Microscopy for Purposes of Identification (Newbie Question)

[Paul F. Lehmann, Ph.D.]

In article <33923DC3.4081 at crosslink.net>, > Tim Childress
timantoi at crosslink.net wrote:

> Hello All.  ........Now I wish to use it (light microscope> 
>  to identify mushrooms, making permanent slides of spores from prominent
> edible and toxic species, and perhaps doing a bit of photomicrography.
> Can anyone point me to resources for help on technique, supplies,
> references, online images of spores, etc.?

There's a good section on microscopical techniques in the book ' Ammirati
JF, Traquair JA, ANd Horgen PA.  Poisonous Mushrooms of the Northern
United States and Canada.  Minneapolis: University of Minnesoata Press,
1985.  I believe it is now is now out of print, but most good main public
libraries will either own a copy or can get you one on loan.

> P.S.  Mushroomers, you might find this anecdote interesting.  My
> wife comes from Thailand ("Sawaddi khrab thugthug khon; phom phuud
> phaasaa Thai dai nidnoi.").  Last Fall, we were
> strolling through our woods when she spied a mushroom.  She was
> overjoyed to find that America, too, has straw mushrooms, and assured
> me it was edible.  Knowing even less about mushrooms than I do now,
> but knowing the danger of not knowing, I advised her to leave it
> alone. 

If you don't already know, the Toxicology group in the North American
Mycological Asociation (NAMA) has a special project going on making
posters aimed at persons from SE Asia because they "recognize" mushrooms
with a volva as all being straw mushrooms. I just saw a copy in my last
mailing from them.


Paul Lehmann
Medical College of Ohio