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A Guide to Kansas Mushrooms

Bruce Horn, Richard L. Kay, and Dean S. Abel

320 pages, 6 figures, 164 full-color and 8 black-and-white photographs, 5-1/2 x 8-1/2
Kansas Nature Guides
Paper ISBN 978-0-7006-0571-2, $19.95

Book Cover ImageA unique crossroads for mushrooms, Kansas is populated by a blend of northerners and southerners, serves as a western frontier for easterners, and harbors a few West Coast natives.

In this book, the authors offer a myriad of how-to's when stalking and using mushrooms, from identifying an Old Man in the Woods to sauteing a tasty Volvariella bombycina. Besides providing both the Latin and common names and descriptions of 235 species found in the state, they have included 150 color photographs of common and not so common species, a nontechnical key for identification, a calendar of fungal fruiting seasons, and a list of all 548 species that have been located in Kansas. And for those rusty on their Latin, they've included a guide to the origin and pronunciation of Latin names.

Mushroom hunters will find a number of useful tips in this book, whether they want to eat their quarry, photograph it, or examine it under a microscope. And to add richness to the sport, the authors have included an overview of Kansas geography and climate, a history of mycology in the state, and practical advice for forays in the field.

With something for the novice, the advanced amateur, and even the professional mycologist, A Guide to Kansas Mushrooms provides general explanations and advice, as well as descriptions of mushrooms found not only in this state but throughout the country, particularly east of the Rockies.

"It is good to see a first-rate guide to the mushrooms in Kansas produced by a capable and qualified team of enthusiastic mycologists. The general setup of the book provides quick access to information and informs the beginner about how to use keys, equipment, and even what species are the best to eat."--Orson K. Miller Jr., author of Mushrooms of North America

"This is the best of recent regional treatments on mushrooms. Extraordinarily helpful"--Clark T. Rogerson, senior curator, emeritus, The New York Botanical Garden

"From gastronomic delights such as chanterelles to the offensive but beautiful stinkhorns, the authors have covered the gamut of fungi that mushroom hunters are likely to find in their quest for common or unusual encounters of the good kind. Among the things that set this book apart from most field guides are the numerous hints and suggestions--often with personal, humorous touches--on how to collect, photograph, identify, and select the choicest mushrooms for the table."--Robert W. Lichtwardt, author of The Trichomycetes

"Excellent color photographs combined with easy to follow keys and nontechnical descriptions make this an outstanding field guide and a valuable resource for anyone interested in mushrooms."--Alan E. Bessette, author of Mushrooms: A Quick Reference Guide to Mushrooms of North America

BRUCE HORN is a microbiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Georgia. He is the author of eighteen scientific publications on fungi.

RICHARD L. KAY is professor of history at the University of Kansas with a specialty in Dante. He is author of A Checklist of Kansas Mushrooms and Dante's Swift and Strong.

DEAN S. ABEL is an electron microscope technician in the biology department at the University of Iowa. In 1992 he won the best-of-show award North American Mycological Association photo contest.