Peterson Field Guide to Mushrooms of North America, Second Edition - Paperback

by Karl B. McKnight (Author), Joseph R. Rohrer (Author), Kirsten McKnight Ward (Author)

A new edition of the classic, bestselling field guide to mushrooms from Peterson Field Guides.

Peterson Field Guide To Mushrooms is a portable-sized field guide for mushroom identification--the ultimate, most comprehensive manual for North American mushrooms available.

Toadstools, truffles, boletes and morels, witches' butter, conks, corals, puffballs and earthstars: mushrooms are both mysterious and ecologically essential. They can also be either delicious or deadly. Thousands of different species of mushrooms appear across North America in the woods, backyards, and in unexpected corners. Learning to distinguish them is a rewarding challenge for a naturalist or chef. Covering the most common edible and poisonous species readers are likely to encounter, this portable-sized field guide takes a new, simple approach to the method of mushroom identification based on key features that do not require a microscope or technical vocabulary. In addition to the watercolors from the original edition, hundreds more illustrations have been added.

For more than 85 years, Peterson Field Guides have set the standard by which other field guides are measured. Comprehensive and authoritative, they are essential additions to any naturalist's bookshelf or backpack.

What makes this the essential field guide for mushroom hunters?

• Beginner-Friendly Identification: A simple approach based on key features you can see, no microscope or technical vocabulary required.
• Safe Foraging Guide: Detailed entries and illustrations help you confidently distinguish delicious morels from their dangerous look-alikes.
• Comprehensive Coverage: Explore the world of toadstools, truffles, boletes, corals, puffballs, and earthstars found across North America.
• Field-Ready Design: The classic portable size is designed to fit perfectly in your backpack for easy reference on the trail.

Author Biography

KARL MCKNIGHT is a professor of biology at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. He is the author of Common Mosses of the Northeast and Appalachians.