Mushroom Club: 'New Look at an Old Genus,' March 2 @ 7:30 pm

"New Look at an Old Genus" which describes some of the recent work being done on the genus Lactarius while focusing on Midwestern species.

The Appalachian Mountains are a region of exceptional biodiversity, including at least 2500 species of mushrooms. A survey of the mushroom species of the Appalachian Mountains reveals that more than one third of the mushrooms have names that originate in Europe. More specifically, in the genus Lactarius, more than two dozen of the epithets from the Appalachian Mountains are of European origin. An ongoing project with a group of Belgian mycologists is assessing whether or not the European and Appalachian taxa are conspecific while attempting to better understand the mycogeography of Lactarius in the northern hemisphere. This presentation will summarize research to date while presenting images of some of the more common taxa, including a number of species from the Midwest.

A native of California, Andy’s formal education in mycology began under the tutelage of Dr. Harry Thiers at San Francisco State University and concluded as a doctoral student in Dr. Ron Petersen’s lab at the University of Tennessee. Since arriving in Illinois, he has traveled extensively throughout eastern North America collecting, photographing, and identifying fungi. Andy has published three books as well as numerous scientific and popular articles on mushrooms, led mushroom identification courses in Michigan and North Carolina, and presented lectures and workshops on fungi to a variety of audiences.


IMA MEETING LOCATION

Kendall College- School of Culinary Arts 900 N. Branch Street, Chicago, IL 60642 (Located just north of W. Chicago Ave. at Halsted St.)

PARKING AND ENTERING THE BUILDING: • There is free parking on the north side of the school-NOT in the front of the school. • You will need to pass security as you enter the building. • Our meeting room may be subject to change. Please ask about the room number as you enter.

DETAILED DIRECTION TO KENDALL COLLEGE: http://www.kendall.edu/about/directions-to-campus