Best Fungi Encyclopedias: 4 Books on Mushroom Lore and Identification
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Sesera editorial account organizes laptop, mini PC, smartphone, and gadget buying guides so readers can check the important points before buying.
Choosing a fungi encyclopedia can be tricky when some titles focus on identification and others explore broader mushroom lore.
The books featured here offer different ways to explore fungi, including identification information, habitat details, and reference features.
This time, we’ll round up four options, from a mushroom-lore compendium to illustrated fungi guides.
Quick-reference table of recommended products
| Product name | Pages | Guide focus |
|---|---|---|
 Fungipedia: A Brief Compendium of Mushroom Lore | 200 | A–Z compendium of mushroom lore spanning ecological, ethnographic, historical, and contemporary topics |
 Mushrooms and Other Fungi | 112 | Introduces North American mushrooms and fungi, with information for identification |
 Mushrooms | 360 | Wild fungi identification guide with habitat and fruiting information |
 Encyclopedia of Fungi | 192 | Illustrated fungi reference designed for dipping in and out |
Fungipedia: A Brief Compendium of Mushroom Lore
This hardcover is recommended for readers looking for an illustrated A–Z exploration of mushroom lore. The book’s more than 180 entries bring together ecological, ethnographic, historical, and contemporary topics, alongside 51 black-and-white illustrations.
Mushrooms and Other Fungi
Mushrooms and Other Fungi is recommended for readers looking for a guide to identifying mushrooms and other fungi found in North America. Readers can use it to identify mushrooms and learn about their features, with photographs, fun facts, and useful specifications.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms is recommended for readers who want a guide to identifying fungi while foraging. Its photographs, cross-sections, scale illustrations, and identification charts help readers identify over 450 fungi species from around the world. It also includes information about habitat, fruiting, and which types are poisonous or edible.
Encyclopedia of Fungi
Encyclopedia of Fungi is recommended for readers looking for an illustrated fungi reference they can explore a little at a time. It introduces over 300 fungi from around the world with vibrant illustrations, plus a glossary and an index, and is designed for dipping in and out.
Choose by the kind of fungi guide you want
- Readers interested in A–Z mushroom lore across ecological, ethnographic, historical, and contemporary topics
- Readers looking to identify mushrooms and other fungi found in North America
- Readers looking for an identification guide to use while foraging
- Readers wanting an illustrated fungi reference to dip into a little at a time
For family walks and storytime
If you’re choosing a fungi book for browsing in these settings, Encyclopedia of Fungi is recommended. It is designed for dipping in and out, with a family walk in the woods and storytime given as example settings.
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