Atsugi
City, 243-0121
〒243－0121 厚木市七沢657Phone: 046-248-0323
You can send an enquiry to them by clicking the bottom line of their homepage at http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/div/1644/
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