Identify This Mushroom

So you’ve found a mushroom. Yay! But what exactly is it? There are probably millions of species of fungi, most not yet described. There are something like 15,000 species recorded in the UK. So this is going to be a nightmare, right? Fortunately there are many species out there where ID is straightforward. Even for the trickier ones, the likely candidates can be narrowed down with a bit of investigation.

I think it’s worth considering exactly what kind of mushroom hunter you are as that can alter the approach to identification.

1. The Forager. Typically foragers want to know: Is it edible? Is it good to eat? Will it kill me?
2. The Mushroom Hunter. Interested in a whole range of fungi from the tasty ones to the tiny ones on rocks, the pretty ones and the brown ones that all look the same.
3. The Hardcore Mycologist. We’re getting down to species and sub-species level here. Proper science is happening.

I’m a mix of 1 and 2. I love to forage for tasty edible fungi. But a day spent collecting specimens I’ve never seen before and pouring over them back at my lair, is a good day.

The world of the trained mycologist is a bit beyond me so I can’t comment on the techniques they use in any depth. But there’s plenty of cross-over and the amateur mushroomer can contribute to the science through forays, recording and citizen-science.

I’ll break down the various identification techniques I use in part 2 (coming soon!)