Have you got a tale to tell .... some wildlife folklore. There must be loads of interesting associated folklore to share.
I'll start with:
Fungi used by Native Americans - Puffballs
Many types of mushrooms were collected and used by Native Americans. The mushrooms would be used fresh or dried and shredded for later use. A popular species was the
Giant Puffball (Langermannia gigantea).
Many North American Indian tribes had their wages paid in puffballs.
The Omaha Indians used to fry slices of puffballs in bear oil or deer tallow. They would also boil them in water with any meat remains, bones and grease to make a meaty mushroom soup. This soup was extra special if it included fungi such as Morels (Morchella esculenta), Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) and
St Georges Mushroom (Calocybe gambosa).
Another popular soup was Acorn soup. Fresh mushrooms were added to give it a fuller flavour.
In hard times when insufficient puffballs were found they would often substitute Lichens, some of which were regarded as a delicacy!
Occasionally mistakes were made in identification, especially so when young amanitas were taken for Lycoperdon perlatum. After eating poisonous types, an antidote was prepared which consisted of boiled deer brains in water!
The Lakota tribe of Native Americans used clean dry puffballs in their medicine. They would smother large wounds with puffball spores to slow bleeding and aid in blood clotting (Medicinal Styptic). The Dakota, Ponca and other Plains tribes also realised the importance of this species.
The Cherokee's used to place small puffballs on the navel of a newborn child to dry the umbilical cord.
Menominee, Potawatomi and Rappahannoks tribes would use crushed powered puffballs as a talcum powder to prevent skin chafing.
The Blackfoot used Calvatia craniformis spores to treat eye infections and internal haemorrhaging.
..... and this is just the beginning
John