The 6 Best fungi Identification Books (2023 reviews)

The teresa marrone field guide should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. It has the basics of mushroom identification and that fantastic. It is easy to read, the pictures are good, it has to have real pictures, not drawings. The information is accessible without being dumbed down too much, and there is a lot of good information about mushrooms in general to help you in identifying the species that you find. The use of "common names" for the various fungi will assist and delight those fungal foragers who are not familiar with scientific terminology.

This is a great reference book of mushrooms. The categories for each page are excellent too, and the'similar-looking species' section is absolutely critical for eliminating possible look-alikes. The pictures are sharp, it’s a perfect size to carry around and it’s very informative.

Why We Like This:

Great pictures and information for beginners
Glossy finish with full color pictures on nearly every page
Small enough to stow in backpack

Best coffee table Book: Paul Stamets fungi Identification Book

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The book makes this retired scientist happily a devoted amateur of mycology. The beauty takes you to another world, one that is stunningly gorgeous and real. The book touches many subjects without deep, given the reader enough knowledge to pick a next book to go deep in what is interesting for them.

The editing, the writing, and the presentation are all wonders for any age. The writings are excellent, and the imagery is beautiful. It takes it further with even more information and beautiful illustrations. This is a fun book with lots of informational treasures that go from the biological characteristics of fungi all the way to the applications towards the understanding and assistance of human experience and consciousness.

Why We Like This:

A most stunningly beautiful book for all ages
Full of beautiful pictures and full of fascinating information
Delivers what they promise

Best For identifying Mushrooms: Teresa Marrone fungi Identification Book

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The teresa marrone fungi identification book might be a relatively new release, but it's still nothing short of impressive this year, thanks to multiple price cuts and added new features over the past few months. It’s small, because it’s meant to be a field guide, as well as taking it along with you. This book has great actual pictures and nicely written out details. These are moderately stout and typically wider at the base, which often is surrounded by whitish mycelium (threadlike fungal filaments) that may be visible in the growing substrate. It’s an excellent companion to a more detailed guide.

The photographs are excellent in this book, the descriptions are detailed, and each includes important identification features like spore print color, texture, and reaction to bruising. It has made walks through the woods turn into treasure hunts. It’s small enough that you can fit it in a jacket pocket, but holds the necessary information you need in the woods.

Why We Like This:

Highly recommend for the novice mushroom hunter
Perfect size to fit in your pocket
Shows potential look alikes to help prevent identification mistakes
A must have for any beginner mushroom hunter

Best For The Pacific Northwest: Robert Rogers fungi Identification Book

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The robert rogers fungi identification book should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. The mushroom’s vibrational essence can help the worrier come face to face with love and nurturance, for needed grounding energies to face the physical world and working in nature, and to help overcome difficult crises and transitions. Homeopathically it can treat irritability and frustration, an aversion to visiting company, dreams of violence and the accompanied sadness and self-doubt, stabbing pain and headaches. It has been shown to be effective in treating chronic fatigue syndrome, genital herpes, hypertension, diabetes, kidney disorders, lupus and other autoimmune disorders. Over five hundred of its biochemicals help control untraviolet light exposure, repel herbivores, and attach microbes. It has been used to bathe newborns to give them strength, for eye infections, treating wounds, as a laxative and for respiratory afflictions.

Why We Like This:

A great resource for medicinal mushrooms and lichens
Great book for any herbal practitioners
Excellent book for anyone interested in the medicinal properties of fungi
Culture and folklore, traditional uses, medicinal uses

Best For beginner: Orson Miller fungi Identification Book

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We would, of course, be remiss if we didn't mention orson miller fungi identification book for daily usage. This book is quite comprehensive dealing with mushrooms. They can provide a unique perspective about the edibility and habitat of mushrooms identified through the Arora books. It's as heavy as a brick.

This guide focuses a lot more on whether or not the mushroom is edible. There is a high reliance on keys, but keys only apply to the species in the guidebook, which is probably less than 20% of the reasonably common species at any particular location—that’s true of any guidebook. It is definitely good classification and identification practice for the beginner. It is very important that you read everything so you can properly identify mushrooms, especially if you intend to eat them. This mushroom guide could use better photographs but it is still the best one out there for hunters and identification.

Why We Like This:

A must for your gathering of mushrooms
Easy to navigate and make identifications
Has many good quality pictures with the fact and comments equally as defining

Best For coffee table display: Borsato fungi Identification Book

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This is not the kind of book you'd take out with you while foraging, but it's definitely the kind you'd read on a comfortable afternoon just for fun. The illustrations are as vibrant and colorful as they are beautiful. This is a book that isn’t afraid to mix the personal with the practical and will thrill many readers because of that.

This guide has provided a great introduction to many different fungi as well as mushrooming in general. The illustrations on the cover and throughout the book make it a nice piece to display on a table or bookshelf. The book is more about aesthetics of mushrooms, with some wistful foray into how to get the buzz from them.

Why We Like This:

Would make a great read for any mushroom fan
Great illustrations and a lot of personal touches make this a compelling read
New and hot release