One of the most significant mycologists to conduct research in the Adirondacks was William Alphonso Murrill (1869-1957), an American mycologist who made major contributions to the study of fungi in North America. Murrill’s research in the Adirondacks focused on the diversity and ecology of mushrooms in the region, including several species that were new to science.

William Alphonso Murrill

William Alphonso Murrill was born in New York and grew up on a farm in the Hudson River Valley. He studied botany at New York University and went on to earn a Ph.D. in mycology from Columbia University. Murrill was a prolific researcher and writer, publishing over 500 papers and several books on the diversity and ecology of fungi.

Research in the Adirondacks

Murrill conducted several expeditions to the Adirondacks between 1901 and 1907, where he collected and studied a wide variety of mushrooms. One of his most significant discoveries was the species Agaricus silvicola, which he found growing in the forests of the Adirondacks in 1902. This mushroom was later described as new to science and is now known as Gymnopilus silvicola.

Murrill also discovered several other new species of mushrooms in the Adirondacks, including Inocybe adirondackensis, which he found growing on the forest floor in 1905. 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, Murrill stayed at several different locations, including the Paul Smith’s Hotel, a historic hotel that was popular among scientists and naturalists at the time. The hotel was located near the St. Regis River and provided easy access to the forests and wetlands of the Adirondacks.

Murrill’s Legacy

William Alphonso Murrill 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:

• Murrill, W. A. (1903). The Agaricaceae of the Pacific coast. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, 30(7), 361-379.
• Murrill, W. A. (1905). New species of agarics from New York. Torreya, 5(4), 69-74.
• Murrill, W. A. (1910). The Polyporaceae of North America. Bulletin of the New York Botanical Garden, 7(25), 375-447.