"Sandy Hook NJ" mushrooms, Brookdale College "Ocean Institute" Sandy Hook, NJ - "Dave Grant" Sandy Hook, NJ

Sandy Hook's Mushrooms
Other microbes and decomposers

	Mushrooms were a mystery to ancient peoples. The Greeks thought they came from Zeus's lightning because they appeared after rain. In the Middle Ages, "fairy rings" like the spreading growth of mushrooms near the Sandy Hook Museum, were thought to be where the "little people" danced at night and performed their magic.
There are over 700 species of mushrooms in North America. They are classified with the plant kingdom but since they lack chlorophyll, they live as saprophytes, parasites or as mychorrhizae Different parts of a typical mushroom that are used to identify it are the cap, stalk, ring, gills and veil.
	(Left) The cap is often round, but may change with age (Above). Gills are arranged differently in many species and assist in identification (Below, left). An activity you can try with mushrooms is making spore prints on paper (See any Mycology book for details.) (Left) A ring around the stalk helps identify this large parasol (Agaricaceae). It sprouts up near maple trees and probably functions as a mychorrhizae - living in a symbiotic relationship with tree roots. (Below, right) Saprophytic mushrooms like this Japanese umbrella feed on organic material like the wood chips they are helping to break down.

	Mushrooms grow singly, in rings and in clusters or "families." Although some mushrooms are edible and delicious, never sample any mushroom unless you are absolutely certain of the species...or it comes from the market wrapped in plastic or is served on your pizza. Many species are poisonous.
Many of the "shelf" fungi grow in bizarre shapes and are parasitic on specific types of trees
Oak stem
Some shelf fungi are remarkable large (Note pen).	On a Cherry tree
Puffballs (Calvatia) are some of the largest mushrooms and may reach 24" across and contain 7-trillion spores. (Note Dave's classic Size10-1/2 sneaker!)
(Right) Most mushrooms disappear after a week or so, but the Geasters (Geo = earth, aster = star) may persist for months in sandy places like the poverty grass areas of Sandy Hook. They open or close to release spores, depending on the humidity.
Puffball Day 1.	Puffball Day 2.
2005 Additions	Lawn
Lawn mulch	Oak root
Lawn	Beneath sassafras
Beneath sassafras	Beneath sassafras
Day One after pushing through the dirt. One of the mysteries about mushrooms is how quickly they appear from the ground after a rain.	This is how the same pair appears on Day Two. They have begun to open up to release spores. Beneath sassafras


(Note to self) Wash the dishes on Friday! Mold on Dave's tea on Monday morning. More on Decomposers