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Background: Folk biology commonly contains knowledge of many more taxa than those of immediate economic importance. Species with little or no practical use are, however, often overlooked by ethnobiological research. An example are a few Myxomycetes taxa which played an important role in the folk biology and beliefs of pre-industrial Sweden and adjacent Nordic countries, Denmark, Norway and Finland. Such organisms are not of less interest for the understanding of human-biota relationships; local knowledge about the entire biota in a given environment should therefore be studied to comprehend the full range of folk biology. Methodology: This qualitative study analyses and reviews historical data available in archives and published ethnographic collections as well as scattered and fragmentary notes in the literature using a historical ethnobiological approach. Results: Peasants in the Nordic countries recognized three taxa of myxomycetes. Scrambled egg slime, Fuligo septica (L.) F.H.Wigg., in particular attracted interest and is known by many local folk names. This slime had no practical value or use, yet it was well known in folk biology and associated with a supernatural malevolent being which in the shape of a hare or cat stole milk or butter on behalf of a witch. The belief in evil origins of slime became the cause of violent actions such as whipping and burning of the organism. Two other taxa, Lycogala epidendron (L.) Fr. and Mucilago crustacea F.H.Wigg., have also been observed in folk biology, but data on how they were perceived and treated is sparse. Conclusions: The sudden appearance of strange shapes and clear colours of myxomycetes in damp weather created both fear and curiosity; these odd organisms required explanations, interpretations and actions. Our example of the economically irrelevant myxomycetes in Sweden and nearby Nordic countries indicates that interpretations in pre-industrial societies of natural phenomena and various organisms, connections with beliefs and perceptions about the surrounding environment and the possible consequent actions should be studied alongside economic plants and animals in ethnobiological research, for a deeper understanding about folk biology and the multilayered and multidimensional relationships between humans and biota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Studia Scandinavica is the property of University of Gdansk / Uniwersytet Gdanskim and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

An introduction is presented in which the author discusses various reports within the issue on topics including folklore in northern countries of Sweden, Finland, and Estonia, concept of heritage and tradition, and role of the body in making, preserving, and maintaining heritage.

This article looks at the impact that folklore study has had on the study of ethnology in Sweden as a whole. The author suggests that the former has greatly influenced the latter and helped shape it as a course of study. The history of folklore study in Sweden is explored as well as the predominant trends. An effort is made to present the two areas of study as inherently linked in Sweden.

The article presents proceedings from the Swedish American Genealogist workshops of 2005 and 2006, held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Details are given highlighting several genealogy research projects which were addressed at the conference, including the family history of the author, the folklore and superstition of Swedish culture, and immigration records from 1904.