The Edible Mushroom Quiz

Mushrooms are actually the fruits of fungus. The fungus itself is simply a net of threadlike fibers, called a mycelium, growing in soil, wood or decaying matter.

To go mushrooming, you need a flat-bottomed basket or box to safely carry the mushrooms without damaging them. A roll of waxed paper is useful to wrap the mushrooms individually to prevent them from getting crushed or bruised. Additionally, a digging tool is necessary to carefully extract the mushrooms from the ground without causing any harm. Therefore, all of the above equipment is required for mushrooming.

There are hundreds of mushrooms that will cause anything from a mild stomachache to severe physical distress-including vomiting, diarrhea, cramps and loss of coordination. Two such poisonous mushrooms of this type are the jack-o'lantern and the green-spored Lepiota. Although the symptoms of poisoning from these mushrooms may be alarming, they usually pass in 24 hours or less with no lasting effects.

Every mushroom hunter should be familiar with the three most dangerous groups of fungi. These are the amanitas, the false morels and a catch-all category known as little brown mushrooms (LBMS). Mushrooms in these groups cause virtually all the fatal mushroom poisonings in the United States, with amanitas alone accounting for 90 percent of mushroom-related deaths.

To avoid mushroom poisoning, you should follow these five rules: 1. Identify each and every mushroom you collect, and only eat those whose identification you are sure of. When in doubt, throw it out. 2. Strictly avoid: any mushroom that looks like an amanita (parasol-shaped mushrooms with white gills); all little brown mushrooms; all false morels. 3. Some people are allergic to even the safest mushrooms. The first time you try a new wild mushroom, it is important that you eat only a small amount and wait 24 hours before eating more. 4. As with other foods, rotting mushrooms can make you ill. Eat only firm, fresh, undecayed mushrooms. 5. Most wild mushrooms should not be eaten raw or in large quantities, since they are difficult to digest.

Beginning mushroom hunters should avoid all parasol-shaped mushrooms with white gills. Amanitas are usually found on the ground in woodlands in summer and fall, but be on the lookout for them whenever you hunt for mushrooms.

The shaggy mane or lawyer's wig is so large and distinctive that with a little practice you can identify it from a moving car. The cap of a fresh specimen is a long, white cylinder with shaggy, upturned, brownish scales. The gills are whitish, and the entire mushroom is fragile and crumbles easily. Most important, as the shaggy mane matures, the cap and gills gradually dissolve into a black, inky fluid, leaving only the standing stalk. Size 4" to 6" tall, sometimes larger. Shaggy manes are best when picked while they are young and before the caps begin to turn black. However, until you become familiar with these mushrooms, check for the developing ink to be sure of your identification.

The given answer is true. Nicholas Evans, the author of "The Horse Whisperer," was indeed hospitalized in September for eating a rare species of poisonous mushroom while on vacation in Scotland.

There are an estimated 100 species of mushrooms that are poisonous to humans and about 15 - 20 of these are lethal when ingested.

Most poisonings, about 95 percent, occur as a result of misidentification.

All of the listed symptoms (mild nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea) can be experienced by a person who has ingested poisonous mushrooms. These symptoms are commonly associated with mushroom poisoning and can vary in severity depending on the type and amount of toxins present in the mushrooms. Therefore, the correct answer is "All of the Above."