The North American Mycological Association (NAMA), is a non-profit organization of amateurs and professionals who are interested in fungi, including mushroom

Mushroom

A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...

s, morel

Morel

Morchella, the true morels, is a genus of edible mushrooms closely related to anatomically simpler cup fungi. These distinctive mushrooms appear honeycomb-like in that the upper portion is composed of a network of ridges with pits between them....

s, truffles, mold

Mold

Molds are fungi that grow in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae. Molds are not considered to be microbes but microscopic fungi that grow as single cells called yeasts...

s, and related organisms. NAMA aims "to promote, pursue, and advance the science of mycology

Mycology

Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy and their use to humans as a source for tinder, medicinals , food and entheogens, as well as their dangers, such as poisoning or...

."

Membership

Membership is open to all persons interested in fungi, including both professionals and amateurs of any skill level.

Publications

The official journal of NAMA is McIlvainea: The Journal of Amateur Mycology, which is published bi-annually.

NAMA members also receive The Mycophile, NAMA’s bi-monthly newsletter.

NAMA members also provide educational material for teaching and learning about fungi via their website.

Activities

Since 1961, NAMA has sponsored an annual foray, at which members meet to collect and identify mushrooms and other fungi. Each year the foray takes place in a different location in North America.

NAMA tracks North American mushroom poisoning

Mushroom poisoning

Mushroom poisoning refers to harmful effects from ingestion of toxic substances present in a mushroom. These symptoms can vary from slight gastrointestinal discomfort to death. The toxins present are secondary metabolites produced in specific biochemical pathways in the fungal cells...

 cases (of humans and animals), and maintains a registry for submission of new cases. NAMA also provides a guide to mushroom poisoning symptoms.

External links

• Official webpage of the North American Mycological Association
• NAMA Registry of Mushroom Poisoning cases
• Mycological Society of America
  Mycological Society of America
  The Mycological Society of America is a learned society that serves as the professional organization of mycologists in the U.S. and Canada. It was founded in 1932...
  
  , NAMA's sister society for professional mycologists http://www.msafungi.org/