Mushrooms (Eyewitness Handbooks) (Flexible Binding) [Paperback]

Thomas Laessoe (Author), Gary Lincoff (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1998

The visual guide to more than 500 species of mushroom from around the world. TABLE OF CONTENTS: Cap & Stem Fungi with Decurrent Gills; Cap & Stem Fungi with Adnexed to Adnate Gills; Cap & Stem Fungi with Free Gills; Cap Fungi with Stem Off-Center or Absent; Cap & Stem Fungi with Pores; Honeycomb-, Brain-, or Saddle-Like Cap; Bracket or Skinlike-Fungi with Spines; Club-Shaped Fungi; Antler - to Coral-Like Fungi; Rounded Fungi; Pear- to Pestle-Shaped Fungi; Cup-toDisk-Shaped Fungi; Trumpet -Shaped Fungi; Star-Shaped & Cage-Like Fungi; Ear- or Brainlike, Gelatinous Fungi; Spore Chart

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This publisher's exceptional Eyewitness Handbooks series has published identification guides to birds, aquarium fish, butterflies, cats, dogs, and fossils, among other aspects of the natural world. Written and researched by mycologists, the latest in the series is a quintessential guide to hundreds of mushrooms. (There are an estimated 1.5 million species worldwide and only about 80,000 have been documented.) Each entry includes a meticulous description, along with detailed color photographs and artwork showing each species in its natural habitat. There are color-coded bands providing data on fruiting season, size, spore deposit, edibility, and color. Identification is made easier by the organization of mushrooms by shape, with major categories subdivided by such characteristics as gill arrangement or flesh type. This highly informative pocket guide contains 2,300 color photographs and illustrations of more than 500 species of mushrooms. George Cohen --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

More than 500 mushrooms from around the world illustrated with 2,300 full color photos...the DK layouts are splendid -- Virginian Pilot, Dec. 98

The latest in DK's well-done series of nature handbooks provides concise text and clear photographs. A thorough introduction explains what mushrooms are and how they grow. -- New Orleans Times Picayune, Aug. 98

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT (September 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789433354
• ISBN-13: 978-0789433350
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #769,815 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #86 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Plants > Mushrooms

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Visual Treat of Mushrooms, May 20, 2000

By 

Joseph Dewey (Orem, UT USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mushrooms (Eyewitness Handbooks) (Flexible Binding) (Paperback)

The pictures in this guide are incredible! The picture above pales in comparison to the actual book cover, and it is too bad that there has not been a picture of one of the pages included.

Each type of mushroom or fungus has its own half page section. The sections have a large and vivid pictures of the species. Did I mention that the pictures are incredible? Usually sections have supporting pictures such as top views and gill views of the mushrooms. It also gives species information, season availability, and dimensions in centimeters of the cap and the stem. The discussion in the section gives written information on description, occurrence, and similar species.

As far as edibility of mushrooms, this guide gives a symbol for the categories of edible, non-edible, and poisonous. This is really the only discussion of edibility, so this book is not a guide to eating mushrooms, but an overall guide to mushrooms.

The cover is close to being waterproof, which makes it excellent for taking into the field. The pages are high-quality paper. This book is a tremendous deal!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you buy only one mushroom field guide, this is the one!, September 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Mushrooms (Eyewitness Handbooks) (Flexible Binding) (Paperback)

Excellent! This is the best mushroom field guide I have ever seen. This book shows sharp photos of each mushroom, as well as photos in cross section and of the underside. Photos are not of the mushroom in its natural habitat, but are on a white background, so each photo is well focused and well lit. Also includes a tiny photo or drawing of the mushroom in its natural habitat. Comprehensive-includes mushrooms that don't appear in my other two books. Mushrooms listed both by scientific and by popular names. Extremely conservative in the 'shrooms that it classifies as edible. Book is designed for the beginner ("What is a Mushroom?") as well as the advanced (spore chart). The quality of the book itself is very high; it is printed on excellent paper and stays open to a page when needed. It appears to be well bound and I think the paperback cover will look good even after many trips in the backpack.

5.0 out of 5 stars covers all the bases, July 11, 2006

By 

Kelly L. Jeffries "moonpie" (elizabethtown, ky. United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mushrooms (Dk Handbooks) (Paperback)

This DK Handbook is so easy to follow especially on a subject as vast as mushrooms! The layout is great. each page has one mushroom documented in a photograph, a sliced view and also an illustration...too perfect. also edibility. I wish DK would come out with this style of handbooks for trees, insects, etc. I would by them all!