What's in a Name? Mycology Etymology

Culinary Historians of Chicago

What's in a Name? Mycology Etymology Anna Henning Many scientific names for fungi (known as binomial nomenclature) are difficult enough to pronounce, let alone understand. Have you ever wondered what Craterellus means, or why turkey tails are in the genus Trametes? Knoweledge can be challenging to retain if we don't have a framework for understanding it, but this talk will make it fun and easy to remember! Have you ever struggled to remember the scientific names for mushrooms or felt confused when looking through your mycology guide? Often the clues to remembering and understanding binomials are hidden in plain sight, and after attending this talk I'll bet you will be surprised at how much more familiar these tricky names are to you than you thought! For word nerds, history buffs, and mycoenthusiasts alike. Anna Henning (they/them) is a self-taught mycoenthusiast and native New Englander currently living in Oregon. Lead by curiosity, Anna began learning about mushrooms in 2014, when they happened to be living in an incredibly diverse fungal region of central Massachusetts, and began sharing that knowledge online through Instagram under the name @Breakfast_of_champignonz in 2018. For the last year Anna has been sharing most Mondays about the etymological roots and meanings behind scientific mushroom names in an effort to make binomial nomenclature more accessible to the non-scientific community. An historically picky eater, Anna enjoys finding, photographing, and learning about mushrooms even more than eating them. Anna's favorite fungi to find are Grifola frondosa (Maitake/Hen of the Woods), Calostoma cinnabarinum (stalked puffball), Exsudoporus frostii, and Gyroporus cyanescans, and their life motto is, "Always be looking, always be learning!" Recorded via Zoom on May 17, 2021 IllinoisMyco.org