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29 January 2020 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Dr Marieka Gryzenhout and Gary Goldman.
Mushroom
Scutellinia scutellate, commonly known as eyelash cup, molly eye-winker, scarlet elf cap, or eyelash fungus, grows gregariously, or in clusters, and sometimes in dense swarms on moist hardwood logs, sometimes near water or marshy places.

Citizen scientists and nature lovers who are serious and enthusiastic about fungi, can now sit back and relax with a copy of the recently published nature guide titled FField guide to mushrooms & other fungi of South Africa (Penguin Random House Struik, Cape Town).

Dr Marieka Gryzenhout, a C-rated scientist and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Genetics at the University of the Free State (UFS), co-authored the book with Gary Goldman, amateur mycologist from Cape Town.

The book contains descriptions of 200 species and extensive background information and tips on fungi.

‘They are all beautiful to me’

Dr Gryzenhout says fungi are her passion, both small and large. “Interest in mushrooms is currently booming in South Africa, and there was thus a great need to bring out a book with more species than my previous book, Pocket Guide to Mushrooms of South Africa, published in 2010.”

The latter is the first book that Dr Gryzenhout published on South African mushrooms. The book is still available in stores and she is currently revising it.

She does not have a favourite mushroom or fungus, “because they are all beautiful to me”, she states. In the book she published with Goldman, they cover, among others, general information on what fungi are – since very few people know about them. The book also serves as an identification guide, with a range of photographs for each species to make identification easier. 

Goldman furthermore added his flair and expertise, with general information on how to forage for mushrooms (hunting for mushrooms) for the dinner table, together with some tasty recipes.

“Citizen scientists are mostly interested in the edible fungi and mushrooms. However, they are beautiful and conspicuous, and it is gratifying to find them and actually being able to identify this rather ill-studied group,” adds Dr Gryzenhout.

Contributions of citizen scientists helpful

She says, in general, people were overjoyed that another guide on mushrooms was finally published. Dr Gryzenhout continues: “The excellent range of photographs, contributed by a variety of citizen scientists, were stunning and helpful.  In the time when the book came out, no less than seven mushroom-related societies were brought to life by citizens due to the rapidly growing interest in fungi and the need for information. A follow-up to the book is already needed!”

She says the book is bought as gifts and prizes in these societies, “which we are really humbled about. Since the book contains a number of first reports for South Africa as well as a range of edible and poisonous fungi, it is also important for biodiversity and human health.”

More than 1 500 copies of the book have already been sold since is appearance.

News Archive

Parking at UFS for visitors
2007-11-10

UFS creates more parking for visitors

In its effort to make it easier for visitors to park on the Main Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein, two paid parking areas will be put into operation as from Monday, 5 November 2007.

These parking areas are part of a comprehensive new parking strategy of the UFS, which is being implemented since September 2007. As part of the strategy, areas of the central campus have been reserved for staff and visitors and hundreds of new parking areas were developed for students at the entrance in Wynand Mouton Avenue (at the Faculty of Health Sciences) and the entrance in DF Malherbe Avenue (at the Agriculture Building).

“The paid parking areas for visitors, which are as close as possible to the busy and largely closed-off central campus, were created as an additional service to visitors,” said Ms Edma Pelzer, Director of Physical Resources at the UFS.

According to Ms Pelzer, persons who attend meetings, seminars or short courses, visiting colleagues, consultants, service providers, family of students and staff members, clients, etc. can make use of this parking.

“We have found that it is often difficult for visitors to obtain parking in or close to the central campus. Now they will have a choice to either park in the visitors parking areas at a minimal fee or to park in any of the open unreserved parking areas on campus,” said Ms Pelzer.

The areas, which will be closed off behind booms on weekdays from 06:00 until 18:00, are situated to the eastern side of the “Red Square”, east of the CR Swart and Idalia Loots Buildings and west of Campus Avenue North between the Psychology and the Flippie Groenewoud Buildings.


Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za  
2 November 2007

Parking for visitors: Important notice:

As from Monday 5 November 2007 two paid parking areas on the UFS Campus will be put into operation. The areas will be closed off behind booms on weekdays from 06:00 until 18:00. These will be manned and R3 per hour will be charged.
 

The following areas are involved:

  • P3: The area to the east of the “Red Square”, east of the CR Swart and Idalia Loots Buildings.

     
  • P6: The area to the east of Campus Avenue North between the Psychology and Flippie Groenewoud Buildings.

    The friendly co-operation of users of motor vehicles on campus is requested to allow this implementation to proceed as smoothly as possible.

Parking for visitors: More information

The strategy to create paid parking areas for visitors

The decision to reserve areas in the central campus areas for the convenience of visitors was taken as part of the comprehensive new parking strategy of the UFS approved by the Executive Management in May 2007 and which is being implemented since September.

All visitors need not park in these areas. Visitors may park for free on any open (unreserved) parking bay on campus. These paid parking areas for visitors, as close as possible to the busy and largely closed-off central campus, have been created as an additional service to visitors.

The strategy to close off parts of the central campus for staff members and visitors was implemented after sufficient alternative parking areas had been developed for students.

What is meant by the term “visitors”?

It includes all persons who are not students of staff members of the UFS and who visit the campus for one reason or another. Persons who attend meetings, seminars or short courses, visiting colleagues, consultants, service providers, family of students and staff members, et cetera are included.

As at present, it will, of course, be possible to make special arrangements with Protection Services to make it possible for VIP visitors to park as near as possible to their destinations.

No student or staff member will be actively prevented from parking in the area. They will, however, be discouraged by the fact that R3 per hour will be charged without exception.

The visitors’ parking area and access to it

  • P3: The area to the east of the “Red Square”, east of the CR Swart and Idalia Loots Buildings. The area is within easy walking distance for visitors to, among others, the following buildings: George du Toit Administration Building, Theology Building, Idalia Loots Building, CR Swart Building, Johannes Brill Building, Van der Merwe Scholz Hall.

    The area is conveniently accessible from the following entrances: Nelson Mandela Drive, Groenewoud Street and Wynand Mouton Drive.

     
  • P6: The area to the west of Campus Avenue North, between the Psychology and Flippie Groenewoud Buildings. The area is within easy walking distance for visitors to all the academic buildings in the central campus, such as the Chemistry Building, Stef Coetzee Building, the Geography Building, et cetera and located directly opposite the general information point on the Thakaneng Bridge.

    The area is conveniently accessible from the following entrances: Fürstenburg Road and DF Malherbe Avenue (at the Agriculture Building).

     

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