Image of the Week: Mycophile
This is a bumper (or water bottle) sticker I recently designed to help raise awareness of the proposed New York State mushroom, Lactarius peckii or "Peck's Milky," named after Charles Horton Peck, the State Museum's renowned botanist from 1866 to 1913.
That the state Senate is even considering such legislation is groundbreaking in and of itself. We have state flowers, state birds, state gems – but until now, no state fungi. At the federal level, we find mushrooms lumped with vegetables in nutrition guidelines. In alternative medicine, fungal remedies are called "herbs." And a graduate degree in this rapidly growing field of science is still hard to find, other than the study of forest pathogens.
Not for long. Mushrooms are finally being recognized, classified, mapped and studied. Fungal diversity surveys such as fundis.org are underway, with contributions from citizens scientists all over the country. The data is impressive: two to ten million species of mushrooms are estimated to grow on our planet – more than all species of animals and plants combined – creating a network of fine mycelial threads under every square inch of soil on earth. With their ability to break down and translocate minerals from rock and soil into roots, fungi are what makes it possible for plants to live on land, and for forests to exist. And without the diligent decomposing action of saprophytic mushrooms, the earth would be covered in dead wood and soil would cease to regenerate.
From data flows funding – from which both fungi and people are bound to benefit. Research on mushrooms is research on soil itself, on forests, the food chain, medicines for everything from cancer to Covid, and on ecological restoration. Pioneering mycologist writers, researchers, and innovators have opened doors for the common reader to discover the amazing world of fungi. My favorite books so far are Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake; Mycelium Running by Paul Stamets; and The Complete Mushroom Hunter (Revised Edition) by Gary Lincoff.
Lactarius peckii is classified as a mycorrhizal mushroom (myco=mushrooms, rhizal=roots), forming symbiotic relationships with hardwood trees, often oaks. The tree provides carbohydrates from photosynthesis to the mushroom mycelium, and the mycelium provides essential nutrients to the tree, extends the reach of its roots, and increases its water absorption. L. peckii is an indicator of forest health, fruiting where its hosts thrive. Like most mushrooms in this genus, as the name suggests the mushroom yields a sort of "milk" from its gills when scored with a knife. Its cap is fleshy and sturdy, with concentric rings of color.
In addition to my work as an artist, for the past five years I've worked part-time for Catskill Fungi, making high quality medicinal mushroom extracts, assisting at educational workshops and events, writing newsletters, and more. Last year I got to paint a mushroom mural in our commercial kitchen – that was really fun! I also forage and cook wild mushrooms myself – essential nourishment that feeds not only my body but my art. The more I learn about mushrooms, the more they inspire me.
I enjoyed illustrating and designing this sticker. The trick was finding a view that would show both the colorful pattern on the cap and the crowded gills underneath – for gills are a crucial characteristic in identifying mushrooms. This "milky cap" becomes less umbrella-shaped and more like a funnel as it ages. I tried, through patient layers of brushstrokes, to articulate the velvety dry texture of the cap.
The stickers are 4" square, and are selling for $4 each. If you're interested, please inquire by responding directly to this email. If you're local, you can find the stickers at the Tender Land gift shop in Phoenicia, NY.
If you're curious about mushrooms and live near New York City, the New York Mycological Society's "Fungus Festival," will take place on Randall's Island from 11am to 3pm on Sunday, October 23 (tomorrow as I write this post) – offering a cornucopia of events for budding mycophiles and seasoned mycocentrics alike.
America is known as a mycophobic country, compared to the mycophilic cultures of Europe and Asia, where people grow up gathering and cooking wild mushrooms. Folks tend to be wary of mushrooms here, and don't realize how delicious the edible ones are, how powerful the medicinal ones are, and how beneficial even the poisonous ones are to the trees they partner with.
Not for long. One forager, one farmer's market, one mushroom club and festival at a time, people are waking up to the fantastic world of fungi.
A good week to all!
