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David Lewis, an avid mycologist from Newton County in East Texas, will give a presentation on “Mushrooms of Texas” on June 30 at the Gillespie County Historical Society Building, 312 West San Antonio Street in Fredericksburg beginning at 7:00PM. The program will be part of the regular monthly meeting of the Fredericksburg Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas. The free program is open to the public.

Lewis, who spent his career as a chemist, has bachelor and masters degrees from Lamar University in Beaumont. Lewis’ thesis was based on a study of East Texas mushrooms. He is a research associate with the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, where his 5,000 collections of fungi are housed. Lewis, an honorary staff member of the Tracy Herbarium at Texas A&M University, is currently serving as president of the Gulf States Mycological Society. Lewis has authored several papers on mushrooms and discovered many new species, three of which have been named for him.

Lewis will give a general overview on mycology, common mushrooms and tips on how to identify major genera. As some mushrooms are tasty delicacies, while others can be deadly poisonous, Lewis’ presentation will be useful in understanding the differences and cautions necessary to avoid serious harm.

For more information about this program or the Native Plant Society of Texas, please call John Huecksteadt at 830-997-4843.