Hello, I'm off to buy a book on Mushroom ID this weekend as it seems that I have loads popping up all over the property I just bought (lucky?) Here are three that I have photo'd. If anyone can tell me what they are , it would be hugely appreciated as a starter and I'll use a book from here on in. Unless I get something really exotic, then I'll post it anyway ;-) Picture one is next to my Tomato plants in a veggie bed that up until recently was lawn (any issues of toxicity transferring to the tomatoes or is that just paranoia?) Picture two was taken at the foot of a Douglas Fir. Picture three was taken at the foot of a Western Red Cedar. Cheers MXB
Congratulations on having such direct access to fungal diversity! #1 is the puffball Lycoperdon perlatum and it is not poisonous. (Regarding your question about whether mushroom toxins can be transferred to fruits growing with them, I would say that you shouldn't worry. However, I don't know that this has ever been tested.) #2 Offhand, it looks like a species of Agaricus. #3 I'm not sure about this one. I'd need more info once it develops a little more.
Hi from Victoria, #2 looks like a meadow mushroom, Agaricus campestris, and #3 I think is a (delicious) Prince, Agaricus augustus. If so, it will get large, get more golden brown and smell strongly of almonds. If not it is probably Agaricus praeclaresquamosus the poisonous Western Flat Topped Agaricus. If so it will get more gray, big, but not huge and smell unpleasant like chemicals (phenol). Both fruit at about the same times of year, and the poisonous one is much more common here in south BC. Gives you a pretty good idea why one should NEVER eat anything based on an internet ID without researching and confirming it yourself.
