Mushroom hunting,mushrooming,mushroom picking,mushroom foraging, and similar terms describe the activity of gatheringmushrooms in the wild. This is typically done forculinary purposes, althoughmedicinal andpsychotropic uses are also known. Expert analysis is required to distinguish between useful andpoisonous species.
The practice is popular throughout most of Eurasia and Australia, as well as intemperate regions of North America.
Numerousfield guides on mushrooms are available to help distinguish between safe,edible mushrooms (ormedicinal orpsychotropic fungi) and the manypoisonous or inedible species.Morphological characteristics of thecaps,gills, andstems of mushrooms are often essential for correct visual mushroom identification. Microscopy is sometimes needed to eliminate lookalikes.[1]
A common identification technique is thespore print, in which a mushroom is placed on a surface andspores are allowed to fall underneath. This technique is often used bymycologists and mushroom hunters distinguish identify thegenus or species of a specimen and differentiate between similar-looking taxa.[2]
Knowing where and when to search for mushrooms is an important identification skill that takes practice. Most mushroom species require specific conditions. For example, some species only grow at the base of a certain type of tree. Finding a desired species known to grow in a certain particular region can be challenging.[3][4]
The termlittle brown mushroom (LBM) refers to any of a large number of small, dull-colouredagaric species, with few uniquely distinguishingmacromorphological characteristics.[5] As a result, LBMs typically range from difficult to impossible for mushroom hunters to identify. Experienced mushroom hunters may discern more subtle identifying traits that help narrow the mushroom down to a particular genus or group of species, but exact identification of LBMs often requires close examination of microscopic characteristics plus a certain degree of familiarity or specialization in that particular group.[6]
Additionally,boring ubiquitous mushroom (BUM) describes groups of difficult to identify larger agarics, many of which are in the genusHebeloma.[7][8]Just another Russula (JAR) can refer to any species ofRussula that is common or difficult to identify.[9][10]Yet another Mycena (YAM) describes any of the manyMycena species that are common, nondescript, or difficult to identify.[11]
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Although some individual species do not preserve well, many do with proper care. MycologistDavid Arora recommends the use of a firm container such as abasket, with lighter specimens stored above heavier ones and species being separated usingwaxed paper (notplastic bags, which trap moisture and cause rot); as the negativegravitropism of fungi tends to orient the gills downward, taller mushrooms must be stored upright.[12]
Mushroom hunting is popular throughout most of Europe, Asia and Australia, as well as intemperate regions of Canada and the United States.[13][14][15][16]
Nuclear fallout from theChernobyl disaster is an important issue concerning mushroom picking in Europe. Due to the wide spread of theirmycelium, mushrooms tend to accumulate more radioactivecaesium-137 than surrounding soil and other organisms. State agencies (e.g.Bellesrad in Belarus) monitor and analyze the degree ofradionuclide accumulation in various wild species of plants and animals. In particular, Bellesrad claims that Svinushka (Paxillus ssp.), Maslenok (Suillus ssp.), Mohovik (Xerocomus ssp.), and Horkushka (Lactarius rufus) are the worst ones in this respect. The safest one is Opyonok Osyenniy (Armillaria mellea). This is an issue not only inPoland,Belarus,Ukraine andRussia: the fallout also reached western Europe, and until recently the German government discouraged people gathering certain mushrooms.[citation needed]
