During her sentence growing up in Bulgaria , Iliana Antonova ’s founding father would take her mushroom hunt in a local timberland . Years later , the Montreal - based Antonova found herself returning to her passion out of nostalgia . She also cites “ a heightened involvement in the instinctive world . ”
As Antonova “ began encounter an fantastically diverse and Brobdingnagian range of fungi , ” she decided to hone her identification skills . These days , she ’s proud to call herself as an partizan and provider of waste mushrooms .
She documents her finds via herInstagramaccount .
We spoke to Antonova about some of her most eye - catching discoveries and how you may stay secure when mushroom foraging yourself . We also verbalise about the elusive Agarikon mushroom cloud .
Foraging Mushrooms to Engage With Nature
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Antonova pronounce that as she grew more adept at identifying wild mushroom , she “ became comfortable consuming my finds and with this came a swell perceptiveness and respect for the huge premium available through forage hazardous edible . ”
She adds that “ mushroom hunting presents an opportunity to engage with nature in a purposeful way . ”
discover how you’re able to originate mushroom on compost at your home plate .
The Science of Smelly Mushrooms
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When it come to favorite mushrooms , Antonova has a preference for fungi possesing a “ bizarre and otherworldly nature . ”
One of her most dear finds areStinkhorn mushrooms(Phallaceae ) . She draw these as “ very phallic front mushroom ” that “ get on within hours and let loose the most horrid stench conceivable . ”
The smell , she pronounce , is a form of “ reproductive strategy that has evolved as a agency to draw insect to the fruit consistency . They shoot down on the gooey smelly tip and , in flying aside , diffuse the mushroom cloud ’s spores . ”
She add together , “ I think the ability of a mushroom species to mime the look of rotting flesh — as it ’s often describe — to ensure its endurance is incredible ! ”
Get to Know the Fly Agaric Mushroom
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Whenever Antonova come across aFly Agaric mushroom(Amanita muscaria ) , she say “ it feels like I ’ve stumbled into a fairy story ! ”
The fungus in question is often seen in daddy culture . It can be place by its vivacious cherry-red and white dotted capital ( although in sure regions the mushroom appears as yellow ) .
“ Interestingly , this coinage has hallucinogenic dimension and historically has been used for ritualistic purposes by a number culture , most notably the indigenous peoples of Siberia , ” she explains . “ It ’s a beautiful and very distinct mushroom to receive . It has a fascinating ethnic story as well . ”
Hunting the Elusive Agarikon Mushroom
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When asked about her Holy Grail mushroom that she ’s yet to give chase down , Antonova adduce the Agarikon mushroom-shaped cloud ( Laricifomes officinalis ) .
“ It is a saprophytic kingdom Fungi that only grows in old - ontogeny woods on cone-bearing trees , peculiarly on Douglas fir tree , ” she says . “ Because its habitat has become so compromised , it is one of the rarest mushroom to encounter in North America . It reportedly has tremendous medicinal potential but is relatively understudied . ”
How Green Elf Cup Mushrooms Stain Wood
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TheGreen Elf Cup mushroom(Chlorociboria aeruginascens ) sometimes sully the Mrs. Henry Wood textile it grow on . Antonova describes the colour as “ a very intesnse hopeful teal . ” She says it “ seem almost contrived within the setting of a timberland surroundings . ”
When it come to the scientific discipline behind this summons , Antonova explains that the “ green stain is because of a quinone pigment call off xylindein , which get through the wood by mode of the mycelium . The resulting material has been pertain to as ‘ light-green oak ’ and has been used for century by woodworkers incorporating this naturally stained textile into marquetry . ”
Tips on Safe Mushroom Hunting
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concerned in learn more about the world of raging mushrooms ?
Antonova recommend search your stuffy forest in a curious but respectful way . Begin by learning to identify a smaller “ achievable number of species of interest . ”
She also warns to never consume a mushroom unless you are “ utterly certain it is safe to do so . ” She adds , “ As the professionals say , all mushroom-shaped cloud are edible — some only once ! ”
