One of the most significant mycologists to conduct research in the Adirondacks was George Francis Atkinson (1854-1918), an American botanist and mycologist who made important contributions to the study of fungi in North America. Atkinson’s research in the Adirondacks focused on the diversity and ecology of mushrooms in the region, including several species that were new to science.
George Francis Atkinson
George Francis Atkinson was born in New York and studied botany and agriculture at Cornell University. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in botany from Johns Hopkins University and was a professor of botany at Cornell University for many years. Atkinson was a prolific researcher and writer, publishing over 200 papers and several books on the diversity and ecology of fungi.
Research in the Adirondacks
Atkinson conducted several expeditions to the Adirondacks between 1894 and 1900, where he collected and studied a wide variety of mushrooms. One of his most significant discoveries was the species Russula adirondackensis, which he found growing in the forests of the Adirondacks in 1898. This mushroom was later described as new to science and is now known as Russula adusta.
Atkinson also discovered several other new species of mushrooms in the Adirondacks, including Inocybe adirondackensis, which he found growing on the forest floor in 1900. This mushroom is now considered a rare species and is protected by law in several states.
Where He Stayed
During his expeditions to the Adirondacks, Atkinson stayed at several different locations, including the Saranac Inn, a historic hotel located near the Saranac Lakes that was popular among scientists and naturalists at the time. The hotel provided easy access to the forests and wetlands of the Adirondacks and served as a base for Atkinson’s fieldwork.
Atkinson’s Legacy
George Francis Atkinson was a prominent figure in the field of mycology and made significant contributions to our understanding of the diversity and ecology of mushrooms in the Adirondacks and other regions of North America. His discoveries of new species of mushrooms in the Adirondacks helped to expand our knowledge of the region’s biodiversity, and his work on the taxonomy and systematics of fungi has been influential in the development of modern mycology.
Sources:
- Atkinson, G. F. (1900). New species of fungi from New York. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, 27(3), 137-145.
- Atkinson, G. F. (1905). The Mushroom Book: A Popular Guide to the Identification and Study of Our Commoner Fungi, with Special Emphasis on the Edible Varieties. Doubleday, Page & Company.
- Smith, A. H. (1930). George Francis Atkinson. Mycologia, 22(1), 1-5.