The Mushroom Guide and Identifier: The Ultimate Guide to Identifying, Picking and Using Mushrooms

Product Information

For more than 30 years, amateur mushroom foragers have been using David Pegler’s guide to brush up on their species identification skills. It focuses on the information you need to collect fungi safely, including notes on the appearance, location and seasonality of different varieties. Use Reliable Field Guides: Carry reliable field guides or mushroom identification books specific to the UK during your foraging expeditions. These resources provide detailed descriptions, photographs, and identification tips to help you accurately identify mushrooms. Foraging Guides: Explore comprehensive foraging guides to learn about the seasons, locations, and identification of various edible mushrooms. Wild Mushrooming: A Guide for Foragers melds scientific and cultural knowledge with stunning photography to present a new way of looking at fungi. It models 'ecological foraging' – an approach based on care, conservation and a deep understanding of ecosystem dynamics. Unfortunately, some readers find the book’s organization counter-intuitive or cumbersome, making its use for ID in the field difficult, and some editions have a few problematic errors. And while this book includes over 700 species, in attempting to cover an entire continent, it must inevitably leave out many species.

Gary Lincoff's book " The Complete Mushroom Hunter," offers a wide overview of the mushroom foraging world, plus the chance to learn from one of the best. Anyone who is more inerested in the kitchen than the forest will want to opt for " Wild Mushrooms: A Cookbook and Foraging Guide" instead. What to Look for in Mushroom Books ID and Photos Alison Pouliot is an ecologist and environmental photographer with a focus on fungi. She is active in Australian and international fungal conservation and her writing and images appear in both academic and popular literature. Alison’s fungus forays, which she conducts across both hemispheres, attract a range of people from foragers and philosophers to rangers and traditional owners. Her recent book The Allure of Fungi poses fundamental questions about human-fungus liaisons. These are just a few examples of the edible mushroom species you may encounter during your foraging expeditions in the UK. However, it is crucial to accurately identify each mushroom before consuming it. It is a book I have dipped into several times while trying to identify some of the many Agaricus species that grow in my area. I will continue to use it as I try some of the recipes, and as a beautiful resource in training new amateur field mycologists." Join Foraging Courses and Workshops: Consider joining foraging courses and workshops led by experts in the field. These courses provide hands-on experience, practical knowledge, and guidance on safe foraging practices.Forage in Diverse Habitats: Explore a variety of habitats such as woodlands, meadows, and grasslands to increase your chances of finding different mushroom species. Each habitat offers unique mushroom diversity and foraging opportunities. I know of no other book at this level which shows so many examples of the variation to be found in fungal fruitbodies. ... This is excellent as one of the hardest things for beginners to learn is just how variable and changeable fungi are in appearance. …. All in all this is a beautifully produced and very useful volume for anyone wishing to forage for fungi." Go Foraging with Experienced Foragers: Accompanying experienced foragers on their expeditions can be an invaluable learning experience. They can share their expertise, teach you the nuances of mushroom identification, and provide insights into the best foraging spots. Identification: A grey to fawn cap that is at first egg-shaped and then later bell shaped. The surface is smooth and splits into a few tiny scales from the apex, the edges are often wavy and split. Stem is white and hollow. Cap is around 4-8 cm across and stem is 5-15 cm tall. By following these steps, you will develop a solid foundation in mushroom identification and gain the necessary skills to embark on your own mushroom foraging adventures.

Identification: One of the most iconic toadstools depicted in fairy-tale illustrations. It has a shiny, scarlet red or orange cap with white wart-like spots dotted across. Cap is 8-20 cm across. The gills are white and free, and the stem is swollen with rings of scales. Geoffrey Kibby is one of Britain’s foremost experts on identifying mushrooms in the field and has published a range of excellent guides/handbooks to mushroom identification. Mycology, or mushrooming, can appeal on many levels, from the simple pleasure of seeing strange and wonderful organisms to the intellectual challenge of trying to identify them and understand their intricate life cycles. But the starting point is, and always will be, a good book! And finally… hand lenses to help with mushroom identification When venturing into the world of mushroom foraging, it is essential to prioritize safety and responsible foraging practices. Here are some essential tips to ensure a safe and rewarding experience: Where to find: Usually found low on the trunk of old, living oak trees and sweet chestnut trees, and sometimes on their stumps. Recommended Reading/Guides:Identification: Initially cup-shaped and smoothed, the fruiting body develops lobes in the shape of a wrinkled human ear. Soft, gelatinous and a date-brown colour, but when it dries it is much smaller, darker and harder. Upper surface is velvety, and is attached laterally by a small stalk. Up to 8cm across.