Tom Volk's Holiday Fungi

Tom Volk's Holiday Fungi

For the rest of my pages on fungi, please click http://TomVolkFungi.net

Special-- for the Tenth Anniversary of the Humongous Fungus!

Christmas

Fungi that are necessary for a merry Christmas.

Dec. 1999 Amanita muscaria, the fly agaric -- a hallucinogenic and poisonous mushroom-- with some Christmas tree ornaments.

Dec. 2000 Cladonia rangifera, one of the reindeer lichens

Dec. 2002 Saccharomyces cerevisiae, brewers' and bakers' yeast and cause of much holiday merriment. with co-author Anne Galbraith

Dec. 2004Daldinia concentrica, the coal fungus, carbon balls, cramp balls, or King Alfred's cakes.

Dec. 2005 Asterophora lycoperdoides, the star bearing powder cap mushroom. With co-author Jon Palmer.

Thanksgiving

Fungal Diseases that must be overcome to have a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner.

Nov. 2005 Phellinus igniarius, the flesh-flecked polypore, used by Native Americans, espceially Alaskans, as Iqmik. with co-author Diane Pleninger.

Valentine's day

Jan. 2006 Candida krusei, Geotrichum, and Acaulospora scrobiculata, a trio of fungi needed for making chocolate for Valentine's day

Feb. 2004 Phellinus tremulae, one of the causes of heartrot, in "honor" of Valentine's Day.

Feb 2003 Sporothrix schenckii, cause of Rose-picker's Disease

President's Day

Feb. 2005. This month's fungi are molds (deuteromycetes) that are found on money!

March Holidays

Mar. 2004 Spinellus fusiger, in honor of Albert Einstein's 125th birthday. with co-author Adam Gusse.

Mar. 2003 Marasmius oreades, the fairy ring mushroom, special for St. Patrick's Day

Mar. 2002 Amanita caesarea, Caesar's mushroom. Beware the Ides of March!

Mar. 2001 Phytophthora infestans, a pathogen that causes late blight of potato, which was responsible to the Irish Potato Famine in the middle 1800's. Warning: there's a 232 kilobyte 15-second QuickTime video that will load automatically if you have the right plugins for your browser. If you have a slow connection this may take a while to download. Here's an alternate page without the video.

April Fool's Day

Apr. 2005 Gymnopilus spectabilis, waraitake, big laughing Gym, a hallucinogenic mushroom..

Easter

Apr. 2004 Auricularia auricula-judae, Judas' ear fungus, in honor of Easter.

It's a mycological Easter egg hunt! Start by clicking here.

Summer solstice-- June 22

June 2005 Faerie cups, various Ascomycota species such as Microstoma floccosum, Aleuria aurantia, Sarcoscypha occidentalis, Geopyxis carbonaria, in honor of the summer solstice. With co-author Rebecca Curland

FourthofJuly

Jul. 2000 A patriotic trio of corticioid (crust) fungi: Phlebia coccineofulva, Hyphoderma puberum, and Pulcherricium caeruleum

Jul. 2002 Cladonia cristatella, the British Soldier Lichen, with pictures taken at Minuteman National Park in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts.

Jul. 2004 Suillus americanus, the chicken fat mushroom. The "americanus" part celebrates America on her birthday- and the page may bring back memories of a loved (or hated) childhood song.

Jul. 2005 Sphaerobolus stellatus, the cannonball fungus, in honor of "the rockets' red glare." with co-author Laurie Leonard.

Halloween

Oct. 1997 The Jack-O-Lantern Mushroom, Omphalotus olearius or Omphalotus illludens

Oct. 1999 Claviceps purpurea, cause of the plant disease ergot and likely factor in the Salem Witch Trials

Oct. 2000 Tremella mesenterica, witch's butter.

Oct. 2001 Hygrocybe conica, the witch's hat mushroom

Oct. 2002 Monotropa uniflora, the ghost plant, aka Indian Pipe.

Oct. 2004 Hydnum umbilicatum, the sweet tooth mushroom -- special for Halloween

Oct. 2005 Lactarius rubidus, candy caps.

Oktoberfest

Hemitrichia serpula, the pretzel slime mold.

Veteran's Day

Nov. 2003 Penicillium chrysogenum (=P. notatum), the source for penicillin-- making it possible to have more veterans for Veteran's Day.

Return to Tom Volk's Fungus of the month pages listing

For the rest of my pages on fungi, please click http://TomVolkFungi.net

It would be great to hear from you. Let me know what you think about these pages.

volk.thom@uwlax.edu

or you can write to my snailmail address at:

 
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