Identifying Mushrooms

The positive identification of mushrooms is challenging, complicated and absolutely essential for someone intending to gather mushrooms for the table.

Although supplying enough information to the reader to positively identify mushrooms is well beyond the scope of this webpage, there are some basics which can be learned with relative ease. Many excellent books and web resources are out there, for which some links appear on this page.

Developing Knowledge and Resources

No one resource will guarantee success in your quest for  knowledge. The best avenue is to acquire several good mushrooms references for your area (at least 3), and to join your local club, where you should be able to find at least several people who will be able to act as knowledgeable guides for you in the process of your mushroom learning. If you intend to consume mushrooms, never do so solely based on information from a book. You must check out your hypothesis with at least one knowledgeable person whom you trust. Do not depend too heavily on photos for identification, as appearances can be deceiving...

MHMA Mushroom ID Worksheet

We have prepared a printable worksheet to use as a tool for gathering information in the process of identifying fungi. Feel free to download it, print it and copy it to distribute it to friends. Click on the image of the form to the right to get the PDF file. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the file.