Fruits of Decay: Mushrooms of the Midwest

Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota

This was a photographic exhibit highlighting some of the more common mushrooms found in the upper midwest. The exhibit was divided into three categories based on the functions the mushrooms perform in the ecosystem; Mycorrhizal fungi, those forming symbiotic relationships with the rootlets of plants; Parasitic fungi, those that are destructive to their host; and saprophytic fungi which subsist on dead or decaying matter. Each of the photo labels indicated type (mycorrhizal, parasitic, or saprophytic), edibility, toxicity, and where appropriate, type of toxin, distinctive features, and season of fruiting. This was a traveling exhibit provided by the Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota. Curator: Mark Davis, Biology.