National Audubon Society Mushrooms of North America

by National Audobon Society

Our Take

It covers about 660 species with nearly 2,900 color photographs, and it’s organized by evolutionary relationships rather than by appearance. It doesn’t have identification keys and says little about edibility, but is good newer enthusiasts and armchair mycologists who want the big picture.

About the Book

Mushroom science has changed a lot in recent decades. DNA sequencing has redrawn the fungal family tree, and familiar species have new names and new relatives. This guide was built from scratch to reflect that. Species are arranged by order, following the Assembling the Fungal Tree of Life project, and color-coded sections show at a glance how mushrooms are related to one another.

Each species account includes up to five photos, along with range, season, spore print color, look-alikes, and conservation status. Introductory essays cover mushroom anatomy above and below ground, common host trees, how fungi are named and classified, fungal ecology, and how climate change is affecting mushrooms. A glossary, an index, and a ribbon marker round it out.

It’s a hefty, flexibound volume of more than 700 pages, better suited to the bookshelf or coffee table than the trail. If you want to understand how the fungal kingdom fits together, this is a gorgeous place to start.

Deets

• Author: National Audubon Society
• Species descriptions: Jacob Kalichman
• Editor: Jim Cirigliano
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
• Publication date: April 11, 2023
• Language: English
• Format: Flexibound
• Pages: 720
• Illustrations: Nearly 2,900 color photographs
• ISBN-13: 978-0593319987